They also expressed their delight at the appointment of Ed Balls as thefirst-ever Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
The Cabinet appointments announced last week confirm that BeverleyHughes is to continue as children's minister and will also beresponsible for youth justice, attending Cabinet when required.
Mr Balls, who was appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury in Maylast year, led the recent review on services for disabled children andwas key to the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign.
He said, 'Our responsibility will be to support families and ensure thatall children and young people are safe and healthy, that they secure thehighest standards of achievements, that they enjoy their childhood andthat they can make a positive contribution to society free from theeffects of poverty.'
Francine Bates, chief executive of Contact a Family and board member ofEDCM, said, 'We applaud the new Prime Minister for responding to thecalls from our sector to make the minister for children a Cabinet-levelpost.
'What Ed Balls understood very early on was that if we can get it rightfor disabled children, we can get it right for all children. As far aswe are concerned, there couldn't be anyone better for this criticalpost.'
Alison Garnham, joint chief executive of the Daycare Trust, which lastmonth featured Mr Balls as keynote speaker at its conference, said theCabinet role 'put children at the heart of Government'.
4Children chief executive Anne Longfield said, 'It is great to see thatGordon Brown is taking this opportunity to reprioritise children andfamilies. This is an important move symbolically which also makes amajor difference to delivering change on the ground.'
Dr Carol Homden, chief executive of Coram Family, said, 'We look to himto appreciate and convey how investment in support structures forchildren and a focus on preventive work can change the path for the mostvulnerable.'
ED BALLS' CV
Born: 1967
Education: Nottingham High School; Oxford University; Harvard University
1990-94: Financial Times writer
1994-97: Economic adviser to Shadow Chancellor Gordon Brown
1999-2004: Chief economic adviser to the Treasury
2005: MP for Normanton, W. Yorks
2006: Economic Secretary, Treasury