Journalists with incoming enquiries and bids should call our central newsdesk on 020 7783 8300. This is staffed from 8:00am until 7:00pm Monday to Friday and out of hours the number will divert to the duty press officer. Members of the public please call 0370 000 2288.
Other calls should be directed as below.
Head of News
Gabriel Milland
020 7783 8300
Deputy Head of News
Dunstan Hadley
020 7783 8300
Children and Families Desk
Chief Press Officer
Sarah Derwent
020 7783 8593
Senior Press Officer
Alex Thwaites
Press Officer
Catherine McCann
Schools Desk
Oliver Lane
020 7340 8111
Senior Press Officers
Farooq Mulla
Amie Tilford
Press Officer
Razeeb Ahasan
News Desk and New Media
Chief Press Officer
Anna Sinfield
020 7783 8300
Senior Press Officer
Charles Heymann
Press Officer
Giles Mason
Rachel Brown
Regional Team
West Midlands, South East and South West:
Newsdesk
020 7783 8300
Yorkshire and the Humber, North East and East Midlands:
Ruth Thornber
0114 2742096
North West, London and East of England:
Newsdesk
020 7783 8300
For urgent out of hours calls please ring the same number or our pager service on 07659 105993. If your call is not urgent please wait until the office is open again.
Calls regarding higher education should be directed to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills press office on 020 7215 5955
If you have a specific enquiry about a policy that is handled by a non-departmental public body it may be best to contact their press office directly:
Audit Commission
The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
Web: www.audit-commission.gov.uk
Tel: 0844 798 2134
Cafcass
Cafcass looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. The organisation works with children and their families and then advises the courts on the best interests of individual children.
Web: www.cafcass.gov.uk
Tel: 0844 353 3350
Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
Web: www.cqc.org.uk
Tel: 0207 448 9401
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) is tasked to work both nationally and internationally to bring online child sex offenders, including those involved in the production, distribution and viewing of child pornography, to the UK courts.
Web: www.ceop.gov.uk
Tel: 0870 000 3434
Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)
CWDC works across Early Years, young people and social work workforces to improve training and development of professionals.
Web: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk
Tel: 0113 3907658
Criminal Records Bureau
The CRB is an Executive Agency of the Home Office set up to help organisations make safer recruitment decisions. The links below will provide you with an overview of the CRB and its services.
Web: www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk
Tel: Home Office Press Office 020 7035 3535
General Social Care Council
Sets standards of conduct and practice for social care workers and their employers in England and is responsible for the codes of practice, the Social Care Register and social work education and training.
Web: www.gscc.org.uk
Tel: 020 7397 5832 / 5863
Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)
The Independent Safeguarding Authority’s (ISA) role is to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults.
Web: www.isa-gov.org.uk
Tel: 01325 953539
National College for School Leadership
The National College works to develop and support great leaders of schools.
Web: www.nationalcollege.org.uk
Tel: 0115 872 2553
National Council for Voluntary Youth Services
NCVYS is an independent body that represents voluntary and community youth organisations in England.
Web: www.ncvys.org.uk
Tel: 020 72781041
National Youth Agency
NYA works in partnership with public, private and voluntary sector organisations to support and improve services for young people.
Web: www.nya.org.uk
Tel: 0116 242 7480
Office of the Children’s Commissioner (11 million)
The role of the Commissioner is to promote the views of children and young people from birth to 18 (up to 21 for young people in care or with learning difficulties). The current Children’s Commissioner is Maggie Atkinson.
Web: www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk
Tel: 05511 437863 / 0551 143 7858
Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual)
Ofqual regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England. As an independent regulator it reports directly to Parliament.
Web: www.ofqual.gov.uk
Tel: 0300 3033342
Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted)
Ofsted inspects and regulates to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages.
Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7421 6622
School Food Trust
The School Food Trust was established by the Department in September 2005. Its remit is to transform school food and food skills, promote the education and health of children and young people and improve the quality of food in schools.
Web: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
Tel: 020 7273 5205
Training and Development Agency for schools (TDA)
TDA is the national agency and recognised sector body responsible for the training and development of the school workforce.
Web: www.tda.gov.uk
Tel: 0300 065 6763
UK Council on Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)
The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) brings together organisations from industry, charities and the public sector to work with the Government to improve child internet safety.
DfE Press Office handles media enquiries on behalf of UKCCIS.
Tel: 0207 783 8300
Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA)
YPLA was established by the Department in April 2010 and is responsible for championing education and training for young people in England. It supports local authorities to commission suitable education and training opportunities for all 16- to 19-year-olds in England, funds and manages the performance of open academies and provides direct support for learners.
Web: www.ypla.gov.uk
DfE Press Office handles media enquiries on behalf of YPLA. Tel: 0207 783 8300
