Children's charities have welcomed the appointment of a minister for children, believing it will result in more joined-up services for children and provide a clear voice for children within government .

The radical change will see former higher education and lifelong learning minister Margaret Hodge take over responsibility for children's social services from the Department of Health and lead the implementation of the reform agenda to be set out in the forthcoming green paper on children due to be published next month.

Still based in the Department for Education and Skills under the direction of education secretary Charles Clarke, Hodge's new responsibilities will also include Sure Start, early years, child care, Connexions, the Children and Young People's Unit, the Teenage Pregnancy Unit, family and parenting law and support, and the Family Policy Unit.

The move follows calls from Victoria Climbie Inquiry chairperson Lord Laming for a ministerial children and families board at the heart of government chaired by a minister of cabinet rank, and for improved co-ordination.

Chris Hanvey, director of UK operations for children's charity Barnardo's welcomed the move, adding that he hoped it would "be the end of the turf wars between government departments over children's services".

Association of Directors of Social Services president David Behan agreed that the decision to move children's social services to the DfES would ensure greater co-ordination and coherence in the sector.

However, there were concerns about the future relationship between the new division within the DfES and those parts of children's policy that remain outside the department, particularly youth justice. "The appointment of a minister for children is balanced by the fact that the overall responsibility for children is still split," Hanvey said.

Chief executive of the National Children's Bureau Paul Ennals added: "For too long, Home Office policy has been out of step with other government approaches to children."

Ennals went on to question how the new department would maintain strong links with children's health services, which will remain at the Department of Health, and said the National Service Framework for Children would now need to be developed jointly between two government departments.