Morgan was re-elected as the MP for Portsmouth South in the general election.
While the DfE has yet to officially confirm ministerial briefs and responsibilities for individual ministers, in a post on X, Morgan looks likely to take on responsibility for early years, although Nursery World has as yet been unable to confirm this officially.
Morgan said, ‘Every child deserves to get the best start in life. Honoured to be joining @bphillipsonMPs Ministerial team @educationgovuk to deliver better childcare and early education. I can’t wait to get started.’
The DfE subsequently reposted Morgan's tweet.
The DfE lists Morgan as a parliamentary-under-secretary of state at the DfE.
Morgan was first elected to Parliament as the MP for Portsmouth South in 2017.
Since then he has held a number of roles on Labour’s front bench, including as shadow minister for schools between September 2021 to 2023.
Following this, he was appointed shadow minister of state for rail, a post he held until the general election.
Morgan worked in local government and the charity sector before he was elected as an MP.
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said, 'We welcome Stephen Morgan as minister with responsibility for the early years.
'There's no question that Mr Morgan begins this role at a particularly challenging time for the sector, with providers continuing to face severe staffing shortages and significant underfunding in the run-up to the next phase of the entitlement expansion.
'As such, we look forward to working closely with him to ensure that the views, needs and concerns of providers are represented at the highest level, and that our sector finally gets the respect, recognition and support it both needs and deserves.'
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said, 'We look forward to working with the new Minister Stephen Morgan on giving children the best start in life through high-quality early education and care.
'The Minister takes up his role at a time when the sector is facing a number of challenges ahead of expansion. We want to work with him and the team to offer constructive solutions to some of the challenges providers face on the frontline.
'If we make the first five years count we know that it improves outcomes for children, shapes their lifelong learning and boosts the economy.'
Janet Daby has also been appointed as a parliamentary-under-secretary of state at the DfE.
Daby is the MP for Lewisham East and was previously the shadow spokesperson for youth justice. Previously she was a local councillor and served as deputy mayor for Lewisham in 2018.
Earlier this week, Catherine McKinnell, the MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North, was appointed minister of state in the DfE. She was previously shadow schools minister, the role previously held by Morgan.
McKinnell said on X, 'What an honour to be appointed to serve as Minister for Education in this Labour Government. It's been a whirlwind of a first day with a wonderful team ready to support our work to break down barriers to opportunity for every child.'
Jacqui Smith, a former schools minister under Tony Blair and later appointed as the first female home secretary under Gordon Brown, has been made a peer and brought back into the DfE as an education minister in the House of Lords.
There are unconfirmed reports that she will serve as higher education minister.
Meanwhile, Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford North, will split her time between the DfE as minister for women and equalities and also serve as a minister of state at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Phillipson will share the role of minister for women and equalities with Dodds.
