Hidden Lives Revealed. A virtual archive - children in care 1881-1981 * Image of handwritten text

Browse casefiles by keyword

  • Abandonment
    This is used in cases where a child or whole family was abandoned by a parent or guardian.
  • Abuse
    This is used in cases where a child was cruelly treated, hit or sexually abused. It also includes domestic violence between the parents. See also 'Neglect'.
  • Adoption
    This is used for cases involving an attempt to adopt a child. See also 'Foster care'.
  • After care
    This is used when help was given after the person officially left the Society's care.
  • Alcohol abuse
    This denotes that a parent or guardian abused alcohol.
  • Behaviour
    This indicates that the child's behaviour caused concern before or after going into the Society's care.
  • Child labour
    This relates to cases in which children aged under 14 are working to help maintain themselves or their families. See also 'Employment'.
  • Clothing
    This denotes that there is information on clothing worn by the child.
  • Complaints
    This term indicates that a complaint was made about the child's treatment while in the Society's care.
  • Crime.
    This is used for cases in which a parent or child is prosecuted for committing a crime. See also 'Abuse'; 'Infanticide'; 'Law'; 'Murder'; 'Neglect' and 'Prison'.
  • Custody
    This term denotes a dispute or unusual circumstances regarding custody of the child.
  • Disability
    Use of this term indicates that the child or a parent, or guardian, has a physical or mental disability. Related terms are 'Mental health' and 'Health'.
  • Employment
    This term in used in cases where there is an interesting or unusual aspect to a parent or child's employment. It also includes work related injuries. See also 'Child labour'.
  • Ethnic minorities
    This term indicates that the child is from an ethnic minority background. See also 'Travellers'.
  • Foster care
    Use of this term indicates that the child lived in formal or informal foster care. See also 'Adoption'.
  • Grandparents
    This term indicates that the child was looked after by grandparents, or they feature in the case in some other way.
  • Health
    This term indicates that the child or parent suffered serious illness. Related terms are 'Disability' and 'Mental Health'.
  • Homelessness
    This indicates that the child or family were made homeless.
  • Illegitimacy
    Cases marked with this term indicate instances of illegitimacy and can illustrate attitudes prevailing at the time.
  • Industrial schools
    Cases indexed in this fashion indicate that the child was the subject of an order under the Industrial Schools legislation.
  • Infanticide
    This term denotes the killing of an infant by, or with the consent of, a parent. See also 'Murder'.
  • Law
    Cases indexed in this way illustrate an aspect of child related law. See also 'Crime'.
  • Maintenance
    Use of this term indicates an interesting or unusual aspect to payment of maintenance for the child.
  • Mental health
    This term indicates that a parent or child had a mental health problem. Related terms are 'Disability' and 'Mental Health'.
  • Murder
    This term is used where a case involves murder, attempted murder, or manslaughter. See also 'Infanticide'.
  • Neglect
    This term indicates that a child was not properly fed, clothed or looked after. See also 'Abuse'.
  • News clippings
    This indicates that the file contains newspaper clippings concerning the case.
  • Photographs
    This term indicates that a photograph of the child is available.
  • Poverty
    This denotes a case in which people live in particularly poor circumstances.
  • Prison
    This is used when a parent or child is sent to prison.
  • Prostitution
    This is used when a parent or child is involved, or at risk of being involved, in prostitution.
  • Running away
    This term indicates that a child ran away from a Home or from its parents, guardians or employer
  • School
    Use of this term indicates that a case shows an aspect of schooling and education.
  • Siblings
    This is used for case files relating to two or more children from the same family taken into care, and for files illustrating relationships between siblings.
  • Social life
    Cases indexed with this term contain references to holidays, outings and other social activities
  • Stepparents
    This term indicates that stepparents were involved in the child's family life.
  • Suicide
    This is used when a parent or guardian, or child, committed, or attempted, suicide.
  • Travellers
    This term indicates that the child is from a Traveller or Romany ('Gypsy') background. See also 'Ethnic minorities'.
  • Welfare organisations
    This term is used to denote agencies, other than the Waifs and Strays' Society, (such as the NSPCC), which were involved in the care of the child or young person
  • Workhouses
    This term indicates that a child or parent spent time in a Workhouse.
  • World War 1
    Cases indexed with this term illustrate the effects of World War 1 on children and their families


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