Between the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, more than a hundred thousand British children were sent overseas to countries like Canada, Australia, and other parts of the British Empire as part of what became known as the Home Children programme. This controversial migration scheme, which aimed to provide "better opportunities" for children in poverty, left a lasting imprint on the lives of those involved.
The Home Children programme began in the 1860s as a social experiment aimed at alleviating poverty in the crowded industrial cities of Britain. Many of these children, some as young as three, were either orphans or had been surrendered by impoverished families who could no longer care for them. The programme was supported by philanthropic organisations such as Dr. Thomas Barnardo's Homes and the Church of England Waifs and Strays Society, and was endorsed by the British government.
Other children were told that their parents had died when in fact that was not the case. As they were compulsorily shipped out of Britain, many of the children were deceived into believing their parents were dead, and that a more abundant life awaited them. Some were exploited as cheap agricultural labour, or denied proper shelter and education. It was common for Home Children to run away, sometimes finding a caring family or better working conditions.
The programme was not the first of its kind. The practice of sending poor or orphaned children to English and later British colonies, to help alleviate the shortage of labour, began in 1618, with the rounding-up and transportation of one hundred English vagrant children to the Virginia Colony. In the 18th century, labour shortages in the overseas colonies also encouraged the transportation of children for work in the Americas, and large numbers of children were forced to migrate, most of them from Scotland. This practice continued until it was exposed in 1757, following a civil action against Aberdeen merchants and magistrates for their involvement in the trade.source
The belief was that life in the colonies, particularly Canada and later Australia, would offer these children better prospects. They would be placed with farming families to learn a trade, receive an education, and become productive members of society. For the receiving countries, it was a way to populate vast agricultural lands and build the rural workforce, especially in regions lacking manpower.
For many children, the journey overseas was daunting. Often, the migration involved long, perilous voyages by ship, followed by immediate placement in rural homes upon arrival. At first glance, the programme seemed like a charitable initiative - offering poor children a new start. However, the reality was often starkly different from the idealistic visions set forth by British authorities.
While the programme was intended to provide children with better opportunities, many of these children ended up living in harsh conditions. Instead of the family support system they were promised, many were treated as unpaid labourers, enduring severe physical and emotional abuse. Farms were isolated, and schooling was often neglected as children were forced to work long hours to meet the needs of the families they lived with. Children who tried to escape or report their mistreatment found little support, as the system often turned a blind eye to the realities they faced.
Though there were certainly cases where Home Children were taken in by kind families and integrated into their new lives, such instances were far less common than the programme’s proponents liked to claim. The scale of the mistreatment and neglect went largely unaddressed for many years.
Though the Home Children program initially focused on Canada, Australia also became a significant destination for British child migrants. In the 20th century, the Australian government, along with charities and churches, took in thousands of children through a continuation of the scheme. Much like in Canada, these children were often sent to rural areas where they were expected to work in exchange for food, shelter, and education.
Sadly, the same pattern of abuse, neglect, and overwork persisted in Australia. Children were often separated from their siblings, given little access to education, and treated as second-class citizens.
The mistreatment of the Home Children became a topic of public discussion decades later, leading to national apologies from the governments involved. In 2009, the UK government formally apologised for the child migration programs that had sent thousands of children to overseas institutions where many faced abuse. Similarly, the Australian government issued an apology in 2009 to the child migrants who had suffered under the programme.
In Canada, the legacy of the Home Children continues to be examined, and many descendants of these children are still trying to piece together their family histories. Some efforts have been made to commemorate the Home Children, including memorials and genealogical initiatives, but the deep emotional wounds remain. In 2011, it was revealed that one in ten Canadians was a descendant of one of these children.
The Home Children programme stands as a dark chapter in history. On the one hand, it was an attempt to address urban poverty and the social challenges of the time. On the other, it represented a real failure to protect the rights and well-being of some of the most vulnerable members of society. Have we done any better of late?
Have we forgotten these children who are now seeing their descendants welcomed to the country they were sent to through no fault of their own? How different were they to the " Stolen Generation? "
Where are THEIR reparations?
What gives us confidence that governments creating laws removing the rights of the parents over the welfare of their own children are for the child's own good? Have we not seen enough evidence that governments do not always have children's best interests at heart?
I will leave it up to you to ponder.
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