Children under the care of the Scottish Poor Law, 1880-1929
This thesis contributes to the debate about the division of responsibility between parents and the state towards children through a survey of the development of child welfare policy in Scotland under the Poor Law. The emergence of a distinctive Scottish practice was characterised by an intrusive approach to the family and reliance on the boarding out of pauper children to foster parents. To illustrate this, the administration of policy at both central and local level is examined and is compared with English Poor Law policy. The focus of the thesis is in the period 1880-1929 although the earlier sections provide a background to the reform of the Scottish Poor Law in 1845. Section one explores the shaping of child care policy under the 1845 Act and the arrangements for its administration. Section Two looks more closely at the implementation of policy at local level and the evolution of discretionary and legislative intervention in parent-child relations. Section Three evaluates the application and effectiveness of Poor Law child care with boarding out as the main method and poorhouse provision as the 'last resort.' What emerges is the existence of an approach to child welfare in Scotland which drew on traditional
MacDonald, Helen Jane
Welfare; Scotland
Children under the care of the Scottish Poor Law, 1880-1929. This thesis contributes to the debate about the division of responsibility between parents and the state towards children through a survey of the development of child welfare policy in Scotland under the Poor Law. The emergence of a distinctive Scottish practice was characterised by an intrusive approach to the family and reliance on the boarding out of pauper children to foster parents. To illustrate this, the administration of policy at both central and local level is examined and is compared with English Poor Law policy. The focus of the thesis is in the period 1880-1929 although the earlier sections provide a background to the reform of the Scottish Poor Law in 1845. Section one explores the shaping of child care policy under the 1845 Act and the arrangements for its administration. Section Two looks more closely at the implementation of policy at local level and the evolution of discretionary and legislative intervention in parent-child relations. Section Three evaluates the application and effectiveness of Poor Law child care with boarding out as the main method and poorhouse provision as the 'last resort.' What emerges is the existence of an approach to child welfare in Scotland which drew on traditional
children care scottish poor_law contributes debate division responsibility parent state towards child survey development child welfare policy scotland poor_law emergence distinctive scottish practice characterise intrusive family reliance board pauper child foster parent illustrate administration policy central local_level examine compare english poor_law policy focus period although early section provide_background reform scottish poor_law section_one explore shape child care policy act arrangement administration section_two look_closely implementation policy local_level evolution discretionary legislative intervention parent_child relation section_three evaluate application effectiveness poor_law child care board main method provision last resort emerges existence child welfare scotland draw traditional