I COULD not help having a wry smile at the article by Wendy Shepherd on behalf of Barnardo’s (HAS, Sept 2).
The charity, like others in child care, has the best of intentions but its track record is a little mixed.
Fortunately, I was in the care of Derbyshire County Council in the late 1950s but had I been elsewhere in the East Midlands I would have been in the care of Dr Barnardo’s and probably shipped out to Australia.
The charity had a hand in deporting 100,000 children, without the consent of parents, to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. The policy was called “Home Children” and continued until 1967. Some did find good homes but most were cheap labour in harsh conditions.
In February, 2010, Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued an official apology for this “shameful” child resettlement programme and a £6m fund to compensate families affected. I’m at a loss as to why he should apologise. Matters might improve if the culpable took responsibility and those in frontline child care actually had more practical experience.
The private sector has no place in child welfare.
VJ Connor, Bishop Auckland.
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