ABSTRACT

What is so extraordinary about the child migration scheme is that at no time were any legal safeguards made governing the welfare of the many thousands of child migrants sent out by the voluntary societies. From a historical perspective, the treatment of children over the years has left much to be desired, but it is shaming to realise that some of the worst treatment of child migrants took place after the Second World War. One organisation, The British Federation of Social Workers, was anxious to influence the Children Bill's provisions on child migration, particularly over selection procedures. The Children Bill contained two clauses on child migration. Clause 17 dealt with children in local authority care: these would only be allowed to emigrate with the Secretary of State's consent, and if it benefited them. Clause 32 concerned children cared for by voluntary organisations.