UNESCO UK Memory of the World accreditation for the Children's Society

Documents giving a rare glimpse into what life was like for children over 100 years ago have been added to the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register. The items are from The Children's Society archive and include 140,000 case files, chronicling the care history of every child assisted by the Society dating back to the late 19th century.

The material shows changes in the practice of childcare between Victorian and Edwardian times and today, and covers key issues such as health, poverty and nutrition. It reflects the long-term development of the UK's approach to charity and well-being. Ian Wakeling, Records, Archive & Data Protection Manager at The Children's Society, was at the ceremony for the 20 UK beneficiaries held at the recent UNESCO International Advisory Committee meeting in Manchester. He said: 'We are honoured to receive this recognition as it reflects the national significance of the archive. It is important to The Children's Society that we remember the lives we've changed in the past to continue to improve children's lives now and in the future.'