Browse casefiles by keyword

• Abandonment
  This is used in cases where a child or whole family was abandoned by a parent or guardian.
• Abuse
  This is used in cases where a child was cruelly treated, hit or sexually abused. It also includes domestic violence between the parents. See also 'Neglect'.
• Adoption
  This is used for cases involving an attempt to adopt a child. See also 'Foster care'.
• After care
  This is used when help was given after the person officially left the Society's care.
• Alcohol abuse
  This denotes that a parent or guardian abused alcohol.
• Behaviour
  This indicates that the child's behaviour caused concern before or after going into the Society's care.
• Child labour
  This relates to cases in which children aged under 14 are working to help maintain themselves or their families. See also 'Employment'.
• Clothing
  This denotes that there is information on clothing worn by the child.
• Complaints
  This term indicates that a complaint was made about the child's treatment while in the Society's care.
• Crime.
  This is used for cases in which a parent or child is prosecuted for committing a crime. See also 'Abuse'; 'Infanticide'; 'Law'; 'Murder'; 'Neglect' and 'Prison'.
• Custody
  This term denotes a dispute or unusual circumstances regarding custody of the child.
• Disability
  Use of this term indicates that the child or a parent, or guardian, has a physical or mental disability. Related terms are 'Mental health' and 'Health'.
• Employment
  This term in used in cases where there is an interesting or unusual aspect to a parent or child's employment. It also includes work related injuries. See also 'Child labour'.
• Ethnic minorities
  This term indicates that the child is from an ethnic minority background. See also 'Travellers'.
• Foster care
  Use of this term indicates that the child lived in formal or informal foster care. See also 'Adoption'.
• Grandparents
  This term indicates that the child was looked after by grandparents, or they feature in the case in some other way.
• Health
  This term indicates that the child or parent suffered serious illness. Related terms are 'Disability' and 'Mental Health'.
• Homelessness
  This indicates that the child or family were made homeless.
• Illegitimacy
  Cases marked with this term indicate instances of illegitimacy and can illustrate attitudes prevailing at the time.
• Industrial schools
  Cases indexed in this fashion indicate that the child was the subject of an order under the Industrial Schools legislation.
• Infanticide
  This term denotes the killing of an infant by, or with the consent of, a parent. See also 'Murder'.
• Law
  Cases indexed in this way illustrate an aspect of child related law. See also 'Crime'.
• Maintenance
  Use of this term indicates an interesting or unusual aspect to payment of maintenance for the child.
• Mental health
  This term indicates that a parent or child had a mental health problem. Related terms are 'Disability' and 'Mental Health'.
• Murder
  This term is used where a case involves murder, attempted murder, or manslaughter. See also 'Infanticide'.
• Neglect
  This term indicates that a child was not properly fed, clothed or looked after. See also 'Abuse'.
• News clippings
  This indicates that the file contains newspaper clippings concerning the case.
• Photographs
  This term indicates that a photograph of the child is available.
• Poverty
  This denotes a case in which people live in particularly poor circumstances.
• Prison
  This is used when a parent or child is sent to prison.
• Prostitution
  This is used when a parent or child is involved, or at risk of being involved, in prostitution.
• Running away
  This term indicates that a child ran away from a Home or from its parents, guardians or employer
• School
  Use of this term indicates that a case shows an aspect of schooling and education.
• Siblings
  This is used for case files relating to two or more children from the same family taken into care, and for files illustrating relationships between siblings.
• Social life
  Cases indexed with this term contain references to holidays, outings and other social activities
• Stepparents
  This term indicates that stepparents were involved in the child's family life.
• Suicide
  This is used when a parent or guardian, or child, committed, or attempted, suicide.
• Travellers
  This term indicates that the child is from a Traveller or Romany ('Gypsy') background. See also 'Ethnic minorities'.
• Welfare organisations
  This term is used to denote agencies, other than the Waifs and Strays' Society, (such as the NSPCC), which were involved in the care of the child or young person
• Workhouses
  This term indicates that a child or parent spent time in a Workhouse.
• World War 1
  Cases indexed with this term illustrate the effects of World War 1 on children and their families