IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 2180 TCS
Held at: Children's Society
Title: The Children's Society
Date(s): [1700-2013]
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 625 linear meters
Name of creator(s):
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The Children's Society was founded in 1881 by Edward De Mountjoie Rudolf, a young Sunday school teacher and civil servant. Two of his Sunday School pupils were found begging on the streets after their father had died. Their plight highlighted the fact that there were no Church of England Homes capable of taking children at short notice and without payment.
Rudolf gained support from within the Church of England (including the Archbishop of Canterbury) and the Church of England Central Home for Waifs and Strays was founded in 1881. The original intention was to provide Receiving Homes for boys and girls in each diocese, prior to finding them suitable permanent homes. The Society intended to board out (foster) the children "under guarantees for their proper maintenance and education in the principles of the Church of England." However, this quickly evolved into providing longer term Homes and in November 1883 the new name was adopted: Church of England Central Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays.
The Society underwent two further name changes. In 1893, it became the Church of England Incorporated Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays (commonly known as the Waifs and Strays Society). Then, in 1946, the name was changed to The Church of England Children's Society (commonly known as The Children's Society). In 1982, while its legal title remained the same, the name The Children's Society was formally adopted by the organisation.
By the last quarter of the twentieth century social attitudes had changed considerably from those which were prevalent when Edward Rudolf set up The Children's Society. Because of this, The Children's Society made major changes to the way it worked: it closed many children's homes, moving away from adoption and fostering and instead focusing on helping young people solve their own problems.
In 1969 The Children's Society opened its first day-care centre, Foulkes House in south London. The centre was successful and The Children's Society opened more across the country, often on the sites of its former residential nurseries.
In the 1990s, The Children's Society also began focusing working for social justice. This included new projects, lobbying to change legislation and welfare provision, and allowing young people to speak and act for themselves so they could shape their own lives.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
The Children's Society Archive comprises the records created and managed by The Children's Society (titled The Waifs and Strays Society from 1881 to 1946). The majority of the collections date from the organisation's founding in 1881.
The Archive collections comprise: management and administration records; financial records; fundraising, public relations and supporter relation records; social work records including documents created by the residential care homes and social work projects, and records relating to children and young people; property management records; and records relating to staff. This includes a large quantity of visual material in the form of photographs and publicity material, as well as some audio-visual material.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Contact the Children's Society for more information.
Conditions governing access:
Many records within this collection are available for research, by appointment only, at our Records and Archives Centre in London. Please note: Because we have a limited number of staff, it will not be possible to view records without an appointment. It is preferred that requests reflect bona fide interests or projects. Appointments can be made by contacting the Records and Archives Centre and outlining the research you wish to undertake. You can contact us using any of the methods below: archives@childrenssociety.org.uk. Telephone: +44 (0)20 7232 2966. Post: Records and Archives Centre, The Children's Society, Edward Rudolf House, Margery Street, London, WC1X 0JL. Some records within this collection are closed and not available for research. For further information, please contact the archivist at the Records and Archives Centre, using the contact details above.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright held by The Children's Society and third parties.
Finding aids:
http://www.hiddenlives.org.uk/including_the_excluded/completed_catalogues.html
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Contact the Children's Society for further information.
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Cataloguing of this collection is underway. Please contact the Records and Archive Centre if you are unable to locate material within the catalogue: Email: archives@childrenssociety.org.uk; Telephone: +44 (0)20 7232 2966; Post: Records and Archives Centre, The Children's Society, Edward Rudolf House, Margery Street, London, WC1X 0JL.
Date(s) of descriptions: June 2013