The History of Childhood

Deep Dive Topics

These topics open out from the timeline. Each one explores a specific idea, case, or turning point in this chronicle.

Children under family power Ancient world

Children under family power human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children under family power system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Infanticide and exposure Ancient world

Infanticide and exposure human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Infanticide and exposure system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Medieval childhood Medieval period

Medieval childhood human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Medieval childhood system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Apprenticeship Medieval to early modern

Apprenticeship human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Apprenticeship system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Poor law children 1601 onwards

Poor law children human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Poor law children system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Foundling hospitals 1700s

Foundling hospitals human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Foundling hospitals system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Rousseau and romantic childhood 1700s

Rousseau and romantic childhood human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Rousseau and romantic childhood system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Industrial child labour 1700s to 1800s

Industrial child labour human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Industrial child labour system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Mines Act 1842 1842

Mines Act 1842 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Mines Act 1842 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Factory Acts 1833 onwards

Factory Acts human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Factory Acts system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Ragged schools 1840s

Ragged schools human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Ragged schools system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Playgrounds and play 1800s to 1900s

Playgrounds and play human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Playgrounds and play system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Sunday schools Late 1700s onwards

Sunday schools human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Sunday schools system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Compulsory education 1870 to 1880

Compulsory education human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Compulsory education system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Child cruelty campaigns 1880s

Child cruelty campaigns human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Child cruelty campaigns system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

The child saving movement 1800s

The child saving movement human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy The child saving movement system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Barnardo's and child rescue Late 1800s

Barnardo's and child rescue human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Barnardo's and child rescue system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Child migration schemes 1800s to 1900s

Child migration schemes human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Child migration schemes system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children, asylum and migration Now

Children, asylum and migration human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children, asylum and migration system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children Act 1908 1908

Children Act 1908 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children Act 1908 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

School meals and medical inspection 1906 to 1907

School meals and medical inspection human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy School meals and medical inspection system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Childhood obesity policy 2000s onwards

Childhood obesity policy human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Childhood obesity policy system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Open air schools Early 1900s

Open air schools human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Open air schools system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Infant mortality and public health 1800s to 1900s

Infant mortality and public health human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Infant mortality and public health system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Free school meals 1906 onwards

Free school meals human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Free school meals system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Breakfast clubs 2000s onwards

Breakfast clubs human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Breakfast clubs system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Holiday hunger 2010s onwards

Holiday hunger human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Holiday hunger system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Juvenile courts 1908 onwards

Juvenile courts human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Juvenile courts system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children and Young Persons Act 1933

Children and Young Persons Act human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children and Young Persons Act system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

War and evacuation 1939 to 1945

War and evacuation human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy War and evacuation system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Education Act 1944 1944

Education Act 1944 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Education Act 1944 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

School leaving age raised to 16 1972

School leaving age raised to 16 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy School leaving age raised to 16 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children Act 1948 1948

Children Act 1948 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children Act 1948 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Family Allowances Act 1945

Family Allowances Act human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Family Allowances Act system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child 1959

UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Plowden Report 1967

Plowden Report human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Plowden Report system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Nursery schools Early 1900s onwards

Nursery schools human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Nursery schools system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Recognising child abuse 1960s

Recognising child abuse human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Recognising child abuse system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Child protection registers 1970s onwards

Child protection registers human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Child protection registers system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children in care scandals 1960s to 1980s

Children in care scandals human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children in care scandals system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children Act 1975 1975

Children Act 1975 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children Act 1975 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Gillick competence 1985

Gillick competence human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Gillick competence system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Abolition of corporal punishment in schools 1980s to 1990s

Abolition of corporal punishment in schools human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Abolition of corporal punishment in schools system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children Act 1989 1989

Children Act 1989 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children Act 1989 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Looked after children system 1989 onwards

Looked after children system human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Looked after children system system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Section 17 children in need 1989 onwards

Section 17 children in need human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Section 17 children in need system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Section 47 child protection 1989 onwards

Section 47 child protection human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Section 47 child protection system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Youth Justice Board 1998

Youth Justice Board human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Youth Justice Board system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Care experienced children Now

Care experienced children human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Care experienced children system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Kinship care Now

Kinship care human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Kinship care system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

UNCRC in the UK 1991 to 1992

UNCRC in the UK human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy UNCRC in the UK system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children's Commissioner 2004 onwards

Children's Commissioner human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children's Commissioner system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Every Child Matters and Children Act 2004 2004

Every Child Matters and Children Act 2004 human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Every Child Matters and Children Act 2004 system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Safeguarding boards and partnership working 2004 onwards

Safeguarding boards and partnership working human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Safeguarding boards and partnership working system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Adoption and Children Act 2002

Adoption and Children Act human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Adoption and Children Act system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Special guardianship 2005 onwards

Special guardianship human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Special guardianship system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Sure Start 1998 onwards

Sure Start human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Sure Start system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Early help 2010s onwards

Early help human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Early help system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Victoria Climbié and reform 2003 to 2004

Victoria Climbié and reform human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Victoria Climbié and reform system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

ContactPoint and data sharing debates 2000s

ContactPoint and data sharing debates human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy ContactPoint and data sharing debates system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Modern safeguarding frameworks 2000s onwards

Modern safeguarding frameworks human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Modern safeguarding frameworks system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2010s onwards

Keeping Children Safe in Education human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Keeping Children Safe in Education system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Baby P and serious case reviews 2007 onwards

Baby P and serious case reviews human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Baby P and serious case reviews system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Child sexual exploitation inquiries 2010s onwards

Child sexual exploitation inquiries human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Child sexual exploitation inquiries system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Equality Act and disabled children 2010

Equality Act and disabled children human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Equality Act and disabled children system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Disabled children and family support 2000s onwards

Disabled children and family support human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Disabled children and family support system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children and Families Act 2014

Children and Families Act human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children and Families Act system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children and Social Work Act 2017

Children and Social Work Act human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children and Social Work Act system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Young carers 2000s onwards

Young carers human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Young carers system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Online childhood 2010s onwards

Online childhood human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Online childhood system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Age Appropriate Design Code 2021 onwards

Age Appropriate Design Code human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Age Appropriate Design Code system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Online Safety Act 2023

Online Safety Act human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Online Safety Act system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

COVID and childhood 2020 onwards

COVID and childhood human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy COVID and childhood system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children's mental health crisis 2010s onwards

Children's mental health crisis human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children's mental health crisis system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Youth mental health in schools Now

Youth mental health in schools human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Youth mental health in schools system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

SEND crisis and childhood now Now

SEND crisis and childhood now human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy SEND crisis and childhood now system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

SEND and child rights Now

SEND and child rights human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy SEND and child rights system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

School attendance crisis Now

School attendance crisis human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy School attendance crisis system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Exclusions and childhood Now

Exclusions and childhood human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Exclusions and childhood system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Modern child poverty Now

Modern child poverty human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Modern child poverty system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children in temporary accommodation Now

Children in temporary accommodation human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children in temporary accommodation system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Pupil Premium 2011 onwards

Pupil Premium human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Pupil Premium system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Child voice now Now

Child voice now human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Child voice now system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Domestic Abuse Act and children 2021

Domestic Abuse Act and children human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Domestic Abuse Act and children system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Voice, participation and tokenism Now

Voice, participation and tokenism human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Voice, participation and tokenism system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

The future of childhood Future

The future of childhood human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy The future of childhood system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Childhood and climate anxiety Now

Childhood and climate anxiety human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Childhood and climate anxiety system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Children and AI Future

Children and AI human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Children and AI system legacy what this left behind in modern systems

Future child rights and AI Future

Future child rights and AI human impact how this moment affected real people, not just policy Future child rights and AI system legacy what this left behind in modern systems