Caring for the ChildrenAt a time when animals were protected by law, children were still considered to be the private property of their parents! Neglect and abuse were commonplace and thousands of ragged orphans lived rough on the streets. The Times newspaper commented that Lord Shaftesbury did as much for children as William Wilberforce had done for slaves; but he was not alone among Christians in his care for children.
At the age of five William Quarrier was himself a starving orphan living in a Glasgow slum. When he became the wealthy owner of a chain of Glasgow shoe shops he provided food, clothes and work for street boys. He also opened an orphanage in Glasgow and cottage homes in the countryside. He established the first tuberculosis sanatorium in Scotland and provided a home for epileptic sufferers. When Quarrier died in 1903 more than fifteen hundred children were being cared for in his homes.
| | Thomas and Syrie Barnardo opened children’s homes in London and specialised in caring for those with disabilities and learning difficulties. ‘Barnardo’s’ still maintains its work. More than 350,000 children and young people have been cared for since the first home was opened in 1867. |
| It was largely through the efforts of a Christian minister, Benjamin Waugh, that the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was formed in 1884. Some of its work was later taken over by the Social Service Departments and the Police, but the NSPCC still plays a vital role in providing family support and preventing abuse. | |  |
Today, Care for the Family is a Christian organisation committed to strengthening and protecting family life. It achieves this through national teaching events, videos and books, and by organising holidays for families and single parents.
Many Christian agencies care for children in need throughout the world. In Russia, for example, Christian Solidarity Worldwide works in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Click Here to find out more
Copyright Day One Publications, used with permission |
