Impact of the Liberal Reforms - Young people

2. Problems facing young
people
Children faced many
problems in the early 1900s.
These included health issues
caused by poverty, a difficulty
accessing education and
other issues such as being
forced to work in dangerous
conditions.

3. Schools meals
In 1906, newly elected
Labour MPs began pushing
for the government to
introduce free school meals.
They argued that as the
government had made school
attendance compulsory, they
should ensure children were
well fed too.

4. Schools meals
The Liberal Government
introduced the Provision of
School Meals Act in 1906.
This law let councils raise
local taxes to pay for school
meals, if they chose to do so.
Only poor children would get
free school meals.

5. Schools meals
In 1914 the government made
the law compulsory and
agreed to pay half of the costs.
3 million school meals were
provided each school day in
1906, rising to 9 million in 1910
and 14 million by 1914. Most
of the 1914 meals were free.

6. School meals
Free school meals meant that
eligible children would get at
least one nutritious meal
each day.
This helped improve their
general health, and also
make it easier for them to
concentrate and learn when
in school.

7. School meals
The 1906 law only gave
councils the option to
introduce school meals; most
chose not do so.
In 1911 less than one third of
councils had introduced
school meals, meaning most
children could not access
these free meals.

8. School meals
Another problem was that
children receiving these
meals still went hungry at
weekends and during school
holidays.
Researchers found that
children’s weight fell and
development slowed during
holiday periods.

9. Children's health
Before 1907, inspectors
would visit some schools to
perform medical inspections,
including checking on a
child’s cleanliness and for
eye problems.
But this did not happen for
each child – or lead to
medical treatment if needed.

10. Medical inspections
In 1907, the Liberals
introduced medical checks
for young people. They were
to be inspected three times
during their school lives.
From 1912, young people
could also get basic
treatment for certain
illnesses identified.

11. Medical inspections
Checking children’s health
meant that health problems
could be identified, and this
meant the child’s parents
could arrange treatment.
If a child received treatment
this could also stop the illness
spreading to other children or
family members.

12. Medical problems
At first, children were
inspected but not given free
treatment, so many families
could not afford to pay for
treatment so the child
continued to be ill.
Other parents were angry
and embarrassed at their
children being inspected.

13. The Children’s Charter
Victorian children had very
little protection from problems
such as abuse, poverty or
dangerous work.
The 1908 Children’s Act
aimed to change this by
having a set of rules
designed to protect children,
especially the very poorest.

14. The Children’s Charter
The Charter introduced a
minimum age for people to
drink alcohol and smoke (16).
Young people accused of
committing crimes were also
dealt with differently.
Juvenile courts were set up
and more bortsals (instead
of prison) were built.

15. The Children’s Charter
These protections helped
children avoid some of the
dangers they faced, in home
and wider society.
In particular no longer going
to adult courts and prisons
helped many avoid sexual
and physical abuse.

16. The Children’s Charter
The bill did include many real
improvements for children.
However the range of rules
meant it was difficult to fully
enforce e.g. underage
drinking, smoking continued.
Many children also faced
abuse in the borstal system.

17. School scholarships
In 1907 the government
spent more money on
scholarships to attend
secondary schools.
Poor children who passed an
exam had their school fees
paid for them. 25% of school
places were reserved for
these scholarships.

18. School scholarships
Allowing poorer the children
the chance to stay on at
school would let them gain
extra qualifications.
This could help them get a
better job and in future help
them and their families to get
out of poverty.

19. School scholarships
This policy did offer a help to
poor students who passed
the exam. However it was of
little help to most poor
students.
Also some poor families
needed their children to work
so could not afford to let them
stay on at school.