A child for keeps?: the history of adoption in England, 1918-1945

__A Child for Keeps?__ considers the background to the growth in popularity of adoption in Britain in the early twentieth century and analyzes the campaign for adoption legislation. It discusses the wholesale growth of unregulated adoption after the first law was passed and the gradual pressure for safeguards and secrecy in adoption. Contents......Page 6 List of Illustrations......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 List of Abbreviations......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 Secrecy......Page 14 Attitudes to adoption......Page 17 Adoption histories......Page 19 Changing families......Page 22 New views of childhood......Page 29 The development of child protection legislation......Page 33 Parental rights before 1926......Page 38 Marriage breakdown and custody......Page 39 Illegitimate children and unmarried mothers......Page 41 The beginning of organised adoption......Page 50 The formation of the first adoption societies......Page 53 The establishment of the National Council for the Unmarried Mother and Her Child......Page 73 The first conference on adoption......Page 78 The Hopkinson Committee......Page 82 The Hopkinson Report......Page 94 The 1920s – an era of legislative reform......Page 98 The years after the Hopkinson Report......Page 100 4 Legislation Takes Shape......Page 105 The Tomlin Committee's report......Page 106 Parliamentary debates on adoption......Page 114 The Adoption of Children Act 1926......Page 124 Initial reactions......Page 128 Court procedures......Page 131 In re Carroll......Page 137 Other legal issues......Page 139 Adoption of Children (Scotland) Act 1930......Page 140 The London County Council......Page 141 Who were the adopters, the adopted, and the relinquishing parents in the early years?......Page 148 Concern about the role of adoption societies......Page 155 The Horsbrugh Committee......Page 164 Report of the Departmental Committee on Adoption Societies and Agencies......Page 165 The Adoption of Children (Regulation) Act 1939......Page 178 The death of Miss Clara Andrew......Page 183 7 The Second World War and Its Aftermath......Page 186 Implementing the Adoption of Children (Regulation) Act......Page 188 Servicemen's wives and adoption......Page 191 Unmarried mothers......Page 193 Renewed pressure for adoption reform......Page 196 Adoption legislation......Page 201 Attitudes to adoption......Page 206 The rise of adoption......Page 208 Who was adoption for?......Page 210 Secrecy......Page 212 Adoption and women......Page 214 Adoption since 1950......Page 216 Final conclusions......Page 219 Notes......Page 224 Biographical Notes......Page 255 Bibliography......Page 263 A......Page 277 C......Page 279 G......Page 281 J......Page 282 M......Page 283 P......Page 284 S......Page 285 W......Page 286 Z......Page 287 This History Of Adoption In The First Half Of The Twentieth Century Concentrates On The Interwar Years And The Second World War. It Looks At The Growing Popularity Of Adoption After 1918 And The Formation Of Adoption Societies During The 1920s. These Led The Pressure For The Legalisation Of Adoption, Which Had No Official Status Prior To 1926. Keating Charts How The First Adoption Law Only Made Adoption Legal, But Did Not Regulate It, And How The 1930s Saw A Growing Campaign For Reform Because Of The Casual And Even Abusive Practices Of Some Of Those Organising Adoptions. Legislation Was Passed But Delayed By The Onset Of War And The New Regulations Were Not Brought In Until 1943 When The Government Could No Longer Ignore The Widespread Informal Adoption Of The Illegitimate Babies Of Single Women, And Wives Whose Husbands Were Away. The Backdrop To The Book Is The Increasing Emphasis On Secrecy In Adoption, Providing Fresh Insights As To Why The Current System Is As Rigid As It Is. Setting The Scene: The Historical And Legal Background -- Developments In The Voluntary Sector -- Pressure For Government Action -- Legislation Takes Shape -- The First Years Of Legally Sanctioned Adoption -- Government Action On The Adoption Societies -- The Second World War And Its Aftermath -- Chapter Eight -- Final Conclusions. Jenny Keating. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 213-265) And Index. The history of adoption from 1918-1945, detailing the rise of adoption, the growth of adoption societies and considering the increasing emphasis on secrecy in adoption. Analyses adoption law from legalization in 1926, to regulation and reform in the 1930s, with regulations finally being enforced in 1943 amid concern about casual wartime adoptions. This history of adoption in the first half of the twentieth century concentrates on the interwar years and the Second World War. It looks at the growing popularity of adoption after 1918 and the formation of adoption societies during the 1920s. These led the pressure for the legalisation of adoption, which had no official status prior to 1926. Keating charts how the first adoption law only made adoption legal, but did not regulate it, and how the 1930s saw a growing campaign for reform because of the casual and even abusive practices of some of those organising adoptions. Legislation was passed but delayed by the onset of war and the new regulations were not brought in until 1943 when the Government could no longer ignore the widespread informal adoption of the illegitimate babies of single women, and wives whose husbands were away. The backdrop to the book is the increasing emphasis on secrecy in adoption, providing fresh insights as to why the current system is as rigid as it is