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poor would be compelled to work in order to support themselves and relieve their rates. Thus they believed this policy would have a positive impact on the working class.

However, life in the workhouse was not pleasant and many children became victims of exploitation and cruelty. This torment occurred for many years and received significant amounts of interest from social historians who noted this exploitation occurring. These documentations provide evidence of members of middle class society recognising a concern for child welfare. Fielden, a Unitarian concerned with prohibition of child labour noted, cruelties the most heart-rending were practiced upon the friendless creatures. In many cases starved to the bone while flogged to their work, and that even in some instances, they were driven to commit suicide to evade the cruelties of the world (Feilden, 1836, p5- 6). Through the research of social historians it is evident to see the policy was clearly misguided. Children were severely mistreated yet despite these concerns, working class children remained in workhouses as they could be monitored and controlled. Thus it seems, the state was not concerned with the welfare of the individual, instead they were concerned with making the problem of the poor less apparent by removing them off the streets. Whether they were on the streets or within the workhouse working class children remained in a constant struggle to survive and resist oppression against the middle class government.

Fortunately there were those individuals who understood the need for child protection and security. Mary Carpenter was amongst the nonconformists who campaigned for working class children to have Educational prospects. Carpenter was highly influential and a rare exception of a middle class female authoritive figure actively changing social policy for the benefit of the working class. She devoted her life to the establishment of schools and became a pioneer of the Ragged school movement which provided Sunday schooling and evening time refuge for poor children living at home or maintaining themselves outside the poor law (Frost 1989,p.24). Her research influenced the 1880 Education Act and her optimistic view of children led her to become an advocate of a new concept of childhood amongst the middle class, which juxtaposed their conception of children being miniature adults . Her successful campaigning and positive influence in state policy provides insight on the changing attitudes of British society towards women and children. We see this through her freedom of speech and opportunity to argue for rights for the working class, which were and remain influential in state policy.

Movements like The Waifs and Strays Society saw the possibility of a better life for poor children in overseas colonies. Working class children were immigrated to Canada, Australia and South Africa between the 1850 s and 1960 s. They believed if the children of the slums can be removed from their surroundings early enough, and kept under training, hereditary counts for little, environment counts for everything. (Barnardo in Heywood 1978. p53) However, despite the good intentions of the evangelicals, many of these children faced abuse and were forced into a regime of strenuous unpaid labour. Ex Prime Minister Gordon Brown had to give a formal apology to tens of thousands of British children stating 'It is important that we take the time to listen to the v