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History

184519001945196021st Century

The 1960s were a time of radical change for Barnardo's. Single parenthood was becoming more acceptable; greater use of contraception meant that there were fewer unwanted children and improved social security benefits meant that it was no longer necessary for parents to hand over their children to Barnardo's because they could not afford to care for them. These developments and the changes in legislation meant that the number of children received by Barnardo's was decreasing and so a commitment was made to cut down on residential services and develop new work with disabled children and those with emotional and behavioural problems. To reflect this, the charity changed its name in 1966 from Dr Barnardo's Homes to Dr Barnardo's. By the end of the decade plans were made to close down large numbers of homes and to convert them into specialist units.

In the 1990s, society became aware, through a number of high profile criminal investigations and public enquiries, that a significant number of children in residential care homes in the UK during the last century were victims of physical and sexual abuse, neglect and discrimination. Some of those children were among the 350,000 cared for in Barnardo's homes between the 1870s and 1980s. and we deeply regret the maltreatment which some children suffered.

Where allegations of abuse are brought to our attention, Barnardo's immediately informs the police and co-operates fully in any subsequent investigation. Our Aftercare section specialises in providing those who were in Barnardo's care with access to their records, and offering support to those trying to come to terms with their past - particularly those going through a process of disclosure of abuse.

Today we know how institutional care can rarely be a substitute for a proper family life, hence our shift of focus to working with families and communities. But, in the circumstances of the time, we believe that the vast majority of those in Barnardo's care had a more positive experience and received a better preparation for life than they would have done without the part that Barnardo's played in their lives.

In 1988 the organisation changed its name from Dr Barnardo's to Barnardo's to reflect the contrast with its Victorian past. The last traditional-style home closed in 1989.

From the 1970s onwards, Barnardo's continued to expand its work in fostering and adoption, and family centres were set up in communities to support families in deprived areas. They set out to help families facing problems such as unemployment, poor health, bad housing and poverty, with the aim of defusing the stress and tension that might lead to family breakdown and child abuse.

Barnardo's pioneered schemes for young juveniles and disabled children and throughout the 1980s and 1990s developed new areas of work in response to public concern over issues such as child sexual abuse, homelessness and children affected by HIV/AIDS.