Boardingout System

Boarding-out System, a system by which workhouse children are placed in the houses of poor people, to whom a certain sum is paid for the maintenance of the children, and who adopt the children practically as their own. The supporters of the system maintain that it effectually does away with all the associations of the workhouse, and tends to make the children ordinary members of society. The opponents urge, however, the temptation afforded to the persons with whom the children are lodged, to ill-treat the children, for whom they can have no feelings of parental affection. This danger is, however, partly provided against by a systematic inspection. The boarding out system is gaining ground in England, and is frequent in Scotland.