Child Minders to Baby Farmers

Historical Context of Infants and toddlers in Care 

Baby Farm advert from 1912.
http://unknownmisandry.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/tour-through-chicago-baby-farm-in-1912.html

                            

In the eighteenth and nineteenth century Infants and toddlers were being looked after by mothers in the family home. Homemaking and raising children was considered to be the traditional role for women. Adams, Openshaw and Hamer (2005) give a vivid description of the mother’s role in Aotearoa New Zealand. They describe how there was a lack of provision for ‘early childhood care and education’ and that the society norm, reflected the dominate discourse of the era, was that a mother’s place was at home, caring and educating their children (p. 80).

Many women in those early times had the added benefit of extended family living close by who could help out with childcare whenever needed. Unfortunately some women did not have an extended support system. As there were no state funded benefits to support mothers to stay at home mothers had to go out into the workforce to earn money to survive (Adams, Openshaw & Hamer, 2005; Ministry of Culture and Heritage, 2014).

In the early 19^th century many families did not have and could not afford to pay for quality early childhood care such as nannies or governesses, who were experienced in the care and education of very young children. Some parents had no choice but to pay a neighbour or someone from the local area to have the children whilst the mother and/or father worked (Adams, Openshaw & Hamer, 2005; Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014).

Adams, Openshaw and Hamer (2005) describe how these ‘back yard early childhood services’, or as they were later known ‘baby farmers’, who were completely unregulated by any governing body, and had a free rein in how infants and toddlers were treated. Many baby farmers lacked the skills or experience to cope with the care and education of the infants and toddlers. As a result many children suffered neglect by carers who were untrained and unqualified for the role they had taken on (Adams et al., 2005; Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014; Wikipedia, 2014).

Whilst researching about how infants and toddlers were cared for before regulated early child care became a society norm. I came across an article about the ‘Angel Maker’ Amelia Dyer from Brittan in the 1890s (Bovson, 2013). She was an experienced mid-wife and nurse who helped woman to get rid of unwanted babies (Bovson, 2013). Amelia Dyer was alleged to have murdered 400 babies before she was tried, convicted and put to death (Bovson, 2013). Another interest character in New Zealand’s early history was Williamina (Minnie) Dean, the Winton baby farmer, who was the first and only woman in New Zealand’s history to be put to death for her baby farming malpractices. Minnie’s deliberate, repetitively neglectful acts resulted in many infant and toddler illnesses and deaths (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014).

As a result in the rising trend of baby farming and the suspicious deaths of young children, the practice of baby farming came out into the open with newspapers reporting on ‘high-profile British and Australian court cases in the 1800s (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014, p.2). The cases brought into stark clarity the ‘sinister practices of baby farmers’ bringing into suspicion all who looked after children for money ((Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014).

The newspaper revelations and court cases bought about the State passing the Infant life protection Act of 1893. This act regulated all individuals who received payment for the care of very young children. They had to become ‘licensed as foster homes and were (now) subject to police inspection' (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014, p. 2). 

Reading back over what I written I reflect on my early years as a young mother and I am glad that in New Zealand we have many wonderful support systems available to help out during the tough times. I have to wonder what would drive a person to choose to be a baby farmer that neglected or killed innocent children. Amazingly many were trained in birthing and caring for sick people, but still deliberately neglected or killed newborn babies, infants and toddlers ((Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2014). As a mother and an early childhood teacher I just cannot understand how people could and still do treat children in this way.

Links

Amelia Dyer

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/amelia-dyer-killed-400-babies-late-1800s-article-1.1360132

Minnie Dean

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/baby-farmers

Baby Farming

http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Ar-Bo/Baby-Farming.html

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/baby-farmers/fearful-slaughter

References

Adams, P., Openshaw, R., & Hamer, J. (2005). Education and society in  

     Aotearoa New Zealand. (2nd ed.). North Shore, New Zealand: Nelson 

     Cengage Learning.

Bovson, M. (2013). Angel Maker Amelia Dyer snuffed out the lives of an 

     estimated 400 babies in Brittan. Daily News. Retrieved from 

     http://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/amelia-dyer-killed-400-

     babies-late-1800s-article-1.1360132

St. Estephe. (2013). The unknown history of Misandry. Retrieved from

     http://unknownmisandry.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/tour-through-chicago-baby-farm-in- 

     1912.html

Ministry for Culture and Heritage. (2014). Baby farmers. Retrieved from

     http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/baby-farmers

Wikipedia (2014). Baby farming. Retrieved from

     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_farming