THE WELFARE OF FORMER BRITISH CHILD MIGRANTS
The Child Migrants' Trust
96. Without the advent of the Child Migrants' Trust
in 1987, this inquiry might not have taken place, and efforts
to help former child migrants would still probably be undeveloped.
The Trust was founded by Mrs Margaret Humphreys, a former social
worker, who is still its Director. It has received some financial
support from the British Government. In the first instance the
Trust applied to the DoH for a grant of £111,000 to begin
in April 1990, and to be followed in the two succeeding years
by grants of £92,000 per year. The Trust actually received
£20,000 in the first year and no grant for the following
two years. Funding was resumed in 1993. From April that year the
Trust received an annual grant of £30,000. This was reduced
to £25,000 for the last financial year, dropping to £20,000
in the current financial year. There are currently no plans for
any further financial support from DoH. In addition to this DoH
funding, the Child Migrants' Trust has received a National Lottery
grant, as well as funding from Nottinghamshire County Council,
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, Lincolnshire Social Services,
some state governments in Australia and the Uniting Church of
Australia. Despite its limited resources, it has opened offices
in Nottingham, Melbourne and Perth. It offers practical help and
emotional support to former child migrants in the form of family
tracing and counselling services.
97. The Trust in general and Margaret Humphreys in
particular have received much acclaim for their work. Indeed in
1993 Mrs Humphreys was awarded the Order of Australia Medal. The
Trust has undoubtedly been instrumental in drawing attention to
the needs of former child migrants and in raising public awareness
of the issues. It has helped many people. Our oral and written
evidence contain many glowing tributes to the Trust. A few of
the memoranda we received are more guarded in their remarks about
the Trust,[120] but
the majority that make reference to representative organisations
support it and recommend that it should be provided with adequate
funding. We have, however, heard some anecdotal criticism of the
Trust: for instance, suggesting that the Trust chooses to help
only former child migrants who will bring it kudos or publicity;
that on occasions it has been over-protective of or proprietorial
towards individual former migrants; and that it has sometimes
been dilatory in passing on information it has acquired (which
may be due to a shortage of funds). The Trust is not particularly
popular with the sending or receiving agencies, although there
appears to be growing understanding on their part that the expertise
and idealism embodied in the Trust have an essential part to play
in any future arrangements for improving the welfare of former
child migrants. Barnardo's, NCH Action for Children and the Salvation
Army told us that they have no problem in developing closer links
with the Trust.[121]
The Catholic Church Welfare Council[122]
and Fairbridge[123]
displayed greater caution. The Trust asserts that it is a neutral
and independent body and has shown considerable reluctance to
enter into any kind of intimate liaison with the sending agencies.
120 See, for example, CM 3A, CM 22, CM 170 and CM 211A. Back
121
Q 280, 286, 288. Back
122
Q 274 Back
123
Q 281. Back
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