Foundling Hospital: History & Impact on Child Welfare in London

The Foundling Hospital was a charitable institution in London that was established in 1739 to provide care for abandoned children. It was the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, and its mission was to offer a safe haven for infants and young children who had been abandoned by their parents or who were otherwise destitute. The Foundling Hospital provided these children with food, shelter, clothing, and education, and it also worked to find them permanent homes or apprenticeships. The institution was supported by donations from the public, and it also received funding from the government. The Foundling Hospital played an important role in reducing the number of abandoned children in London, and it also helped to raise awareness of the plight of these vulnerable children.