| Description | A Children's Homes committee was founded in 1912, following the amalgamation of the Aston, King's Norton and Birmingham Unions (see GP B/2/1/81). Because of this amalgamation, the Birmingham Union now had responsibility for three children's cottage homes sites, at Erdington, Marston Green and Shenley Fields, each of which had its own separate sub-committee (see GP B/2/6/7, GP B/2/6/8 and GP B/2/6/9, below).
The Children's Homes committee was responsible for over-seeing the administration of the three institutions, appointing staff to work within them, and dealing with the movements of children both into and out of the homes. These duties are reflected in the minutes, which deal with a range of topics. They also include printed reports from each of the three sub-committees.
In 1919, the name of the committee changed, becoming the Children's committee. Rather than just the homes themselves, this committee dealt with all aspects of the Union's work involving children (see GP B/2/1/87). The three sub-committees dealing with the separate cottage homes remained, and were joined by two others - the Girls' Home sub-committee and the Boys' Home sub-committee. The minutes from these latter two committees are contained within GP B/2/6/6/2-4, with some others held separately at GP B/2/6/11.
Volumes GP B/2/6/6/2-3 and GP B/2/6/6/5-10 are labelled 'Homes committee', but they do in fact contain the minutes of the Children's Homes and Children's committees. |