Boston's wayward children Northeastern University Press ed.

The system of orphanages, child placement agencies, reformatories, juvenile courts, and child guidance clinics established in Boston during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries provided a model for New Deal legislation and remains the foundation for contemporary social work with children at risk. This book explores the origin and evolution of child welfare in the United States. This volume is relevant in the current debate about formulating effective policies and practices for today's abused, needy, and homeless children. -- Publisher description.