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The Destitute Children Act 1875 makes a number of amendments to the Training Schools Act 1867 (Act no. 31 Vict. No.36) and the Industrial Schools Act 1867 (31 Vict. No.37), in particular it authorises Governors of training schools to punish children with isolation from their peers and a diet of bread and water for up to three days. Male children could be made to endure 'moderate' corporal punishments. Any such punishments were to be recorded in a book which would be reviewed by the Inspector of Schools.
In the original legislation children could face hard labour and imprisonment for misbehaving in training schools or running away, marking a dramatic shift in the treatment of young people in institutions. The original punishments would also be handed down by a justice. This new approach meant the child did not have to go to court and could not to be punished for the same case under any law.
This amendment also dealt with details for apprenticing children from industrial schools.
