I found the "Fostering" subject from others here, and now the message from Heather in Canada on the subject of "fostering" or child "boarders" interesting. Although I cannot answer questions on the subject I thought I would add the following; My great great grandmother Mary Ann had a "boarder" in her home at Saint Owens Street, Hereford in 1871. The boarder was a baby girl aged 3 months at time of census so I doubt any chance of cheap labour in this case. It seems that Mary Ann worked as a nurse, according to census. The birth certificate of the child "boarder" reveals she was born illegitimate, so perhaps my grt grt grandmother was in attendance when this child was born and was asked by the mother if she might find a way of caring for her. (? ) In researching the baby's mother it seems she remained unmarried and worked as a domestic servant throughout her working life in Herefordshire. The father of the child ( a farmers son) married another and moved from Hereford to Gloucestershire where he became a farmer and had a family. (Hmm how many stories have we read on this?) When my grt grt grandmother Mary Ann and family moved from Hereford to Monmouth a few years later the child "boarder" moved with them and was with them in 1881 when she was aged 10, a scholar and still shown as "boarder." Although a "boarder" on census I think this child was being cared for by the family, at least until she had finished school or of an age to care for her self. Or was the child's "board" taken care of by her absent father? Either way, surely there was an attachment between my ancestors family and the child they had raised since a baby. Incidentally, the child's birth certificate does include the name of her father, hence my tracing his movements. I would think it likely he was held accountable and ordered to pay maintenance. (Does anyone know if such documents for 1870's are accessible in Hereford records office please?) Further research reveals that the child "boarder" later moved to Shropshire, got married and by 1901 was settled near Shrewsbury with the start of her own family. Upon her marriage certificate where Name and Profession of Father should be, is her mothers name. Merv, Devon.