Education and Child Welfare
The Government’s aim for every child whatever their background or their circumstances is to have the support they need to make a positive contribution, achieve economic well-being and enjoy their life.
Children and young people need to be safe from bullying and discrimination. Children and young people are helped to develop positive relationships and choose not to bully or discriminate. Bullying is something that still continues today, it was happening back in the 1900s and in the 1960s as Billy and Leo experienced this throughout their childhood. Billy strived to make a positive contribution and at times with his dad and kess, he was enjoying his life.
Boer War
The Go-Between was set near to the Boer War in South Africa. It was very likely that Ted was to go to war against the South Africans. This is probably why Ted was so fond of his gun and why Marian and Ted were seeing each other so often. This may have been the reason why Ted committed suicide because he may not have wanted to go to war, instead die another way.
Unemployment in the 1960s
Someone like Billy, who lived in a mining town and with his lack of qualifications, it was likely that he would become unemployed. Billy’s only other option would be to go down the mines, and if they closed down the mines it is likely that he would stay unemployed due to his lack of education. Today however Billy would be able to apply for a Job Seekers Allowance so as long he was looking for a job he would be able to earn money to live on frim the Government. Even with his lack of qualifications he could probably get a job at the minimum wage. Things like this wouldn’t be available in the 1960s.
Expectations of Women Leo’s and Billy’s lifetimes
Leo lived in at the end of the Victorian era and had a big impact from women including Marian and Mrs Maudsley. Women did not have suffrage rights, the right to sue, or the right to own property. At the same time, women participated in the paid workforce in increasing numbers following the Industrial