▁took ▁off ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 th ▁century ▁although ▁or phan ages ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Or phan ▁Working ▁Home ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 8 ▁and ▁the ▁Br istol ▁As yl um ▁for ▁Po or ▁Or phan ▁Girls ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 5 , ▁had ▁been ▁set ▁up ▁earlier . ▁Private ▁or phan ages ▁were ▁founded ▁by ▁private ▁benef act ors ; ▁these ▁often ▁received ▁royal ▁patron age ▁and ▁government ▁o vers ight . ▁ ▁R ag ged ▁schools , ▁founded ▁by ▁John ▁P ounds ▁and ▁the ▁Lord ▁Sh aft es bury ▁were ▁also ▁set ▁up ▁to ▁provide ▁pau per ▁children ▁with ▁basic ▁education . ▁ ▁Or phan ages ▁were ▁also ▁set ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁from ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ; ▁for ▁example , ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 6 , ▁the ▁first ▁private ▁or phan age ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁( the ▁Or phan ▁As yl um ▁Society , ▁now ▁Graham ▁Wind ham ) ▁was ▁co - f ounded ▁by ▁Elizabeth ▁Sch uy ler ▁Hamilton , ▁wid ow ▁of ▁Alexander ▁Hamilton , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁f athers ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Under ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁Charles ▁L oring ▁Bra ce , ▁fost er ▁care ▁became ▁a ▁popular ▁alternative ▁from ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 th ▁century . ▁Later , ▁the ▁Social ▁Security ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁improved ▁conditions ▁by ▁author izing ▁A id ▁to ▁Famil ies ▁with ▁Dep endent ▁Children ▁as ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁social ▁security . ▁ ▁A