Also good to keep in mind that as bad as things are in the US, things are much worse elsewhere. For example the massive orphanages in the old soviet countries where children are confined to little cribs all day, or in India where many orphans roam the streets.

Not religious, but a friend of mine was in an award winning state orphanage in the 1930s. (I haven't heard,but i suppose he is dead now) They would beat kids with a wire chineny brush if they slept with their heads in the pillow, which is how they won those awards for how neat the beds were.

There isn't a good answer to the problem of kids when the parents don't care for them.

UK system after war was heavily reliant on nuns and monks for running orphanages and work schools and such.

It was horrible match and there was huge amount of abuse going on.