The Child Migrants Programme, which ran from the 1920's to the 1960's, sent poor children to a "better life" in countries such as Australia. The children were often told their parents were dead, they were separated from their siblings and suffered abuse at the hands of those that should have been caring for them. Many children, ranging in age from 3 to 14, were abused physically, emotionally or sexually, or found themselves in institutions or as labourers on farms.

Brown has said: "I have to apologise on behalf of a policy that was misguided and it happened right up until the 1960s. You will see when you meet people who have been affected by this, it has ruined many of their lives."

Australian Prime MInister Kevin Rudd has also apologised to British migrants who were abused or neglected in state care.