Victorian society certainly had mixed feelings about whether to support the poor.  Usually dividing them into what she considered the deserving and the undeserving poor.  Usually children fell into the former catagory as they found it hard to refute the notion that children were innocent victims of poverty. Althoguh, having 'good breeding' counted for a great deal in Victorian Britain, steps were taken in the Victorian era to alleviate some of the sufferings of Victorian street children and orphans.

The Muller Orphan Houses of Bristol, England were written about in an 1868 issue of Victorian publication Leisure Hour elaborating on the conditions of these houses operated by protestant. Prussian clergyman, George Muller.  They are described as being similar to Lowood as described in Jane Eyre.  Orphans had five outfits and three pairs of shoes each, which were passed down until well overused according to the Leisure Hour article.

Down, Ahley. Leisure Hour. "Muller's Orphanages" 1868.