This involved forcibly relocating poor British children to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the former Rhodesia, and other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations[2] often without their parents' knowledge.

[6] A key feature of the work of the Child Migrants Trust has been a sustained attempt via the mass media to develop public awareness of this previously obscure chapter in the social history of all the countries concerned.

Its description of child migration policy begins with Britain's early involvement which started in the 17th century when children were sent from London to boost the population of Virginia—the first British outpost in America.

Humphreys was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in March 1993 and an honorary Master of Arts in 1996 by Nottingham Trent University in recognition of her work.

Both Kevin Rudd and Gordon Brown, the respective Prime Ministers of Australia and Britain, in their public apologies in 2009 and 2010, thanked Humphreys for her campaigning and for her contribution to the cause of UK child migrants and their families.

[9] In the 2011 New Year's Honours List, Humphreys was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to disadvantaged people.