Oliver is brought up at a "child farm" in the country until he is about eight years old. At this point, the parish officials running the child farm decide it’s time for him to start working, and they send him back to the workhouse. But Oliver commits the unpardonable offence of asking for more food when he is close to starving, so the parish officials offer five pounds to anyone who’s willing to take Oliver on as an apprentice. The parish officials eventually send Oliver off with a coffin-maker.