This chapter traces the evolving legislative framework of child protection processes, from the poor law and through the early regulation of reformatory and industrial schools, to the late 19th century statutes which for the first time focused on child protection. It examines in detail the aims of the Children Act 1908 through juvenile courts, its restructuring in 1932 and its consolidation by the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937, before exploring the post-war shift from charitable to state activity, notably with the Children Act 1948 which made child protection a central aim of local authorities with the establishment of children’s committee and children’s officers. Also explored is the beginnings of the shift from insulating vulnerable children from their families to the involvement of their families in planning for the future. Early international conventions are described.
