Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act (Children's Charter) passed in the UK (1894)

The Prevention of Cruelty to, and Protection of, Children Act 1889, known as the Children's Charter, was the first UK statute for preventing cruelty to children. It enabled state intervention in parent-child relations, marking a significant shift in legal protections for minors.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Act was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was the first act of Parliament for the prevention of cruelty to children, enabling the state to intervene in relations between parents and children for the first time.

Campaigning Context. The legislation followed five years of campaigning by the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The London SPCC was renamed the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children on 14 May 1889, reflecting its expansion across Great Britain and Ireland.

Repeal. The whole act was repealed by section 28(2) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act 1894, which came into force on 21 August 1894.

People involved

Sources

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