Children Act 1908

The Children and Young Persons Act 1908

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act
Citation	1908 c. 67
Territorial extent	United Kingdom
Status: Current legislation
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The 1908 Children's Act, also known as Children and Young Persons Act, part of the Children's Charter was a piece of government legislation passed by the Liberal government, as part of the British Liberal Party's liberal reforms package. The Act was informally known as the Children's Charter and surrounded controversy.

It established juvenile courts and introduced the registration of foster parents, thus regulating baby-farming and wet-nursing and trying to stamp out infanticide. Local authorities were also granted powers to keep poor children out of the poorhouse/workhouse and protect them from abuse. The act also prevented children working in dangerous trades and prevented them from purchasing cigarettes and entering pubs. The act also prevented children from learning the "Tricks of the Trade" in adult prisons, where children were often sent to serve time if a crime had been committed. Instead the Children's Charter had allocated Borstals. It eventually led to many councils setting up social services and Orphanages.