Child Welfare

CHILD WELFARE In all civilized countries there will be found legislation directed towards securing care and protection for children. Side by side with these official provisions, there will be found work carried on by voluntary and charitable organizations which supplements, and has even in many cases initiated, official child welfare meas ures. An outline of the English system gives the chief features of the work and a general indication of the lines on which, subject to local differences of outlook and of organization, each country covers the field of child welfare.

Welfare of Children of School Age.

Under various British Education Acts, and notably the Act of 1918, provision is made for the primary, secondary, technical and higher education of school children. The Board of Education administers the Acts through the Local Education Authorities. Special provisions are made for the education and care of physically and mentally defec tive children, for the feeding of necessitous cases, and for school medical inspection and treatment. The Board of Education has power to give grants to voluntary societies organizing supplement ary work, such as play centres, continuation classes and educa tional club work.

Neglected or Necessitous Children.

Under the Poor Law Act 1889, as amended by the Act of 1899, Boards of Guardians have powers enabling them to adopt neglected children. Such children may also be dealt with by Juvenile Courts under the Children Act 1908. The reorganization of the Poor Law, under consideration in 1926, contemplates the transfer of the powers of boards of guardians to the local authorities.

Progressive movements in child welfare work tend to spread beyond the country of their origin. The main reasons for this extended influence are that child welfare is an interest common to every country, that much of the work is carried on by organiza tions which are international, and, lastly, that the co-operation of one country with another is necessary for solving certain child welfare problems.

The Influence of National Schemes.

New experiments in other countries often lead directly to the local development of national schemes. Thus, the Consultation des Nourrissons, started in Nancy in 1890, and the Gouttes de Lait, instituted a few years later in France, attracted widespread attention, and were largely instrumental in inspiring other countries, including England, to develop infant welfare work. Codifying and consolidation of national child welfare legislation, as exemplified in the English Children Act 1908 the Belgian Loi sur la Protection de L'Enfance 1912, and in the Children's Codes of the United States of America, have also influenced the legislation in other countries. The Federal Children's Bureau, established in Washington in 1912, is another interesting national scheme, consisting of a special department of State established to deal with child welfare.

Influence of Voluntary Societies.—Voluntary societies, en gaged either on general or on some specialized child welfare work, are often international, and so form another channel through which progressive ideas pass from country to country. These associa tions, from their central office, guide and develop the policy of their many branches throughout the world, and can thus introduce enlightened methods from one country into their institutions in another. Official international child welfare work will be shown later to derive its source from the formation of international child welfare organizations and from their congresses. Even where international associations are not primarily concerned with chil dren, it is common to find at their congresses, whether on penology, on industry, on hygiene, or whatever the subject may be, reso lutions which encourage international co-operation in some branch of child welfare.

Agreements Between Different Countries.—Lastly, where there are problems affecting the mutual interests of two or more countries a national solution is insufficient, and must be replaced by agreements for reciprocal action. As regards child welfare such problems arise chiefly in questions of relief, of repatriation, and of emigration. Reciprocal agreements for relief often contain clauses to include the relief of children. France has recently concluded a series of "assistance" agreements with other countries, i.e., with Italy (1919), Poland (1920), Belgium 0921), and with Luxem bourg (1923). Belgium and Luxembourg exchanged a "Declara tion" on similar lines in 1923. General repatriation agreements concluded between States cover also cases in which children are to be repatriated. There are two agreements which relate only to minors, i.e., between Belgium and Holland in 1913, and between Belgium and France in 1925. Where these two agreements apply, a minor can be repatriated to his home country, but it must be judicially proved that this is done in his own interests.

A few agreements on emigration and kindred subjects contain clauses relative to young people. There is, for instance, an arrangement between France and Italy, dated June is, 1910, regu lating the formalities which govern young workers of the one country emigrating to work in the territory of the other. Child migration from Great Britain to her colonies is subject to regula tions made on either side, but not usually to joint agreements. An exception to this arrangement is the agreement of April 11, 1923, between Canada and Great Britain concerning a grant towards the cost of emigrating children. The First Hague Con vention 1902 relates to the guardianship and protection of the person and of the interests of minors in a foreign country. This Convention has been ratified by Germany, Belgium, Spain, Hun gary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Ru mania, Sweden and Switzerland.