The Children Act 1989

Before the Children Act came into effect in 1989, there was no piece of legislation that covered child protection in the UK. The Act states that a child’s welfare is the paramount consideration of their upbringing. It details what local authorities and the courts should do to protect the welfare of children and charges local authorities with the duty to investigate.

These include the ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child concerned, their physical, emotional and educational needs, and any harm which they have suffered or is at risk of suffering.