![An Act to provide for the Protection of Children [31st March, 1892]](../objects/thumbs/tn_ND0000095_Children_Protection_Act_1892.png)
An Act to provide for the Protection of Children [31st March, 1892], 31 March 1892, courtesy of NSW legislation.
Details
The Children's Protection Act 1892 [30/1892 (55 Vic. No.30)] was a broad-ranging Act that regulated the care of infants and children. It was a response to fears about 'baby-farming' and the sale of unwanted children. It made it an offence to charge a premium for arranging adoptions or to fail to report a stillbirth or the death of an infant. It also created a system of registering nursing homes that cared for infants and lying-in homes, where mothers gave birth. It provided for a stipendiary or police magistrate to commit to prison any child under fourteen convicted of an offence or place a child in a 'Home' or industrial institution for destitute and neglected children. It was Amended in 1900 to prevent child abuse and the selling of children. It was then repealed by the Children's Protection Act 1902.
1892 - 1902 Children's Protection Act 1892
1902 - 1923 Children's Protection Act 1902
1923 - 1939 Child Welfare Act 1923
1939 - 1987 Child Welfare Act 1939
1965 - 2003 Adoption of Children Act 1965
1987 - 2010 Children (Care and Protection) Act 1987
1998 - Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
2000 - Adoption Act 2000
Sources used to compile this entry: History of the Children's Court [extracted from Blackmore, R., The Children's Court and Community Welfare in NSW, Lawlink NSW, 2009, http://www.childrenscourt.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/History%20of%20Children%27s%20Legislation%20in%20NSW.pdfhttp://www.childrenscourt.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/History%20of%20Children%27s%20Legislation%20in%20NSW.pdf; Blackmore, Rod, 'History of Children's Legislation in New South Wales - The Children's Court', in History of the Children's Court, Lawlink, Lawlink NSW, 2012, http://www.childrenscourt.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/History%20of%20Children's%20Legislation%20in%20NSW.pdf; Thinee, Kristy and Bradford, Tracy, Connecting Kin: Guide to Records, A guide to help people separated from their families search for their records [completed in 1998], New South Wales Department of Community Services, Sydney, New South Wales, 1998, https://clan.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/connectkin_guide.pdf; Weigall, Cecil Edward, Infants' custody, maintenance & protection acts, (N.S.W.) : being Deserted Wives & Children Act, 1901; Infant Protection Act, 1904; Infants' Custody and Settlements Act, 1899; Infant Convicts' Adoption Act, 1901; Destitute Children's Society Act, 1901; State Children Relief Act, 1901; Children's Protection Act, 1902; and Neglected Children and Juvenile Offenders' Act, 1905, and regulations thereunder, Law Book Co of Australiasia, Sydney, 1908, 270 pp.
Prepared by: Liam Hogan and Naomi Parry
Created: 21 February 2011, Last modified: 10 June 2021
Last updated: 4 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/nsw/biogs/NE00004b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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