The Infant Life Protection Act, with the full title “An Act to Make Better Provision for the Protection of Infant Life, and for other purposes” (Act no.5 Edw.VII No.19) arranged for the registration of nursing homes for children under 3 years of age, the reporting of the births and deaths of illegitimate children and for their adoption. Such children had no inheritance rights in their adoptive family. The Police Department administered this Act until 1918. In 1921 the Act was amended to provide for the legal adoption of children under 10 years of age, but the adopted children gained no status or protection. The act was amended in 1905 and commenced on the 1st of January 1906. The act was repealed on the Children’s Services Act (Act no.42/1965) 1965 which commenced on the 1st of August 1966.
Hannah Wilson was appointed in 1906 as first Inspector under the Infant Life Protection Act 1905. Eveline Smith was appointed Inspector under the Infant Life Protection Act 1905 in 1908. She resigned in 1909 and was succeeded by Jessie Bouchard.