Children Act 1908

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The Children Act 1908, also known as Children and Young Persons Act, 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.

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 workhouse and protect them from abuse. The act also prevented children working in dangerous trades and prevented them from purchasing cigarettes and entering pubs.

It eventually led to many councils setting up social services and Orphanages

It also raised the minimum age for execution to 16, later raised to 18 with the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.