In April 1874 the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals obtained the protection of the state for Mary Ellen Wilson, a mistreated child. In April 1875, because of this case, the first child protective agency, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, was incorporated. During the ensuing quarter century, more than 150 similar societies emerged. Such agencies aim to protect abused and neglected children. The child protective agency investigates accusations of child neglect or abuse and offers services to correct home conditions and, in appropriate situations, secures protection of the child by legal proceedings. Child protective services exist in every state.
Bibliography
Cooter, Roger, ed. In the Name of the Child: Health and Welfare, 1880–1940. London; New York: Routledge, 1992.
Lawrence, Jon, and Pat Starkey, eds. Child Welfare and Social Action in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: International Perspectives. Liverpool, U.K.: Liverpool University Press, 2001.
