EVOLUTION OF CHILD PROTECTION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Most children have not had the chance to enjoy growing up since they have suffered abuse from time to time in the hands of adults expected to protect them from any form of harm. The failure of adults to protect children makes it necessary for societies to undertake a collective approach to establishing different policies and laws that would ensure children are insulated from abuse. Children rights are fundamental since at their state they would most likely suffer abuse since people take advantage of their immaturity and lack of both emotional and physical toughness to defend themselves. Evolution of policy formulation and implementation goes a long way into promoting initiatives geared towards protection of children rights to avert any form of abuse.

As the society evolves, it is imperative for policies and procedures to equally respond by applying contemporary models in ensuring every child is assured of protection from the law. The Act gave the police the powers to arrest and break into an establishment in which children are ill-treated, or evidence is obtained suggesting gross abuse of children rights (Stanley, Goddard, & Sanders, 2002). Furthermore, the Act made an elaborate pronouncement against cases of engaging children in gainful employment together with instances of misusing children inform of outlawed begging. The legislation was a significant step in the right direction in combating child abuse that was pervasive in some households, but it required modifications over time to better protect children and deter adults from such acts.

In 1894, the Act was subjected to the first amendment which involved the inclusion of a clause allowing children to provide evidence in court and recognition of mental cruelty as a form of abuse. The criminal procedure in dealing with child abuse cases was revolutionized to enhance the ability to attain convictions that would deter such heinous practices in homes (Eekelaar, 2017). Numerous progressive efforts strengthened the local authority social services to cater to children's needs especially the ones on the verge of abuse. The investigations on the death of Maria Cowell under the care of her stepfather demonstrated the need to create a mechanism that brings together different initiatives towards supporting the protection of Children’s welfare. The inquiry established a significant milestone which led to the initiation of the Area Child Protection Committees in England and Wales that made it possible to both local coordinate efforts for protecting children from abuse.

The improvements conducted on the Children’s Act sought to ensure their welfare is under surveillance by local authorities to assess the level of risk that some children get exposed to in England and Wales (Harold & Leve, 2018). In 1995, the Children’s Act adopted the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on protection from discrimination, putting the welfare of the child as an essential priority and listening to children's views. The victims of abuse have often demonstrated the significant steps that should be put in place to create a mechanism for the prevention of future abuse (Featherstone, Morris, & White, 2014). The experiences of past victims provide the basis for developing a new system of enhancing the law to cover children that might fall prey to abusers.

The reliance on expertise was instrumental in establishing the best way of combating child abuse since it defines the rights steps for efforts towards eliminating child abuse. Furthermore, it is crucial to acknowledge the input of support mechanisms such as charitable institutions, churches, and social services entities for their commitment to protecting children in England and Wales. Changes in society such as the application of technology make it possible for authorities, law enforcement and children to develop both a surveillance system and connect vulnerable children to rescue missions in their locality. The lessons learned in the evolution of policy and procedures in England and Wales is that the behavior of people in society is dynamic and requires preventive measures to combat such changes with adjusting to new ways of solving problems.

Moreover, it is important to take cognizance of the need to improve the models of eliminating child abuse practices to match changes experienced over time. The changes in society create the need for preventive mechanisms to equally factor the need to deploy methodologies that would destabilize any efforts of cruelty against children. The necessity to develop a periodic assessment of policies and procedures of child protection provides the best mechanism that makes it possible for the government to challenge cases of child abuse effectively (Lane, Munro, & Husemann, 2016). The evolution of policies and child protection procedures has made it possible for the development of a contemporary framework that aids better planning and resource allocation in supporting the protection of children’s welfare.