Child Welfare Trattner, Chapter 6

Mid 1800s Dependent children moved from almshouses to separate child institutions Change in perception from mini-adults to innocent and malleable Hope of the future society Family care introduced in 1850s

Mary Ellen & the introduction of child protection laws are/history/mary-ellen.html are/history/mary-ellen.html Living with others after her parents died. Social worker, visiting an elderly woman across the hall, heard her screaming and found an excuse to go over there. Found child near death. No laws protecting children. Used animal husbandry laws.

NYC Children’s Aid Society Send “street kids” to mid-western farms for rehabilitation and wholesome upbringing Preventive child-saving in a substitute family 50,000 removed with city and state subsidy Opposed by poor, some in western states, Catholic church

Home placement of children began to replace institutional care Newer methods: intensive home study, supervision, local community, individualization. payment to family By early 1900s, institutionalization no longer the preferable method of care

Delinquent Children Initially children jailed like adults Move toward special institutions with educational and rehab emphasized Juvenile court established in Chicago in 1899 Avoid stigma and deal with child as parent Probation and supervision emphasized

1967 Gault decision – due process added Juvenile justice system seen as a breeding ground for crime Current trend to try children as adults Concern about crime and unstable youth with guns