Editors: ALAN MONCRIEFF, M.D., F.R.C.P..
As part of the new legislation which came into force in July 1948including the Act establishing the Health Servicethere was the Children's Act. This was concerned with children deprived of a normal home lifea terminology largely derived from the report of the "Curtis Committee" which investigated the current situation just after the war. The central government body finally selected for responsibility in this matter of the care of children was the "Home Office," that is, the department dealing with national organizations such as the police, prisons, law courts, magistrates.