CHILDREN are the responsibility of adults: their sustenance, safety and general wellbeing. If not parents, then guardians. Where there are neither, the state steps in. In short, a child cannot be left to fend for him or herself. This is an obligation placed on adults by whatever system of order a society subscribes to. This is the societal norm today, like it or not. And upon this received normative value, the state builds a socio-legal infrastructure to safeguard every child. In contemporary society, child protection laws are in place, no matter how naughty the child, for, in the end, as long as children are minors, an adult must be answerable for their welfare. Therefore, when harm befalls a child, an adult must take the blame. The authorities ascertain whether the incident is unintended, resulting from carelessness or wilful negligence.
To continue reading the rest of the article, click here