Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Children 1st, previously known as the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC), is a Scottish charity which aims to give every child in Scotland a safe and secure childhood. Children 1st supports families under stress, protects children from harm and neglect, promotes children’s rights and helps children recover from abuse.

The RSSPCC has its origins in the anti cruelty movement that grew in America in the 19th century. Following a landmark lawsuit, in which the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took a case under animal cruelty legislation against two New Yorkers for abusing an eight-year-old child, Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children sprang up on both sides of the Atlantic.

In 1884 it was beginning to be understood that there was a considerable amount of abuse to children being perpetrated on children in the UK. To counter this the first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was established in London. Following on from this creation in England branches began to be set up throughout Scotland and in 1889, the Glasgow and Edinburgh branches joined to form the Scottish National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

In the same year, the first Act of Parliament for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was passed.

The NSPCC, also began to come into existence around this time and now operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Although the two charities are completely separate organisations, they work together to improve the lives of children and families throughout the UK.

In 1921 the Scottish National Society received Royal Charter and became the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC).

In its early incarnation the society was set up to rescue children living rough and begging on the streets, in later years the Society became better known for investigating child abuse and neglect.

In 1968 new legislation gave responsibility for investigating child abuse to local authority social work departments. As a result, the role of RSSPCC changed. However, it was some years before the charity changed its name to reflect this change in role, adopting the campaigning name Children 1st in 1995.

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