For the past century in the United States, the welfare of children has been considered a legitimate concern of government, but recent analyses have been critical of the efforts of the public child welfare system. This paper places the contemporary child welfare system, and its failures, in a sociocultural context, from an international perspective. The social construction of childhood is analyzed, and the ways that this construction marks children as a class in need of protection are discussed. Recent global demographic changes that affect the welfare of children are presented. Policies to secure the welfare of children are placed first in historical context, and then analyzed as they currently exist in fragmented late-industrial societies with multiple sites of authority. Following this analysis, future policy directions are recommended.
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