Across the western world, child protection systems are in crisis. Failures to protect vulnerable children in time from avoidable abuse and even death have hung like dark shadows over the child protection professions. But how has the powerful idea that we ought to be able to protect all children in our late-modern society developed? Where should our child protection professions go from here?In this original and important book Harry Ferguson examines the emergence and development of modern child protection practices. Drawing on case-studies from the last 130 years and the work of leading social theorists, the author exposes the real experience of 'doing' child protection in modern society. Protecting Children in Time re-examines the dynamic relationships between the professions involved in child protection, families and at-risk children themselves, and ultimately provides vital insights that will help to advance the protection of children in better times.