This act has the aim to consolidate and reform the laws relating to the protection and welfare of children and to provide for incidental matters. The Act covers aspects such as the rights of a child and the responsibilities of its parents; the child in need of care and protection; the offences to health and welfare of children; the conditions to take a child into care and for adoption; trafficking of children; child rehabilitation and conflict with criminal law; police powers and duties regarding children and legislation regarding minor’s criminal law.
The Children's Act of 1998 reforms and consolidates the law relating to children, provides for the rights of the child, maintenance and adoption, regulates child labour and apprenticeship, for ancillary matters concerning children generally and provides for related matters.