兒童福利(child welfare)為社會福利的主要領域之一，也就是以「兒童」為主要服務對象所實施的社會福利服務。進入20 世紀，我國兒童福利之發展初期受歐美各國社會福利思潮與理念的衝擊，救濟型之兒童福利與因應救濟而有之行政、法規及服務輸送（院內救濟、院外救濟）等先於兒童保護而存在。民國62年，臺灣地區立法通過「兒童福利法」，正式開啟臺灣地區制度化之兒童福利；而對於受虐及受疏忽兒童之保護則遲至民國82 年臺灣地區通過「兒童福利法」修正案，才建立更明確之保護體制。 過去，臺灣師法西方兒童保護之發展與運作模式，在蹣跚學步中逐漸成長，歷經近四十年來的努力拓展，已能站穩腳步，昂首前行。惟未來，仍須更多的資源投入、更多的專業共識、與對兒童權益保障的執著，方能堅穩的踏出每一步。

The Children Act 1973 was the first Act of welfare service in Taiwan. However, the issues of child abuse and neglect did not get their status in the 1970s and 1980s. The Children Act 1993 began to strengthen the progressive roles and responsibilities of government and society toward child protection. Some important principles, i.e. mandatory reporting, child placement, care orders, the custody transferring, and the service delivery system, are all regulated and build up. This paper is focused on the child protection policy and its enforcement in Taiwan. Firstly, the author examines the development of child protection policy and practice in Taiwan. Next, the update Act of child protection and its implementation are analyzed and outlined. Finally, some implications are raised to enhance the protecting and supportive functions for those children maltreated and their families in Taiwan.