Parens Patriae, developed in the early modern period in the courts of chancery in Britain, referred to the right of the king to act in the best interests of the child, even if it meant going against the wishes of the natural parents. Although there is little evidence to suggest that courts used this power to protect children from abuse or neglect, the English Poor Laws of 1535 allowed children identified as neglected to be put to work in hospices (Gosselin, p. 84, 2014).8. What is physical child abuse? In your opinion, what is the best way to deal with this type of violence, both for violent caregivers and for