In 1895, the Local Council of Women of Victoria formed the Friendly Help Association "to assist families in distress." The F.H.A. was virtually the first private organization especially devoted to social welfare work in Victoria. On 20 June 1901, the Children's Aid Society of Victoria was incorporated under provisions of the "Children's Protection Act" (Chap. 9.9, 1901, B.C. Statutes) by the action of fourteen Victoria women. In 1901, the first home for children was established on Fern Street. A succession of homes were managed by the C.A.S. until 1933, when the home, then on Pandora Street, was condemned and the society turned to the placing of children in foster homes.

Meanwhile, in 1912 the Social Service Commission was formed by the Ministerial Association for "the betterment of social, moral and industrial conditions.'' In 1923, the name changed to the Social Service League. In 1933, the Social Service League amalgamated with the Friendly Help Association to form the Friendly Help Welfare Association, later in 1938 changed to the Family Welfare Association.

In 1931, to combat the depression, the Victoria Citizens Unemployment Relief Fund (The Mayor's Fund) was established. Three years later, the Friendly Help Welfare Association took over the work of the Mayor's Fund. In 1947, the Family Welfare Association and the Children's Aid Society amalgamated. In 1951, the amalgamated organization, still officially in the Children's Aid Society of Victoria, named its program the Family and Children's Service, and operated under that rubric until 1973 when the organization was absorbed by the Department of Human Resources.

Account books, annual reports, clippings, correspondence, executive reports, journals, memoranda, minutes and statistical data of the Society and of social service organizations amalgamated with or absorbed by the Society.

The series consists of records created by the Inspector of Municipalities between 1910 and 1920 relating to infant protection. It includes correspondence inward and outward of the Inspector of Municipalities related to Children's Aid Societies; monthly statements, annual reports, statutory declarations and expense vouchers of Children's Aid Societies in Vancouver and Victoria, and papers pertaining to Infants' Protection.

In 1897 the British Columbia legislature adopted the "Guardian's Appointment Act" (61 Vict., c. 96) relating to the custody and care of infants. Further, in 1901, the legislature passed the "Children's Protection Act" (1 Ed. 7, c. 9) providing for the incorporation of Children's Aid Societies and for the appointment of a Superintendent. The Provincial Secretary was charged with the administration of this statute and "An Act to Regulate Maternity Boarding Houses, and for the Protection of Infant Children", passed in the same year (1 Ed. 7, c. 29). This latter act required the registration of houses for reception of infants as well as the registration of every infant in the care of such institutions. In 1911 the "Infants Act" was passed consolidating and amending legislation relating to infants (2 Geo. 5, c. 107). In 1918 the "Infants Act" was amended to provide for a Superintendent of Neglected Children who would, among other duties, make annual reports to the Attorney General. Administration of the Act was transferred from the Provincial Secretary to the Attorney General by section 14 of the Act (8 Geo. 5, c. 36) and the Superintendent's first Annual Report was submitted on 30 November 1920.