Children 1st, previously known as the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, is a Scottish charity which aims to give every child in Scotland a safe and secure childhood. Children 1st supports families under stress, protects children from harm and neglect, promotes children's rights and helps children recover from abuse.

The official history of the society ignores the role of Emma Stirling which the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography believes may be due to her gender or a legal dispute, but it was Stirling who created the first, and later eight homes for abused and neglected Scottish children in 1884. Another source agrees that Stirling's Edinburgh society was the precursor of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

The New York society believe that the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children has its origins in the anti cruelty movement that grew in America in the 19th century. Following a landmark lawsuit, in which the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took a case under animal cruelty legislation against two New Yorkers for abusing an eight-year-old child, Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children sprang up on both sides of the Atlantic.

In 1884, there was a home for abused children in Edinburgh. It was beginning to be understood that there was a considerable amount of abuse being perpetrated on children in the UK. In order to counter this, the first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was established in London. Following on from this creation in England branches began to be set up throughout Scotland and in 1889, the Glasgow and Edinburgh branches joined to form the Scottish National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Even in 1913, Dundee SPCC was considering whether it was appropriate for a 'lady representative' to sit on its board, and asked Mary H.J. Henderson to organise this.

In the same year, the first Act of Parliament for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was passed.

In 1893 the Scottish Children's League of Pity was formed as a junior and fund-raising branch.

The NSPCC also began to come into existence around this time and now operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Although the two charities are completely separate organisations, they work together to improve the lives of children and families throughout the UK.

In 1921 the Scottish National Society received Royal Charter and became the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children.