Children's court began to be set up in Australia in the early 1900s. The Judicial Commission of New South Wales states the first court in New South Wales was set up in the spirit of parens patriae, a jurisdiction that was exercised by the superior courts of the United Kingdom and, as a consequence, of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Children's courts were set up in light of the widespread poverty and child neglect at that time. The courts had to assume the role of parent, protector and ultimate punisher.