Final answer:
The doctrine that holds that the state has a responsibility to look after the well-being of children and to assume the role of parent if necessary is known as parens patriae.
Step-by-step explanation:
The doctrine that holds that the state has a responsibility to look after the well-being of children and to assume the role of parent if necessary is known as parens patriae.
Parens patriae is a legal principle rooted in English common law, which gives the state the power and duty to protect and provide for children who are in need of care and support when their parents are unable or unfit to do so. This principle is typically invoked in cases of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
For example, if a child's parents are deemed to be incapable of adequately caring for them due to addiction issues or mental illness, the state may intervene and place the child in foster care or with a guardian.