About ChildFund Australia

Welcome Back !

You have Gifts for Good in your basket.

Welcome Back !

Last time you were here, you were looking to help vulnerable children and families. Your support can save and change lives.

Every child should experience a childhood in which they are nurtured, protected and given access to opportunity.

ChildFund Australia is an independent international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in many of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.

We partner to create community and systems change which enables vulnerable children and young people, in all their diversity, to assert and realise their rights.

ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – one of the world’s oldest and most experienced child-focused development agencies. With a global network of 12 organisations, the ChildFund Alliance assists almost 23 million children and families in 70 countries.

ChildFund Australia directly manages and implements programs in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, while also supporting projects delivered by partner organisations throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas. Our work is funded through child and community sponsorship, as well as public donations and government grants.

We are committed to public accountability and transparency. Annually, our accounts in Australia are audited by independent consultants KPMG. Read our latest Annual report.

As a member of the Australian Council for International Development, and a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct and the ACFID Fundraising Charter, ChildFund Australia must meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management.

In addition, ChildFund Australia is fully accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program. Accreditation is a stringent process in which all operational activities – financial, managerial, fundraising and program – are analysed. This not only requires that ChildFund demonstrate that funds are distributed to community projects, but that they are spent effectively in those communities for the benefit of children.

ChildFund Australia is also a member of Accountable Now, a platform of international civil society organisations that strive to be transparent, responsive to stakeholders, and focused on delivering impact. As a member, ChildFund has signed 12 globally-agreed-upon Accountability Commitments and will report annually to an Independent Review Panel on our economic, environmental and social performance according to the Accountable Now reporting standards.

ChildFund Australia is committed to reduce its impact on the environment. Following the recommendations from a Green Audit performed by 180 Degrees Consulting to assess and reduce the environmental impact of our activities, we have committed to reduce our CO2 emissions & waste, increase awareness amongst staff & stakeholders, and offset all our carbon emissions through a partnership with Greenfleet.

annual report

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    Our History

    After beginning work in China in 1938, ChildFund is now one of the world’s oldest child-focused development organisations. ChildFund (or China’s Children Fund as it was known then) was started by an American humanitarian, Dr J Calvitt Clarke, following the second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. Amidst reports of widespread devastation and the displacement of millions of families, Dr Clarke decided to take action to support the relief effort. From his home in Virginia, USA and with the support of wife Helen, Dr Clarke launched a nationwide appeal for funds for displaced children in China. In the midst of the Depression, and using his own money for stationery and postage, Dr Clarke found enough willing supporters to enable him to establish China’s Children Fund (CCF) in 1938, sending the organisation’s first contribution of US$2,000 to support local initiatives in China. Dr Clarke continued to write and appeal for assistance and, by the end of 1939, CCF had sent a total of US$13,000 to support the KuKong orphanage and a school in China. Eight decades later and CCF has transformed into the ChildFund Alliance, a global network of child-focused development organisations assisting children and families in 70 countries.

    annual report

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      1938

      China Children’s Fund (CCF) is established to help children devastated by the Sino-Japanese war. Donations are used to support a school and the KuKong orphanage.

      1941

      CCF implements a child sponsorship program, which enables sponsors to donate funds to support an individual child.

      1946

      CCF’s work grows to include the Philippines, Burma, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. After World War II, CCF expands its work to Europe, focusing on providing education, food and shelter for children, particularly those children displaced and orphaned by war.

      1951

      To recognise the global nature of the organisation, the CCF acronym is changed to represent Christian Children’s Fund. Work commences in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and South Korea.

      1960

      A change in philosophy begins, with CCF focusing on providing assistance to children through family support, replacing assistance for children in orphanages as the main program approach. Work expands to Taiwan and Brazil. CCF Canada is established.

      1967

      CCF makes another shift in its work to ensure that local programs are led by local leaders, whenever possible.

      1973

      CCF ends its work in Europe and the Middle-East to concentrate on programs in Africa, starting in Kenya. New CCF members are established in Denmark Germany and elsewhere.

      1985

      CCF Australia is established by a group of eminent Australians including Dr Adrian Johnson, Sir Roden Cutler VC, Bob Stevenson and Bill Joris. It focuses on raising sponsorship funds to support the programs delivered by CCF around the world.

      1990s

      CCF begins to play a greater role in delivering humanitarian support during disasters, including food, water and emergency shelter and the establishment of Child Centred-Spaces which provide a safe place for displaced children.

      1994

      CCF Australia establishes its first community development programs in Papua New Guinea, partnering with the Salvation Army.

      1995

      CCF Australia begins work in Vietnam, working with ethnic minority communities in remote areas in the north of the country.

      2002

      The CCF Child Poverty study is undertaken, which finds that children experience poverty through three dimensions: deprivation, exclusion and vulnerability. This research gives added emphasis to CCF’s community development program approach.

      2005

      CCF Australia changes its name to ChildFund Australia, to clearly reflect its values and vision: to assist children in need regardless of their gender, religion or ethnicity. ChildFund Australia becomes one of 12 global members of the newly formed ChildFund Alliance.

      2007

      ChildFund Australia begins work in Cambodia, supporting rural communities still recovering from the aftermath of three decades of civil war under the Khmer Rouge. ChildFund Cambodia helps to establish the country’s first ever child helpline.

      2010

      ChildFund Australia begin work in Laos, implementing programs in Xieng Khouang Province; one of the poorest regions of the country with significantly high unexploded ordnance contamination.

      2012

      ChildFund Australia begin work in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) as the country emerges from decades of military rule, implementing child-focused development programs in partnership with local civil society organisations.

      2017

      ChildFund Australia takes over the management of the ChildFund Timor-Leste office, and iCARE becomes a wholly owned subsidiary.

      Our People

      Our Expenditure

      Where your money goes

      83 cents

      in every dollar goes directly to helping children in poverty

      Almost 23 million

      children and families being supported in 70 countries