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About us

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organisation for children.

About Save the Children 

Here in Australia and around the world, we give a powerful voice to children and champion their rights. As a global organisation, Save the Children directly reaches millions of children whose rights are threatened across more than 100 countries every year. 

Our history

Eglantyne Jebb, a pioneering teacher and sociologist, founded Save the Children in England in 1919. With a strong vision for children’s rights, in 1923 Eglantyne wrote what she believed were the fundamental rights of every child. This powerful statement was adopted by the League of Nations in 1924 (forerunner to the United Nations [UN]), and now underpins the current UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Over a century later, these fundamental rights continue to create the foundation for everything we do. At a time when women had only just won the right to vote, Eglantyne was a pioneer for child wellbeing and revolutionised the way we treat children.

In the same year Save the Children began in England, our first Australian branch opened in Melbourne to assist refugees affected by war in Europe. Over the next 50 years, state divisions and more Australian branches were established to assist children in Europe and the Middle East. Improving the health and education of children in Australia became a priority in 1951. Welfare centres and preschools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Victoria were among our first Australian projects.

In 2022 we revealed a new name for our work in Australia – 54 reasons. The children we work with asked for something accessible, relevant, playful and engaging. The name is inspired by the 54 articles in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Our services continue to support children and young people to learn, grow, dream big, feel safe and supported. 

Becoming a global movement

As we continued to grow, so did other Save the Children offices around the world, and today Save the Children has become a truly global movement for children, working in 117 countries. Globally, we share one name, one strategy and one vision of the change we want to achieve in the world. In this way, we can work both as Save the Children Australia, and as part of a global movement with Save the Children International.

With the generous support of Australians, corporate partners, trusts and foundations, and local, state and federal Australian governments, Save the Children Australia supports some of the hardest-to-reach children and young people around the world.

Through the decades

Below is a condensed version of a comprehensive timeline authored by former Save the Children Australia Board member Jill Cameron. 

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1910s - 1920s

1910s - 1920s

In 1919 Eglantyne Jebb launches the Save the Children Fund (SCF) after WWI, the first international branch is established in Melbourne that same year. Branches in QLD, TAS and SA follow in the early 1920s. In 1924 the UN Charter for Children’s Rights is drafted, cementing the legacy of Eglantyne Jebb, who dies in 1928.

1930s - 1940s

1930s - 1940s

While the Great Depression and WWII leave the SCF idle for a number of years, in the aftermath the need and impact of the fund expands across Africa, Asia and the United States. The 1940s sees the re-establishment of the SCF’s branches in VIC, TAS, WA, SA as well as committees in ACT, NSW and QLD.

1950s

1950s

The SCF expands further across Asia, especially in Korea and Malaysia. In Australia the SCF Victoria branch provides aid for child victims of civil war in Korea and support for child migrants, while establishing playgroups for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Shepparton and Mooroopna. Meanwhile the NSW branch of the SCF is established.

1960s

1960s

SCF responds to hunger and displacement in Korea, Morocco, Nigeria and the West Indies. The Australian Save the Children Council is formed. Preschools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are opened in NSW, aid is provided to bushfire victims in TAS and welfare support is developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities in VIC.

1970s

1970s

The International Save the Children Alliance is formed and work in Northern Ireland supports the Stop Polio Campaign. Education initiatives in SA and VIC support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, while family support services are created in NSW. In 1975 Save the Children Australia is formed, enabling membership of the International Save the Children Alliance in 1977.

1980s

1980s

Internationally, HIV/AIDS education and prevention projects are established while massive responses are launched to the famine in Ethiopia. Incorporation of SCF Australia enables the organisation to launch its first overseas project in Vanuatu. SA funds programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Critically, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is adopted in 1989.

1990s

1990s

Programs are set up reuniting families after the Rwandan genocide, while work is done supporting children affected by war globally. SCF Australia launches initiatives in Papua New Guinea and Vietnam while advocating against the use of landmines. NSW transfers its preschools to self-management by local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities.

2000s

2000s

Huge humanitarian response efforts are launched throughout the decade to the war in Sudan, the 2004 Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in the US. Formation of a single organisation for Save the Children in Australia (SCA) consolidates the state branches into a more efficient structure and enabling significant fundraising for tsunami relief.

2010s

2010s

Aid programs are developed to respond to the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa and the war in Syria. Child Protection in programs supported by SCA evolves significantly over the next 15 years. SCA creates the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, an Environmental Sustainability Strategy and merges with Hands on Learning. In 2019 SCA celebrates its centenary and accreditation for the Green Climate Fund.

2020s

2020s

Children and families are supported during COVID-19, including remote learning packages and collaboration across the Pacific to support long-term development goals. The innovative Impact Investment Fund is launched and Library For All joins SCA. In 2022 local programs in Australia become known as 54 reasons. In 2023 funding for a new six-year project in the Solomon Islands is announced.

Our ambition for children by 2024

Take a look at Save the Children Australia’s 2022-2024 Strategy that sets out our ambition for what we want the world to look like for children by 2024 and how we’re going to help make that happen.

Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation

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Issues

Our work tackles all the issues that affect children, including access to health and education, saving lives in a disaster, stopping climate change and protecting children from harm.

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Where we work

We work around the world to protect children from abuse and neglect, provide access to healthcare and education and to assist children in times of emergency.

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Our team

It's our passionate and talented team –volunteers, employees, executive team, Board and ambassadors – that make it possible for us to support children around the world.

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Careers

We run programs for young people and adults in Australia and overseas. We stand up for children's rights because we want all children to be educated, healthy and safe.

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Accountability

We take responsibility for using resources efficiently, achieving measurable results and being accountable to communities, supporters, partners and children.

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Our policies

Our policies, procedures and guidelines ensure we uphold the integrity of our work and that we are always working in the best interests of children. Save the Children's policies guide our employees to understand their roles and responsibilities to children and assists them to positively and respectfully engage and empower children and families.

Here's a snapshot of some of Save the Children's policies:

Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct

Our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct outlines our responsibilities for protecting and promoting the rights of children. Read our latest annual report to find out about our current performance.

Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy explains how we record and store personal information and uphold the confidentiality of those who support and work with Save the Children.

Code of Conduct

Save the Children is also a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). As a signatory to its Code of Conduct we adhere to high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management. Find out more about how we stay accountable to generous supporters like you.

Policy and Advocacy

Save the Children's Policy and Advocacy strategy is designed to help us use our knowledge and expertise to provide lasting change in children's lives.

Government and Risk

We are committed to ensuring all our activities are conducted legally, ethically and in accordance with high standards of integrity. Read more about our governance procedures and how we manage risk.

Fraud and Corruption

Fraud and Corruption: We are committed to monitoring and reducing fraud and corruption. Read our latest Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy here.

Whistle-blower

We are committed to creating and maintaining an open and accountable working environment and encourage all stakeholders including children, young people and families with whom it has contact to report concerns in good faith.

Where a person feels unable to raise a concern through standard feedback channels because of reasonable grounds to fear reprisal, they may use the mechanisms provided by our Whistle-blower Policy. To provide effective protection over disclosures, including allowing continuous discussion with anonymous reporters we has chosen to use an external, secure, online service from Whispli.

Environment and sustainability

As an organisation dedicated to creating lasting change for children, we understand the importance of responding to a new environmental landscape and ensuring development gains are not lost to the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Read our latest annual report to find out about our current performance.

Program evaluation

We use evaluation reports to assess our program outcomes and ensure we are constantly learning from and improving what we do. The reports allow us to learn about the effectiveness of our interventions, whether they involve direct services for children, or our policy and advocacy work to fulfil children’s rights. Read our recent evaluation reports.

Stay up to date on how Save the Children is creating a world where every child has a safe and happy childhood