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Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question that is not answered here, please contact us.

ChildFund Australia is an independent and non-religious international development organisation that works to reduce or eliminate poverty for children in the developing world. Using a child sponsorship approach, as well as public donations and government grants, ChildFund Australia directly implements programs in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea and manages projects delivered by ChildFund Alliance affiliate organisations in Asia, Africa and the Americas.

ChildFund Australia is a member of ChildFund Alliance - a global network of 12 organisations which assists eight million children in over 50 countries. ChildFund Australia is a registered charity and is fully accredited by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

ChildFund Australia is not affiliated with any religion, faith or other organisation. ChildFund Australia is a non-discriminatory, independent, not-for-profit organisation, assisting children, families and communities regardless of nationality, gender or religion. We respect the cultures and religions of all the people we help, encouraging spiritual growth only within the context of family and culture, and we do not evangelise.

ChildFund was established in 1938 as the China's Children Fund. As recognition of a growing worldwide focus, to reflect the ethic of helping others and to keep the acronym (CCF), the official name changed to Christian Children's Fund in 1951. The name was then shortened to CCF Australia before the change to ChildFund Australia in October 2005.

ChildFund Australia is a member of the Australia Council for International Development (ACFID) and a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct. The Code requires members to meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management. As evidence of this accountability, ChildFund Australia is accredited by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) to receive government grants. This accounts for around 10 per cent of ChildFund Australia's revenue.

Systems of community involvement and participation, finance and administration and results documentation and evaluation ensure ChildFund Australia's quality and accountability. The Annual Impact Monitoring and Evaluation System (AIMES) measures the impact of programs and allows ChildFund Australia to prioritise the delivery of critical services to children and their families.

The key impact indicators are:

• reduced under-five and infant mortality;
• reduced under-five malnutrition; and
• enhanced child and adult literacy.

The financial accounts of ChildFund Australia are independently audited on an annual basis by accounting firm KPMG. This process includes auditing the financial accounts of our country offices in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam.

If you have any queries about our work or child sponsorship, please feel free to phone, fax or email us. ChildFund Australia's contact details are as follows:

• Freecall number: 1800 023 600
• Sydney office: 02 9264 8333
• Fax number: 02 9264 3533
• Email (general enquiry): info@childfund.org.au
• Email (change of details): sponsor@childfund.org.au

Address: Level 8, 162 Goulburn Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
ACN: 002 885 761
ABN: 79 002 885 761

If you are already a ChildFund supporter, please have you A00-reference number ready when you contact us.

Any request for refund of contributions already donated to ChildFund Australia by a sponsor/donor will be considered and determined on a case by case basis. Refunds will be made by cheque only.

When a request for a refund is received, an assessment of the reason given for the refund request is undertaken. The following reasons will usually be considered favourably:

• an error has been made by ChildFund Australia;
• a sponsor/donor decides within the first 1-3 weeks of providing contributions that they have changed their mind and the funds have not already been remitted overseas;
• a sponsor/donor banking details are fraudulently obtained and used;
• the sponsor disputes agreeing to allocation of an additional child through ChildFund Australia marketing programs; or
• a sponsor/donor contributions are paid in advance.

The following reasons will not usually be grounds for a refund to be given:

• the financial circumstances of the sponsor/donor;
• the sponsor/donor denies or disputes having made a decision with ChildFund or one of its contracted marketing agencies to provide financial contributions; or
• disagreement by the sponsor/donor with the nature of the programs provided by ChildFund.

If it is agreed that a refund is to be made the sponsor/donor will be sent a cheque within five working days of the decision.