The Children's Institute is headed by a director, who is supported by an operations manager and a managment committee.
The Institute's work is organised in self-generated, donor-funded research and advocacy projects. It is also increasingly accepting commissions and government tenders on request. Current projects are:
- Analysing the nature and extend of child-headed households in South Africa
- Caring Schools: Schools as nodes of care and support
- Child rights education for health professionals (CRED-PRO)
- Children Count – Abantwana Babalulekile
- Children's Act Project
- Evaluations and case studies of the CI law-reform methodology
- Growing up in a time of AIDS: Abaqophi BakwaZisize Abakhanyayo Children's Radio Project
- Infants and HIV/AIDS in South Africa: The fragility of life
- Ordinary Politics: Race and opportunity in contemporary South Africa
- Project 28 : Promoting children's socio-economic rights
- Social security – towards comprehensive protection for children
- Social Service Practitioners Advocacy Network
- Theorising children’s participation: Learning across countries and across disciplines
Several support units provide assistance to the projects:
- Administration (general, financial and human resources)
- Communication and knowledge management
- Information technology