National Directory of Services for children and youth infected and affected by HIV/AIDS

Early in 2001, the Children's Institute predecessor organisation, the Child Health Policy Institute, was commissioned by Save the Children UK to develop a database of services in South Africa for children affected by HIV/AIDS. The project included the development of a website (now discontinued) and the training of staff at the Department of Social Development on the maintenance of the site.

Rapid appraisal of primary level health care services for HIV-positive children at public sector clinics in South Africa

This 2002 rapid appraisa investigated the extent to which some health and social interventions were available at that time to children attending public sector clinics in all nine provinces of South Africa.

Researching and developing systems to facilitate the identification, monitoring and support of vulnerable children

In 2002, the Children's Institute was commissioned by Save the Children UK to develop systems and tools to facilitate the identification, monitoring and support of vulnerable children.

Children and antiretroviral treatment

The Children's Institute in 2005 was commissioned to produce a discussion paper on whether children's health needs were adequately addressed in the government's "Comprehensive Care and Treatment for HIV and AIDS" plan.

Children Count – Abantwana Babalulekile

Children Count – Abantwana Babalulekile is an ongoing project that provides time-series statistics on the situation of children in South Africa to multiple audiences. The statistics and related commentary, as well as information on the data sources, are available at childrencount.ci.org.za.

Growing up in a time of AIDS: Abaqophi bakwaZisize Abakhanyayo Children's Radio Project

Established in 2005, this children's participation project is now run independently by the Zisize Educational Trust. It enables children in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa to use the power of radio and storytelling to describe and explore their lives and circumstances for a South African and – via the Worldwide Web – global audience.

National Children's Forum on HIV/AIDS

In August 2001, 90 HIV-affected and infected children from around South Africa participated in a National Children's Forum on HIV/AIDS. The event was aimed at providing children with the opportunity to engage with representatives from the national government, as well as members of Parliament.

Analysing the nature and extent of child-headed households in South Africa

There is widespread concern that the numbers of children living in ’child-headed households’ are rapidly increasing as a result of AIDS-related adult mortality in much of sub-Saharan Africa. This systematic analysis of representative national surveys over the period 2000 – 2007 aimed to shed light on the extent to which this is the case in South Africa, and to examine the phenomenon in more detail.

Health and social services to address the needs of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa

In 2001 the Children's Institute was commissioned by the Department of Health to conduct research to inform an appropriate and co-ordinated national response to children experiencing orphanhood.

Evaluations and case studies of the CI law-reform methodology

Getting research into policy and practice is a main objective of the Children's Institute. This project therefore over several years recorded the story of the Institute's involvement in policy and law-reform processes, together with analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of the advocacy methodology used in each process. The information gained from each evaluation or case study fed into new projects and communicated to national and international audiences through publications and occasional seminars.

Foster care in the time of AIDS: Children 'in need of care' or in need of cash

This project, conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Actuarial Research at the University of Cape Town, drew on a combination of primary research and demographic projections, as well as a costing exercise, to consider the application of the foster care system to provide poverty alleviation for households caring for orphans.

Media and the representation of children affected by HIV/AIDS

This research examined issues of representation in mainstream South African press reporting on children affected by HIV/AIDS with the aim to contribute to more sensitive and accurate media coverage.

Infants and HIV/AIDS in South Africa: The fragility of life

This project used ethnographic methods to explore in-depth the experiences of HIV-positive mothers and their infants, providing a full and careful description of the political, social, economic, cultural and moral context that affects the quality of their lives. The project aimed to inform policy and interventions made on behalf of such HIV-positive mothers and their infants.

Dikwankwetla – Children in Action: Facilitating children's participation in the Children's Bill

This project facilitated a group of children from four provinces to participate in the deliberations during the legislative process for a new Children’s Act in South Africa.

Caring Schools: Schools as nodes of care and support

The 28,000 schools across South Africa have huge potential to serve as 'gateways' for a range of services for children. This multi-year action-research project undertook to understand and facilitate an expanded role for school as 'nodes of care and support' to vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty. It aimed to help schools to mobilise role-players in their schools and communities to provide a greater level of care and support for children.

Home truths: Residential care in the context of the AIDS pandemic

This project explored the forms that the 'last resort' – residential care for children – is taking in the face of the AIDS pandemic in South Africa, and considered these forms in relation to South African policy and legislation. In particular, the project focused on residential care set-ups that have emerged out of, and in response to the needs of, community-based initiatives.

'But where are our moral heroes?' An analysis of South African press reporting on children affected by HIV/AIDSMeintjes H & Bray R 2005In: African Journal of AIDS Research 4(3), 147-159.