Childrens Week

:: 1954

:: 1980

:: 1985

:: 1987

1954

In 1954 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Universal Children's Day as a day to promote friendship and understanding among children of the world. From this beginning it developed into a day that focused attention on the issues and needs of children and their families. UNICEF has been charged with the development of this concept worldwide. UNICEF charged countries to determine the date for Universal Children's Day to fit in with their own arrangements.

1980

In the 1980's the Commonwealth Government was eager that Universal Children's Day should be celebrated throughout Australia and requested every State and Territory Children's Week Committee to agree to hold their Child Care Week celebration (formerly held at different times according to local convenience) in conjunction with Universal Children's Day.

1985

In 1985, after many years of state observance of a week focusing mainly on children in care, it was decided to coordinate a national week to include all children. Under the name of Children's Week, celebrations and activities would be held on the same date throughout Australia, commencing the Saturday before Universal Children's Day and concluding on the following Sunday and in addition the celebrations would broaden to include all children.

1987

In 1987 the first Annual General Meeting of the Children's Week Council was held in Melbourne, and the Council incorporation took place in 1992. Representatives of state children's week committees from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia met to confirm the establishment of a national Children's Week Committee. Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and the Northern Territory joined the committee thereafter. The committee was to be known as the Children's Week Council of Australia (CWCOA).

The SA Children's Week Committee was formed in 1979 under the auspices of UNICEF and in 1995 changed the name to the Children's Week Association of South Australia Inc.

To this day the association consists of representatives from 18 different organisations/government departments working with children and in 2008/2009 provided the Secretariat to the Children's Week Council of Australia.

The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia was welcomed as Patron in 1997 and each successor has continued as National Patron to this present time.