Who are we?

Founded in 1973, the Child Abuse Prevention Service is the oldest child abuse prevention organisation in Australia. Our story began when nurse and mother Dorothy Ginn began volunteering at the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, NSW.

There she helped to care for runaway children and people struggling with addiction. She soon noticed that childhood maltreatment and neglect were often the root cause of the trauma being experienced by the people in her care.

One day Dorothy encountered a distressed man in the chapel. His wife had killed their baby that morning. He asked her “Where do you go when something like this is happening, before it’s too late?”.

Dorothy would soon have the answer. She and a handful of other volunteers went on to found Prevention, the first-ever organisation in Australia dedicated to preventing all forms of child abuse.

Today, we are just known as CAPS. We are a non-government, non-religious charitable organisation. Our vision is simple but powerful:"Every child is safe, supported and loved”.

We  provide evidence-based educational programs, bespoke child safe organisation solutions and child rights consulting to build well-being, emotional resiliency and forever break the cycle of abuse.

As a not for profit organisation, we need your help to continue to deliver our critical abuse prevention programs to children, parents and carers.

Your generous support will help to change the lives of our most vulnerable. Take action today!