What you need to know

• Can I visit my sponsored child?

  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Compassion Australia has made the difficult decision to cancel all staff and supporter trips to Compassion field countries until further notice.

  We've made this decision in line with the Australian Government's advice and restrictions on international travel and to allow our local church partners to prioritise care for Compassion assisted children and their families. As the safety of sponsored children, churches, supporters and staff is of utmost concern to us, one of the main reasons for this decision is to limit the amount of potential virus exposure. People living in areas of extreme poverty with limited healthcare resources can be some of the most vulnerable during crises such as these.

  Seeing the ministry of churches in developing countries firsthand changes hearts and lives—and we can’t wait for the day for travel to be possible again!

  Until then, we want to bring the field to you. Here you can find an update on COVID-19, get a glimpse into the Child Sponsorship Program and read an encouraging story from each country we work in.

  You can:

  Write to your sponsored child

  Contact us

• How is COVID-19 impacting travel with Compassion?

  The uncertainty and risks of travelling during the current COVID-19 pandemic have led to Compassion Australia’s decision to cancel all travel until further notice. Please know this decision has not been made lightly and is in line with the Australian Government’s current restrictions and advice on travel.

  As the safety of sponsored children, churches, supporters and staff is of utmost concern to us, one of the main reasons for this decision is to limit the amount of potential virus exposure. People living in areas of extreme poverty with limited healthcare resources can be some of the most vulnerable during crises such as these.

  Another reason for this decision is the continuously changing nature of different governments’ travel restrictions. As a result of these restrictions, travellers could be required to quarantine either upon arrival to the destination country or upon return to Australia. Under the current circumstances, Compassion Australia cannot manage a safe and optimal experience for you on your trip or visit and this is one of our top priorities.

  Previously, when we have postponed field experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have offered to rebook for a future date. However, due to the continuous uncertainty of the pandemic, we now believe it is best to finalise the cancellation of all trips, rather than continuing to postpone.

• When will Field Experience Trips restart?

  At this point, we are unsure of when we will be able to restart trips and visits . Compassion Australia have developed benchmark restarting principles which will help determine when we can begin facilitating Field Experiences again.

• How does the travel suspension affect Compassion assisted children?

  One of the strengths of Compassion’s ministry is that we work in partnership with local churches in developing nations. They are uniquely positioned to know and understand the needs of the children in their communities and provide necessary support. While we know that Field Experiences are life-changing experiences for both sponsors and children, the practical care and support that children receive through the Child Sponsorship Program is not impacted by Field Experiences.

• Will I get a refund for the trip that I have registered for?

  Yes, one of our Field Experience team members will contact you regarding your trip cancellation and refunds. They can also answer any further questions you may have regarding future trips with Compassion.

• What will future trips and visits look like, considering COVID-19?

  The health and safety of the children we serve, our supporters and our staff is of great importance to us. We will take all precautions necessary to ensure that travel is resumed only after our Compassion International incident response team has done a thorough assessment of the situation and deemed travel safe for all of those involved. Since things are changing so rapidly, right now we don’t know the implications for future trips or visits. Any new measures resulting from the pandemic will be communicated to our travellers prior to registration so they are aware of what actions Compassion is taking to make travel as safe as possible.