Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital is South Africa's only dedicated child health institution and offers a comprehensive range of specialist paediatric services to children. It is a centre of excellence for the training of all categories of child health professionals.

Children from all nine provinces and from all over Africa are referred to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital by referral hospitals, clinics and smaller hospitals. The hospital is active in paediatric outreach and support programmes across South Africa.

Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital is regarded as South Africa's leading centre for postgraduate specialist paediatric medical and surgical training. The hospital's tertiary facility provides comprehensive dedicated paediatric services with a full range of sub-specialties at quaternary, tertiary and secondary levels of care.