Copes-sa is a community-based section 21 company that seeks to prevent child abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place. This we achieve by empowering families and communities because we recognise that most children have families and that most professionals work in communities for at most 8 hours a day.

We also recognise that child abuse is a social ill that thrives in areas that have high unemployment, substance abuse, poverty, deprivation and social isolation rates, to mention but a few. Thus our programmes - community development; research & training and clinical services - are designed to address these underlying causes and not just only child abuse which is just a symptom.

Further, any comprehensive approach to child abuse should offer assistance to families as most abuse occur within family settings.