The name Children's Promise came from the 'The Millennium' Children's Promise™ campaign which was created and developed in the U.K. by Marks & Spencer Plc and the New Millennium Experience Company under the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1999. During the Millennium Children's Promise took on global significance with an international network of partners in twenty-three countries participating, including the Australian Youth Foundation (AYF which has since merged with the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) . Business leaders and companies from around the world pledged their support or mobilised the voluntary participation of their employees at the time. High profile leaders included President Johannes Rau of Germany, Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland, World Bank President James Wolfensohn, South African President Thabo Mbeki.

In 1999 the Australian Youth Foundation which has since merged with the Queens Trust to form the Foundation for Young Australians brought the copyrights of Children's Promise to Australia and trade-marked the names Children's Promise™ and Children's Hour™ nationally and officially launched Children's Promise in April 1999. The Australian Youth Foundation invited The Salvation Army and the Children's Hospital Network to join in this global initiative here in Australia for the benefit of our children and young people. Funds rasied were equally shared between the three partners.