For CACL, child labour implies a basic denial of the right to childhood. It therefore calls for a total eradication of child labour. The network views every child out of school as a  child labourer. It therefore seeks to implement policy changes that will lead to a complete elimination of child labour. This requires creating awareness in different sections including child workers and their families, policy makers, media, the judiciary and citizens in general through various programmes. A basic strategy employed for this purpose has been a simultaneous campaign for free and compulsory quality education of all children in the country, and for legislation to effectively eradicate all forms of child labour.

In order to achieve its objectives, the network works at the field level through its various member organizations. While the different member organizations vary in focus, structure and internal organization and nature of programmes conducted, by and large they subscribe to the common vision of CACL. They participate in its programs and carry forward the message of CACL in their own focus areas. It should be noted that CACL is not registered as an independent entity. Over the years, through a learning process, the network has evolved its own management structure.