In 2013, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved the capital funding commitment for the project and construction works began subsequently that year. The centre was then officially named as the "Hong Kong Children's Hospital" (HKCH) in 2014. Construction of the hospital complex was completed in late 2017. HKCH has commenced service by phases since December 2018.

Upon service commissioning of HKCH, the Hospital Authority's paediatric services operate under a hub-and-spoke model. HKCH serves as the tertiary referral centre for complex, serious and uncommon paediatric cases requiring multidisciplinary management, providing diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services for patients in need from birth to 18 years of age territory-wide (note: there is no accident and emergency department or general outpatient clinic in HKCH; all patient cases must be referred by registered doctors in public hospitals or the private sector). The 13 paediatric departments in other public hospitals continue to provide secondary, acute, emergency and community paediatric care. Under this hub-and-spoke model, HKCH and regional hospitals work together as a coordinated and coherent paediatric service network.

HKCH strives to enhance clinical service quality, promote research, strengthen teaching and training, and provide children-centred and family-friendly services to create a better patient experience, while ensuring financial sustainability.

HKCH has commenced service by phases since December 2018. As in other new hospital projects, such arrangement allows reasonable time for testing service models and clinical work flow before the hospital is in full service, so as to ensure patient safety, quality of service and smoothness in operation.