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WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1983
HANDLING OF CHILD ABUSE CASES
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AN AD HOC WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN REVIEWING AND CLARIFYING THE GUIDELINES FOR INTER-DEPARTMENTAL USE IN HANDLING CHILD ABUSE CASES, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON HENRY CHING, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY REV THE HON JOYCE BENNETT WHO ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE A STATEMENT CONCERNING THE FINDINGS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S INQUIRY INTO THE DEATH OF CHAU PUI-MAN.
POINTING OUT THAT THIS WORKING GROUP WAS UNCONNECTED WITH THE CHAU PUI-MAN CASE, MR CHING SAID THEIR GUIDELINES SET OUT THE STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURES WHICH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, HOSPITALS, CLINICS AND SCHOOLS WERE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW.
+THE NEED FOR CASE CONFERENCES IS STRESSED, AND THE NEED FOR FREQUENT HOME VISITS AND PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE CHILD IS EMPHASISED.
+I CONSIDER THAT IT WOULD BE TIMELY TO GIVE THIS WORKING GROUP A MORE FORMAL STATUS, WITH THE TASK OF CONDUCTING A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING CHILD ABUSE CASES, AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT, INCLUDING THE NEED FOR ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS THAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED, HE SAID.
ON THE DEATH OF CHAU PUI-MAN, MR CHING SAID A VERY THOROUGH REVIEW WAS CARRIED OUT WHICH SHOWED THAT ALL CONCERNED WITH THE CASE HAD ACTED IN WHAT WAS CONSCIENTIOUSLY THOUGHT, AT THE TIME, TO BE IN THE CHILD'S BEST INTEREST.
HOWEVER, THE REVIEW ALSO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING PROCEDURES.
+THE REVIEW HAS SHOWN, FIRST, THAT CHILD ABUSE CASES ARE NOT ALWAYS NOTIFIED TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AS EARLY AS THEY COULD BE,+ MR CHING SAID.
THE REVIEW ALSO REAFFIRMED THE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE THAT IN DECIDING ANY COURSE OF ACTION THE INTERESTS OF THE CHILD MUST BE GIVEN PRECEDENCE.
+THIRDLY, THE REVIEW HAS SHOWN THAT SOCIAL CASE WORKERS MUST BE GIVEN AS MUCH TRAINING AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.
TWO MEASURES HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SPECIAL CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE UNIT, STAFFED BY OFFICERS EXPERIENCED IN CHILD ABUSE WORK, IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, AND THE ATTENDANCE OF A HONG KONG UNIVERSITY EXTRA-MURAL COURSE ON CHILD ABUSE BY NINE OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
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