XN000022-1986-05-14 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1986

NO DECISION YET ON 'CONFINED' CHILD'S FUTURE

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE INTENDS TO APPLY FOR A CARE AND PROTECTION ORDER TO REGULARISE THE POSITION UNTIL DECISIONS COULD BE TAKEN ON THE FUTURE OF A 6-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN CONFINED TO HER HOME SINCE BIRTH, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THE VARIOUS ASSESSMENTS, THE AIM

BUT +WHATEVER WAS TO REUNITE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER IF THIS IS POSSIBLE IS THE DECISION IT WILL BE TAKEN WITH THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD IN MIND,+ SAID.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR CHAMBERS SAID IT WAS NOT TRUE TO SAY, AS HAD BEEN WIDELY REPORTED, THAT THE CHILD HAD NEVER BEEN OUTSIDE HER HOME SINCE BIRTH.

GIVING A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE CASE, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S KWAI CHUNG FAMILY SERVICES CENTRE CAME TO KNOW OF THE CASE LAST NOVEMBER THROUGH A TELEPHONE REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT HOT-LINE THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE GIRL WAS NOT BEING PROPERLY CARED FOR BY HER MOTHER.

HE SAID THE CENTRE'S SOCIAL WORKER VISITED THE FLAT ON FIVE OCCASIONS BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND MAY BUT WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ACCESS.

+AS FAR AS COULD BEEN SEEN THE FLAT APPEARED TO BE CLEAN AND TIDY AND THERE WAS NOTHING TO INDICATE THAT THE CHILD WAS BEING ABUSED, HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT ACCORDING TO NEIGHBOURS, THE CHILD WAS TAKEN OUT BY HER MOTHER A FEW TIMES.

+SHE WAS SEEN TO SPEAK GENTLY TO THE GIRL AND THERE WAS CERTAINLY NO SIGN OF VIOLENCE, HE ADDED.

MR CHAMBERS SAID AS THE CASE WAS RECEIVING WIDE PUBLICITY AND THE FLAT WAS VIRTUALLY UNDER SIEGE BY THE PRESS, THE DEPARTMENT WAS AFRAID THAT THIS MIGHT UPSET THE MOTHER AND RESULT IN UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCES; THEY THEREFORE ENLISTED THE AID OF THE POLICE TO BREAK INTO THE FLAT ON MAY 8 AND TO REMOVE THE CHILD UNDER THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES ORDINANCE.

HE SAID THE GIRL HAD ADAPTED SATISFACTORILY TO HER NEW ENVIRONMENT AT CHUK YUEN CHILDREN'S RECEPTION CENTRE WHILE THE MOTHER WAS STILL UNDER OBSERVATION AND ASSESSMENT IN THE KWAJ CHUNG HOSPITAL.

HE ADDED THAT A VISITING MEDICAL OFFICER FOUND THE GIRL TO BE IN GOOD GENERAL HEALTH BUT RECOMMENDED THAT SHE SHOULD BE SEEN BY A CHILD PSYCHIATRIST, A CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST AND A PAEDIATRICIAN.

/QUESTIONED ON