TNAG-1855-FCO40-2630-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 161

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL --8 March 1989

香港立法局 一九八九年三月八日

Responsibility for supervision of children

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11. MRS. TAM asked: Will the Government inform this Council whether or not measures, including publicity campaigns, will be taken to draw the attention of parents and guardians to their responsibility for the proper supervision of the children and young persons under their care, and to their liability under the Juvenile Offenders Ordinance, in order to help prevent juvenile crimes?

SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: The Administration has taken and will continue to take measures to draw the attention of parents and guardians to their responsibility for the proper supervision of children and young persons under their care.

The Social Welfare Department, in conjunction with voluntary agencies, has in recent years launched a number of family life education publicity campaigns, with responsible parenthood and parent-child relationship as the main themes. Booklets, posters and calendars have been widely distributed to the public; newspapers, magazines, television and radio have been used; and exhibitions, competitions and family camps have been organized to promote the campaign messages.

In addition, social workers, as well as counselling children with behaviour problems, also counsel their parents with a view to helping them to understand better their parental role, and their responsibility for the proper care and supervision of their children.

The fight crime publicity campaigns on triad involvement, drugs and shoplifting, whilst aiming primarily to draw the attention of the public to these crimes, also have the effect of drawing the attention of parents to the need for care and supervision of their children.

The Health and Welfare Branch is now planning a major campaign, to be launched this summer, which will arouse public awareness of child neglect, responsible parenthood and the role of the family in supporting the well-being of the child. We are now considering whether it would be appropriate to include in the campaign reference to parents' liability under the Juvenile Offenders Ordinance.

Separately, under the auspices of the Fight Crime Committee, a television documentary programme on juvenile crime, which will emphasize the dangers of parental neglect, is under preparation and is expected to be screened shortly.