The increasing number of reports of children who have been left at home with no supervision has raised concern among child welfare groups.
Child concern group Against Child Abuse received 61 calls about children being left home alone in 2007 - a 25 per cent jump compared to 2006. Among last year's cases, 52 per cent of the children were aged six to 12, while 34 per cent were under five.
Last month the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong, held a seminar at its headquarters in Wan Chai to highlight the problem. The association carried out a survey in which they interviewed 509 primary students in Tsing Yi and 507 parents. Eighty-eight per cent of the students said they had been left at home alone, while 95 per cent of them believed they were able to take care of themselves.
Club researcher Raymond Lee Lut-man said it was dangerous for children to overestimate their ability to cope in a crisis.
'Nowadays, many children think they are independent enough to be staying home alone. They believe they are able to identify which people are bad and are able to avoid accidents. This concept is risky as they may underestimate the dangers,' Mr Lee said.
At the seminar, an 11-year-old boy said he felt special to be allowed to stay home unsupervised.