Better picture of the cost of services for students with special needs is required
We write in response to the article, 'The long wait for care' (Education Post, March 29).
We recognise and applaud the incentives of groups who support improved government funding and services for children with special needs. We recognise the challenge, both financial and personal, and are frequently inspired by the commitment of families as they seek 'adequate' services for their children. We are delighted that Speech Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy services are valued and viewed as 'good extra care'.
It is of great concern, however, that an incorrect conclusion in regard to the cost of private services could be drawn from this article, as it is implied that all private therapy services in Hong Kong charge exorbitant fees similar to the amount quoted (HK$50,000 per month). This is simply not the case. The majority of qualified, registered, hard-working, professional private therapists offer a diverse range of services to special-needs children in Hong Kong using world-recognised, effective, evidence-based models of practice, charging one-tenth of the stated cost, while, incidentally, using a fee schedule that has not changed markedly for 10 or more years.
The 'one-price-fits-all' method of service delivery, as portrayed in the article, is misleading to families. It does not assist them to differentiate between the value and effectiveness of different services. Presenting private practitioners servicing special needs children as one 'collective' is a simplistic view of a complex system.
SHARON HAARSMA,
