Hong Kong welfare officials look into tightening scrutiny of children’s homes following abuse scandal, vow ‘we will learn from this’
- Department chief says alleged abuse at Mong Kok home is ‘unacceptable’, pledges to improve services
- Fourteen staff of Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children arrested so far over alleged abuse scandal
Hong Kong’s director of social welfare, Gordon Leung Chung-tai, has pledged to review and strengthen the supervision of child support institutions in the wake of a scandal over the alleged abuse of at least 26 toddlers at a residential home.
Fourteen staff of the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children have been arrested since news of the alleged abuse at its Children’s Residential Home in Mong Kok broke on December 24.
“These children are suspected to have been abused at the place where they should have been cared for. It is unacceptable, and we must find out the truth,” Leung said at a media briefing on Thursday.
He said a thorough probe was under way, involving his staff, police and the child protection group at the centre of the scandal, and his department was also consulting other professionals for their input.
“We will learn from this case and improve the quality of the services,” he added.
The Mong Kok home provides support for children aged up to three years who are abandoned, orphaned or lack care because of family problems. Some of its staff have been accused of yanking the toddlers’ hair, hitting their heads, slapping and throwing them onto the floor.
The Society for the Protection of Children, an established child welfare group, runs centres across Hong Kong, serving about 3,000 children up to 16 years old and their families.