Offer Hong Kong families larger cash incentives to foster children, says expert panel created to combat abuse of youngsters at care centres
- Suggestion among 39 from committee tasked with reviewing childcare policies after abuse scandals among charities first came to light in late 2021
- Committee calls for citywide promotion effort to encourage more people to foster children as substitute for residential care centres
Families in Hong Kong should receive larger cash incentives and educational support to foster children, according to a report from a body established after a series of abuse scandals at childcare centres came to light in 2021.
The document, seen by the Post on Thursday, from the Committee on Review of Residential Child Care and Related Services featured 38 other suggestions, such as excluding any extra cash received by foster parents from an income cap placed on those living in public housing.
Under the current system, foster care incentives are not taxable but must be declared by those living in public flats to the Housing Authority as relevant income.
The report is the second of two compiled by the committee following a series of abuse cases at the city’s childcare facilities, with the first scandal occurring in December 2021 at a centre run by the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children, with a focus on reviewing residential childcare services.
Confirming an earlier Post report, the Social Welfare Department on Thursday revealed the second summary which placed a greater emphasis on encouraging families to foster children.