Letters | To protect children, professionals could also watch family dynamics

The ordinance clearly defines the legal duty for 25 categories of professionals, helping to break down information silos between institutions and form a protective net. This is highly relevant to the complex cases I have encountered in family therapy and psychiatric work – many tragedies stem from early warning signs not being systematically identified. The design of the ordinance, including the threshold of “reasonable” grounds for suspicion, immunity for good-faith reporting and reporter confidentiality, demonstrates respect for frontline professional judgment and is commendable.

From a practical standpoint, I offer three observations. First, professional judgment requires interdisciplinary knowledge. Identifying serious psychological harm or neglect often requires an integrated assessment of medical, psychological and social contexts. For example, a child’s behavioural issues could stem from the impact of family conflict (as seen in children from divorced families), developmental disorders or concealed risks related to inadequate sexuality education. Professionals need continuous interdisciplinary training to avoid misjudgment or under-reporting.

Second, the post-reporting support system must be strengthened concurrently. Reporting is only the beginning of intervention; it must be followed by tight coordination of social welfare and psychological and medical resources. In my work, I have observed that dysfunctional family dynamics are often the root cause of abuse. Without family-centric therapeutic services (such as family therapy or parenting guidance), the problem may be temporarily suppressed rather than resolved.

Third, while the ordinance does not require all past cases to be reopened, frontline personnel must still carefully assess current risk. With diverse cultural or sexual minority families, professionals must guard against their own biases to avoid misinterpreting cultural differences as neglect. The principles of respecting diversity and avoiding stigma, emphasised in professional sexuality education training, are particularly crucial here.