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Hong Kong, 6 August 2026 - In response to the case in which a 5-year-old boy with developmental delays died after suffering prolonged abuse, Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF HK) expresses its profound sorrow over the tragedy.

Child abuse is a grave violation of children's rights and dignity. Any form of physical or psychological violence, injury, maltreatment, neglect, or exploitation directed at a child is unacceptable and cannot be justified on any grounds, including discipline, family stress, child’s behaviour, or special needs.

The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance has now come into effect. UNICEF HK urges relevant professionals that if, in the course of their work, they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is suffering serious harm, they must make a report as soon as practicable. Reporting alone cannot replace immediate safety assessments, emergency medical care, protective arrangements, and ongoing support services. Organisations should also establish clear internal procedures and provide continuous training, professional supervision, and support for frontline staff to prevent children from continuing to suffer harm due to delayed intervention.

This case serves as another stark reminder that abuse can persist within families or other environments where it is difficult to detect. Children may face challenges in communicating their needs and circumstances due to limitations in communication, cognition, self-care, mobility and so on. As a result, society must take a proactive role in identifying risks and providing appropriate protection at the earliest possible stage.

The Government and different sectors of society must ensure that support services, including counseling and mental health support, are readily accessible, responsive, and tailored to the needs of different families, including those raising children with special needs, so that assistance can be provided before family stress escalates into a crisis.

Social work interventions for children with unique needs, disabilities, or developmental delays must be child-centred and incorporate early identification, proactive engagement, continuous follow-up, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

UNICEF HK calls on all sectors of society to adopt a zero-tolerance stance toward child abuse and remain vigilant. Anyone who suspects that a child is being abused should seek assistance from the Police or relevant government departments as soon as possible. If a child is, or at real risk of suffering from serious harm, authorities must be contacted without delay.