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Local Child Rights Projects

UNICEF HK launched ‘Unite for Children. Unite for Hong Kong.’ Child Rights Advocacy Project (the Project) in 2011 to support eligible Hong Kong NGOs or non-profit making organizations in implementing projects which help promote and realize children’s rights in Hong Kong. The Project received overwhelming response and has benefited tens of thousands of marginalized children and their families in the past years.

Key Contribution

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© UNICEF/UN0222702Lingnan University Issues to be addressed:
Recognition and conceptualization of children’s own view on child deprivation and well-being
Limited systematic data on children with diversified needs in Hong Kong for effective policy advocacy

Project focus:
Explore and advocate deprivation and well-being of children of ethnic minority background in Hong Kong

Objectives:
To collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative evidence on the deprivation and well-being of Hong Kong children of ethnic minority background
To examine the relationship between the different dimensions of deprivation and well-being of children of ethnic minority background

Descriptions:
This project expects to lay the groundwork for a systematic comparison of how children of ethnic minority fare against other children in Hong Kong; and provide analyses for policy makers and key stakeholders to foster the development of Hong Kong children of ethnic minority background

Expected no. beneficiaries: 85,775

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© UNICEF/PathfindersPathFinders Issues to be addressed:
Hong Kong-born children of current or former migrant domestic workers are especially vulnerable as this population is often underserved. Services and support are aimed to assist them in time of acute needs

Project focus:
Serving vulnerable children with diversified needs

Objectives
To protect vulnerable babies and children from abuse, neglect and abandonment and to provide them with basic necessities and legal support

Descriptions:
The project aims to ensure vulnerable babies, born to migrant mothers in Hong Kong, are respected and protected. To help these children, services include:

Crisis intervention by supporting their basic humanitarian needs and rights such as access to healthcare, shelter, clothing, and food;

Legal support;

Working to ensure a permanency plan is established in the child’s best interest.

Achievements:
Supported 22 babies and children through Crisis Intervention
298 babies and children screened for urgent medical care, including 81 babies and children provided with urgent medical care
Advocated through 21 verbal and written submissions to LegCo and government bureaux as well as 21 publications in local, migrant and international media

No. of beneficiaries: 320

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© UNICEF/PUNISONHong Kong Unison Issues to be addressed:

Intergenerational poverty of ethnic minorities in Hong KongHong Kong Unison_icon
Lack of support and strategy in the teaching and learning for ethnic minority kindergarten children
Racial discrimination faced by ethnic minority families at kindergarten admission
Unpreparedness of teachers and frontline staff on teaching ethnic minority children
Inadequate access to education information by ethnic minority parents

Project focus:
Advocate for an inclusive and equitable early childhood education for the development of ethnic minority children

Objectives:
To advocate an education policy (including early childhood education) that embraces racial diversity, allowing ethnic minorities to have equal access to education and to participate successfully in the education process
To promote mainstream free kindergartens to adopt an open and non-discriminatory admission policy
To advocate support to enable ethnic minority kindergarten children develop and achieve Chinese language proficiency comparable to the Chinese peers

Descriptions:
The project strives to advocate equal opportunities policies in schools and training to strengthen all staff and teachers on culturally-responsive and -sensitive classrooms; and work to enhance family support so that ethnic minority parents can make informed choices for their children’s development

Expected no. of beneficiaries: 6,150

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© UNICEF/HKUThe University of Hong Kong Issues to be addressed:
The right to play and development of children with disabilities has been overlooked. Further studies are necessary to evaluate potential areas of improvement.

Project focus:
To recommend baseline standards and assess sufficiency of play space for children with disabilities

Objectives:
To assess sufficiency of play space in Hong Kong
To identify areas of deficiency of play space from the perspective of disabled children and their families
To inform future provision and planning of play space

Descriptions:
This project expects to provide guideline on accessibility, quality, and quantity of play space in Hong Kong to inform policy makers of potential areas of improvement to meet the needs of the community.

Achievement:
Developed a story map website utilizing geographic information system based on data survey conducted in 2015-17 to highlight the following:

Type of play space (LCSD managed & non-LCSD managed)
Children population (from 2016 by-census of Hong Kong)
Proximity analysis
Case studies of Kwun Tong playgrounds
Policy implication

Presented a policy brief to summarize the research insight and proposed recommendations on play space planning, inclusive play and data transparency

Published a paper “Provision of Convenient Play Space in a Densely Populated City” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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© UNICEF/playrightPlayright Children's Play Association Issues to be addressed:
Insufficiency of space and the monotonous design of playgrounds
Low level of community engagement with children’s participation in the play space design and planning

Project focus:
Realising children’s rights

Objectives:
To promote an increase on the average area of public playgrounds per child
To involve children’s participation in the play space design and planning
To raise public awareness on involving children in the play space design and planning

2014－PLAYRIGHT CHILDREN’S PLAY ASSOCIATION
UNICEF PLAYGROUNDS FOR ALL PROJECT – CREATION OF UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED OUTDOOR PLAY ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN WITH OR WITHOUT DISABILITIES

Issue to be addressed:
The right to play and healthy development of children with disabilities are not realised due to the insufficiency of inclusive playgrounds. Local playground facilities are not diversified enough. A well-design inclusive playground is needed in Hong Kong.

Project focus:
Realising children’s rights

Objectives:
To build the competency of stakeholders for inclusive playground development
To demonstrate the capacity for inclusive playground design in a real playground in Hong Kong
To raise public awareness and engage the public to participate

Descriptions:
This project is an extension of the ‘Playright UNICEF Inclusive Play 2012’
To organise ‘Play for All’ training programme for industry professionals and design students, to introduce the principle of Universal Design, promote the children’s right to play and the values of ‘inclusive play’
To organise Design competition and the winning design in the competition will be adopted in remodeling an existing playground operated by Leisure and Cultural Services Department
To hold an exhibition after the design competition to raise the public awareness of the universal design concept in public playground and inclusive place space design
A play day will be organised to inspire designers to develop the most desirable inclusive playground in HK and offer inclusive play opportunities for deprived children and their families

Achievements:
First “UNICEF Family Inclusive Play Day” was successfully organized in mid-May at Tuen Mun Park, attracting 500 children and family members to join
Conducted ‘Design of Children’s Play Environment’ training workshops and introduced Inclusive Play Space Design Guidelines to 106 professional designers and 67 design school students
Organized “UNICEF Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition” to consolidate a playground design scheme that would be widely accepted by the community; total of 25 entries from the professional category and 29 entries from the student category were received.
“UNICEF Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition” Exhibition was held from September to November to showcase play space design concepts, engaging over 4,000 children and parents in exhibition activities.
Facilitated the collaboration between related parties to adopt winning play space designs at the pilot site, Tuen Mun Park, which is expected to open in the second quarter of 2018.

No. of beneficiaries: 5,315

2012－PLAYRIGHT CHILDREN’S PLAY ASSOCIATION
‘PLAYRIGHT UNICEF INCLUSIVE PLAY 2012’

Issues to be addressed:
Lack of proper social policy, public facilities – inclusive education in the community, and parent’s education, children with disabilities cannot equally enjoy the same play environment and play opportunities as other children
Only 4.5 per cent of playground in Hong Kong has inclusive elements
75 per cent of parents never hear or understand the concept of “inclusive play”, 80 per cent children had no experience in “inclusive play”. The public lacks understanding and neglects the importance of the fulfillment of Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child – which states out children’s right to play.

Project focus:
realising children’s rights

Objectives:
To provide quality play environment and play opportunities to children with physical impairment
To educate public, children’s service providers and parents the vision and implementation of “inclusive play”
To work with policy makers, playground developers and the government to introduce better mechanism and policies for a more inclusive society

Descriptions:
The project is a new project
Students’ activities: Partner with special schools and NGOs, to regularly invite children with physical impairment to visit and enjoy quality inclusive play facilities in Hong Kong, which may also invite volunteers from corporations to participate in the activities
Parents and teachers’ workshop: Educate parents and teachers the value of quality playground and playground safety
Forum on inclusive play: Invite stakeholders, i.e. parents, educators, etc. to further discuss and advocate children’s right to play in July. An expert will be invited from US to share thoughts
Survey: Investigate the needs of play environment for children with physical impairment
Professional guidelines: Set up a professional committee to design and publish a guideline on long-term playground development, aiming to promote the concept of inclusi ve playground, which will be distributed to key players, government, developers, special schools, suppliers, etc.

Achievements:
The project reached over 37,000 people.
Organised 21 ‘PLAY FOR ALL Symposium’ for 736 students, parents and teachers from 31 special schools or institutions with integrated programmes. 403 students, parents and teachers from 10 schools joined the follow-up event ‘Play for All Playday’. Both events gained a total of support from 48 corporate volunteers and 31 individual volunteers. A qualitative survey was conducted to collect 207 parents’ feedback. They commented the event was a good opportunity for children with disabilities to enjoy play. Schools also expressed interest to similar activities in the future
126 parents, teachers and principals joined the workshop about the value of quality playground and playground safety
145 people attended the forum on inclusive play. Overseas professional Ms Susan M. Goltsman was invited to share the inclusive play design. Policy makers, playground providers & operators, academics, playground equipment specialists shared about the advocacy work for inclusive play. Over 90 per cent of participants were satisfied with the forum arrangement
Met industry leaders from the United Kingdom and organised two focus group discussions for over 40 participants
Published 7,000 copies of Inclusive Play Space Design Guidelines and sent to professionals of playground-related industry and government officials, encouraging them to adopt the guidelines
Invited The University of Hong Kong to conduct a quantitative survey to assess the needs of playground users. 164 parents of children with disabilities participated in the survey and the survey revealed that play opportunities and time were insufficient – over 60 per cent of children with disabilities played in playground less than once a week and over 70 per cent played for less than an hour

Current activity:
Playright continues to partner with UNICEF HK to discuss with related bodies, including the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) about the development of “inclusive play”. Currently LCSD expressed interest in upgrading an existing playground to a trial inclusive playground. For more, please visit UNICEF Playgrounds for All Project.

No. of beneficiaries: 8,935

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© UNICEF/musicusinspiresMusic Society Issues to be addressed:

Hong Kong students from lower income bracket are deprived of exposure in classical music, resulting in lack of confidence, lack of choice for future career and inability to enjoy quality music.
The imbalance of opportunities between Hong Kong music students and their counterparts overseas in music education.
Philosophy of music education in Hong Kong: didactic versus creative.

Project focus:
realising child rights to development and participation, helping the needs of poverty children and minority groups of children

Objectives:
To further provide exposure and learning opportunities for students from lower income bracket deprived of access to classical music.
To give Hong Kong’s youth from all social classes opportunities to participate and develop in the field of classical music
To instigate a change in Hong Kong’s music education system by promoting more creativity rather than didactic learning

Descriptions:
This project aims to expand the ‘Musicus Inspires!’ programme that firstly launched in 2013 into a year-round programme with more in-depth implementation
School Visits: A year-round talk with renowned artist performances and talks, master classes and on-site teaching for students with limited resources
Ensemble Training: Overseas artists will provide instrumental training and rehearsal sessions to advanced students who are interested to pursue a career in classical music
Behind the Scene: Provide workshops to students who are interested in pursuing music management with skills of arts management and experience of working behind the scenes arts management. A mentor programme will be arranged by the participants in 2013 to coach the new participants. Year-round internships will also be offered
Master Classes & Talks: International renowned artists are invited for teaching demonstration for local teachers, students and parents who are interested in pedagogical methods and best practices overseas; discussion on music education, career choices and development can be discussed
Musicus Inspires! Concert: A community concert for all participating students to perform with world class artists; Some tickets will also be distributed at minimal or zero cost to students who could not afford to buy regular concert tickets

Achievements:
Reached over 37 million people with mailing campaign, promotion at universities, LCSD’s music office, social media etc to promote more creativity rather than didactic learning.
Organized two School Visits with festival artists and industry professionals’ experience sharing to enhance 525 students’ understanding of and appreciation for classical music.
Provided trainings for 50 students including those from lower income families, underprivileged groups, local schools, HKAPA and university students to receive professional trainings from renowned Moscow Soloists in small groups, learn about arts management, commissioning of new music which are then premiered by festival artists.
Organized a concert on 30 November, 2014 at Sha Tin Town Hall where trained young musicians performed with festival artists together on stage.
Conducted Master Classes for 103 local music students, teachers, parents and the public for them to listen and observe how maestro think about music practice and techniques. 100 per cent of the participants were interested in returning to the programme.
Offered Pre-concert Talk for 210 teachers, and students from lower income families and underprivileged groups, introducing music appreciation and general concert etiquette for classical music.
Organized two free community concerts and the Musicus Fest Encore Concert to 174 and 1,010 students, teachers, parents, music lovers and the general public.
Received very positive feedback from the festival artists, mentioning the programme was meaningful for nurturing the next generation in music industry. Teachers commented that the programme can enhance students’ musical knowledge and appreciation for music though sharing experience and on-site teaching by artists around the world.

Upcoming activities:
Jan – Jun 2015 and Jan – May 2016: school visits by artists and industry professionals
Summer – Nov 2015: training programmes, Master Classes and talks
Sept – Nov 2015: Heritage Concerts and Musicus Fest

No. of beneficiaries: 12,648

2013－MUSICUS SOCIETY ‘MUSICUS INSPIRES!’

Issue to be addressed:
The imbalance of opportunities between Hong Kong students and their counterparts overseas in music education
Hong Kong music education system is more didactic. A more creative education system is needed to foster creativity among students

Project focus:
Realising children’s rights and working for development and survival needs of poverty children and ethnic minority children

Objectives:
To cultivate younger performers and students of all social backgrounds who may someday become leaders in the arts themselves
To instigate a change in the Hong Kong music education system by promoting more creativity rather than didactic learning, in conjunction with various pedagogical methods and practices from overseas

Descriptions:
Encounter with Renowned Orchestra: students who are curious about what it means to be a true professional musician will be coached by members of the celebrated Tapiola Sinfonietta, one of the leading orchestras in Europe, in small groups, rehearse and perform alongside with the orchestra’s members in City Hall Concert Hall.
Behind the Scenes: offers training opportunities to young people in Hong Kong where first-hand experience is garnered from working in an international music festival.
School Visits: arts industry professionals share their experiences, such as a life of concertizing around the world, the challenges and rewards of being a musician, and the excitement and demands of being in arts management with students, combined with performances.
Open Rehearsals: local students and music lovers will have an opportunity to observe world class artists as they prepare for the upcoming performances

Achievements：
Reached 14 million people with mailing campaign, promotion at universities, LCSD’s music office, social media etc.
Benefitted 6,039 students, including those from lower middle class or lower class families, disabled or ethnic minority students to participate in sharing or learning with, or even listening to the performance of great artists. Many of the students never had a chance to the above before.
Received 100 per cent positive response for School Visit. Most students participated in Behind the Scenes and Encounter with Renowned Orchestra were interested in returning to the programme in 2014.
Over 80 per cent of Behind the Scenes and 70 per cent of Encounter with Renowned Orchestra students had stronger interest to become art administrators or musicians.
Received very positive feedback from the local music sector, including letters from HKAPA, local school principal and music teachers. Many said the programme enables students to discover their potentials with inspiration and motivation, unlike the existing conventional approach.

No. of beneficiaries: 6,039

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© UNICEF/youthoutreachYouth Outreach Issues to be addressed:
Youth involved in triad culture are increasingly become younger
Growing problem of hidden drug abuse. According to The 2011/12 Survey of Drug Use among Students by Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau, 17,500 out of 156,000 interviewed students have once taken drugs.

Project focus:
Realising children’s rights and Work for children suffering from drug abuse

Objectives:
Provide skateboard training to high-risk youth to keep them away from triad culture, i.e. smoking, drug abuse, crime, etc.
Create their satisfaction via skateboard and build up their drives to learning and working
Engage those who used to be triad members or drug abusers to be trainers to help high-risk youth to stop their bad behaviors
Promote healthy sports by skateboard performance at schools, community hall or on the street.

Descriptions:
Skateboard tour: six skateboard performances by people who used to be triad members or drug abusers, each targets at 400 audiences. The performances aim to arouse high-risk youths’ interest in fancy skateboarding and recruit them to join the training programme.
Skateboard training: 120-hour training course will be provided to around 60 youth. Content includes introduction to the skateboard culture, safety knowledge and basic skills of skateboarding and fancy skateboarding. 20 potential/well-performed youth will be selected to form a skateboarding team and receive 48 extra hours of advanced training.
Skateboard competition: A platform for the skateboarding team and youth in Hong Kong to perform and share about healthy sports to 500 youth. Famous artists will be invited to be judges and to perform.

Achievements:
The project reached 17,703 people.
Over 2,030 people attended the skateboard tour of six consecutive skateboard performances.
Succeeded in training 64 youths in skateboard training. Among which, 20 potential 2014 uniskate (2)youths were selected to form a skateboarding team for further advanced training.
The skateboard competition successfully showed healthy sport skateboard to 500 youths, sharing a positive image to all the audiences.
The project interviewed 64 young people who have participated in the skateboard training and 3 school teachers, and found out
à all participants agreed that the project have boosted up their self- confidence, self- recognition and have increased their interest in achieving a healthy life.
à all school teachers expressed their eagerness in joining the project again.
After contacting with social workers and participating in the skateboard training, many participants have shifted their focus from negative behaviors to skateboard practice, boosting their self- confidence and sense of satisfaction.

No. of beneficiaries: 2,614

2012－YOUTH OUTREACH ‘ALL-NIGHT NET WALKER’

Issues to be addressed:
Over 40 per cent of youth have internet addiction in Hong Kong. The number has 13-fold over the last 10 years.
The possibility of committing drug related offences are 10 times higher for youths frequenting internet café
More and more crimes, e.g. online traps to potential sex offences, drug abuse and triad influences in internet café, are committed via internet

Project focus:
realising children’s rights, helping children affected by drug abuse and helping children suffering from physical, mental, sexual abuse and being neglected

Objectives:
To promote health and positive message via online platform to build a positive and safe internet environment
To provide employment training to youth who were drug addicts or triad members in the past as the ‘internet ambassadors’ and provide them with employment training

Descriptions:
The project is an existing project
Recruitment of targets:
Project staff and ‘internet ambassadors’ will search for problematic youths via internet, i.e. instant messaging, blogs, social media, online games, chat rooms and discussion forums, conduct quick assessment, and provide necessary services to those at high risk
Intervention (work with night outreach):
With the support of the out-reach team, the at-risk children will be invited to use the Street Rover service, helping to bring them back to reality
Provide face-to-face or telephone consultation
Provide education and employment information
Invite targets to join other youth activities
Employ youths who were drug addicts or triad members in the past as the ‘internet ambassadors and provide them with employment training

Achievements:
Reached 6,002 youths online via platforms such as online forums and other smartphone apps and provide them with positive messages against internet addiction, drug abuse and triad culture etc.
Met 1,180 youths in person through “Internet Ambassadors”, who used to be triad members or drugs abusers to reform the lives of the youths at risk
Referred 108 cases to get further social welfare services, including 90 referrals to Youth Outreach – Hang Out, 17 cases receiving follow-up services by Youth Outreach – Crisis Center and one referral to another organisation.
49 youths received employment referral services and one youth received education referral service
The project interviewed 100 service users of the project by questionnaire, and found out that:
i) Almost 70 per cent of youths strongly agree and agree that they are more willing to chat with outreach workers via smartphone apps/ online platforms
ii) 87 per cent of youths suggest they will and will consider seek help from Youth Outreach via smartphone apps/ online platforms

No. of beneficiaries: 6,002

2011－YOUTH OUTREACH ‘UNICEF HANG
OUT EXPRESS – STREET ROVER’

Issues to be addressed:
Street teenagers are at danger of exposing to drugs, triad or sexual exploitation
Teenagers have poor sense of achievement and motivation to change their lives
Teenagers lack basic work skills to survive

Project focus:
realising children’s rights, helping poverty children and those affected by drug abuse, suffering from physical, mental, sexual abuse and being neglected

Objectives:
Help teenagers to reduce night-time activities and its negative influence.
Help teenagers regain motivation to work/study, enhance positive self- image.

Descriptions:
Arrange a 5.5 tons truck with graffiti decorations, equipped with computers, medical equipment, mini games, skateboards, TV games, etc, to travel 18 districts in Hong Kong to reach youth hanging out on the street at midnight
The truck traves 60 times per year – once to twice per week, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m and on festival days with mini-themes
Meet suspected street wandering youth, and took teenagers home or refer proper services if necessary
Provide crisis intervention and occupational counselling by social workers or peer counsellors
Conduct one mass theme programme to raise awareness on children’s rights.

Achievements:
‘UNICEF Hang Out Express – Street Rover’ went out 60 times, helping and assessing the situation of 1,614 young people, among which about 86.6 per cent of them are children under 18
162 young people received employment and education reA Better World For Children (Finished)ferral services, some also received information on job recruitment and interview tips to improve their job seeking skills. 357 young people were taken home and for those who are homeless or serious cases, they were offered temporary placement and followed up by social workers with family therapy, individual or group counselling, so that they could improve their relationship with family
The project also interviewed 151 young people who have used services and facilities in the ‘Street Rover’ by questionnaire, and found out
less than 20 per cent of respondents have heard of Convention on the Rights of the Child and less than a half could correctly choose the rights in the Convention over 80 per cent agree children under 18 have the right to voice their opinion, to have different religious beliefs, etc over 70 per cent agree people have no right to harm children in any way and children should be protected when crisis emerged over 50 per cent disagree parents sell their children, or commit suicide with their children even if the parents are facing financial hardship

No of beneficiaries: 1,614

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© UNICEF/drugcounciCommunity Drug Advisory Council Issues to be addressed:
More and more drug related issues are associated with sex. According to frontline workers, 20 to 25 per cent of youth-at-risk suffer from drug issues and sex issues simultaneously
Drug education with elements of sex education is severely insufficient

Project focus:
helping children affected by drug abuse

Objectives:
To enhance children’s awareness and understandin2012 CDAC (3)g on drug and sex related topics
To empower parents to provide drug and sex education at home
To gear up children to spread anti-drug and health messages to their peers, family members and community members
To advocate the awareness on drug and sex related issues

Descriptions:
The project is a new project
P stands for “pilot”. The project is pilot in nature
E stands for “educational”. It aims to pass on knowled2012 CDAC (2)ge regarding drug and sex related topics to children and their parents, help children to develop proper attitudes and skills to protect themselves
A stands for “advocate”. It aims to raise public awareness on the intricate
relationships among drugs, sex and intimate relationships
C stands for “combinative”. It emphasises a blend of drug and sex education
E stands for “ethnicity sensitive”. Its services will be conducted bilingually to ensure that people coming from all ethnic communities can participate

Achievements:
The project reached over 5,546 people.
Forty-four educational programmes were organised in schools with children of ethnic minorities and 4,573 students were reached
Twelve ambassador training sessions were arranged for 184 students aging from 8 to18
Ten training sessions were held for 289 parents
Eighty per cent of children, teachers and parents agree that the programmes helped to increase health awareness, encouraged them to make healthier choices in life and enabled them to learn something new in terms of drug and sex education
Regional mass campaign were held for 500 ethnic minority students and parents
wo newsletters, one parents’ booklet (5,000 copies), leaflet and 7,000 souvenirs carrying anti-drug and health messages were distributed

No. of beneficiaries: 5,046

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© UNICEF/ecaEnd Child Sexual Abuse Foundation Issues to be addressed:
There are 4,115 mild or moderate mentally handicapped students in Hong Kong2011 ECA (2)
Mentally handicapped students are vulnerable to sexual abuse due to lack of sex knowledge and communication skills

Project focus:
helping children suffering from sexual abuse

Objectives:
To teach mentally mild to moderate handicapped students :
proper respect for human body.
sensible sex attitude.
ways to defend oneself against sexual abuse.
how to say ‘No’ and get help when needed

Descriptions:
Train education officer to educate students with presentation and communication skills, and discipline management
Arrange education officers to meet with students at school (45 minutes and 10 to 20 students per session)
Provide training to teachers in special education schools to become sex educators by using dolls, tools, cartoons and other multi-media and interactive teaching approaches
Provide students workbook, glow gloves and DVD for their revision.

Achievements:
Twenty two schools completed ‘Sexual-Abuse-Preventive Programme for Intellectually Impaired Children’
A total of 2,013 students participated in the programme, almost double the previous estimates
One hundred and thirty teachers filled in the programme evaluation survey and 99 per cent of them agreed or totally agreed that the performance of the instructors was satisfactory. 96 per cent of respondents said the programme was well designed and the setting of the activity room was satisfactory

No of beneficiaries: 2,013

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© UNICEF/2011-ACAAgainst Child Abuse Issues to be addressed:
Cross border new-born: 30,000 births per year; 35 per cent of these births will leave Hong Kong within the 1st year of birth, 80 to 90 per cent will return to Hong Kong before aged 6
Mainland new immigrants lack safe childcare knowledge, social support, knowledge about local education system and urgently need to adapt
Children born to these families often face separation from their parents, social isolation, lack of proper care and poor education
The mothers of these children are likely to suffer from a lack of societal support as the Social Welfare Department only provides assistance to families holding one-way permits.

Project focus:
helping children suffering from physical, mental abuse and being neglected

Objectives:
To help new arrival mothers integrate into Hong Kong society
To build cohesion among cross border families
To enhance new arrival mothers’ ability in childcare and build a more inclusive society
To avoid child neglect and abuse by creating a safe and non-violent environment at home and in society for children

Descriptions:
Project officer trains volunteers to support target families
Volunteers visit homes of cross-border families and provide support in child care and protection knowledge and community resources
Conduct regular meetings with parents to build networks among these families, share and support each other
Urge the government to expand this project to mainstream service

Achievements:
The project reached 465 people
Among the 50 families, some are single-parent, living on comprehensive social security assistance or with income under HK$10,000. Besides, some parents were diagnosed of depression, had depressive symptoms and experienced family violence
Nine gatherings and 50 meetings with target families for needs assessment were held. 82 cases were referred for appropriate services such as psychiatric or counselling services for emotional management, or food bank, financial assistance and tutoring services to resolve their tangible needs
According to questionnaires collected from families, all families were satisfied with the project and said they knew more about Hong Kong welfare and resources. 97.5 per cent said their knowledge on parenting was raised and 95 per cent were more familiarised with places in Hong Kong

No of beneficiaries: 50 families and 50 volunteers