Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ4: Handling child abuse cases
Following is a question by the Dr Hon Law Chi-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (May 12):
Question:
It was reported that last year, a seven-year-old girl was taken to hospital for medical examination after falling unconscious from excessive hunger on the street. Doctors found that she suffered from severe malnutrition and detected on different parts of her body multiple bruises which had not been caused by accidents. Subsequently, the parents of the girl were both sentenced to imprisonment for 20 months for child abuse offences. It is understood that while the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has taken up this child abuse case since 1999, it failed to spot the girl's plight of being abused for a prolonged period. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether the Administration has, in view of the above-mentioned case, reviewed the existing mechanism for identifying and handling child abuse cases; if it has, of the review results, including improvement measures to be put in place;
(b) among the suspected child abuse cases reported to the Police over the past three years, of the number of cases which had previously been handled by SWD; and
(c) whether the Administration will consider setting up review mechanisms, such as multi-disciplinary review committees, on those child abuse cases in which family violence has caused serious injuries or deaths?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) In view of the case mentioned, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has revisited the mechanism for handling the child abuse case, with a view to identifying improvement measures for handling similar cases in future. Initially, we see scope for improvement in terms of further enhancing the skills of frontline workers in the welfare, medical and educational sectors in the handling of child abuse cases through future training programmes, and strengthening multi-disciplinary collaboration. In particular, SWD and the Education and Manpower Bureau will step up the training for social workers and school personnel to enhance their knowledge and skills in identifying and handling child abuse cases.
From a macro perspective, in the light of the service developments relating to child protection in recent years and with a view to better meeting the needs of the abused children, the Committee on Child Abuse (set up under SWD, which comprises representatives from relevant Government bureaux, departments and non-governmental organisations) decided in January 2004 that the Procedures for Handling Child Abuse Cases (Revised 1998), which embodies the existing mechanism in preventing, identifying and handling child abuse cases, should be reviewed in 2004/05. SWD has already started an internal review and would consult relevant Government bureaux/departments and non-governmental organisations in July/August this year to take forward the review. We would take into account the lessons learnt in this particular child abuse case in reviewing and updating the Procedures.
(b) According to the Police, the numbers of suspected child abuse cases reported to the Police over the past three years were 1,078, 1,044 and 1,028 in 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively. As regards how many of such cases had previously been handled by SWD, we have not captured such statistics in our database.
That said, the Police is one of the sources for referring suspected child abuse cases to SWD, and follow-up actions such as joint investigation, multi-disciplinary case conferences etc. would be taken as appropriate, irrespective of whether the cases are newly-reported cases or previously-handled (active or inactive) cases.
Concerted efforts of different professionals (e.g. teaching personnel and medical practitioners) and members of the community are crucial in facilitating early detection and intervention of child abuse incidents.
SWD has commissioned a study on child abuse and spouse battering. The findings of the study will facilitate further development of strategies and services to combat family violence. Local assessment tools for early identification of child abuse and battered spouse cases will be developed to facilitate timely intervention. Part one of the study which contributes to effective prevention and intervention will soon be completed, and we will examine the feasibility of the recommended measures as a matter of priority.
(c) It is a standing practice that multi-disciplinary case conferences will be convened to handle suspected child abuse cases. We are mindful of the call for setting up post-event multi-disciplinary review committees on child abuse cases in which family violence has caused serious injuries or deaths for the purpose of identifying improvements. I have asked the Director of Social Welfare to examine this proposal in the light of the recent events, and the related technicalities such as when and how such post-event committees should be convened, having regard to relevant considerations, including the need to ensure that the investigation conducted by the Police and any subsequent court proceedings would not be prejudiced during the process.
Ends/Wednesday, May 12, 2004
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