1 / 59

Child Protection around the World – A Global Perspective Far East: Focus on Hong Kong and Mainland China

Child Protection around the World – A Global Perspective Far East: Focus on Hong Kong and Mainland China. Patricia Ip Hong Kong. China. Mainland* Hong Kong Special Administrative Region* Macau Special Administrative Region * Focus of current presentation

zalika
Download Presentation

Child Protection around the World – A Global Perspective Far East: Focus on Hong Kong and Mainland China

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Child Protection around the World – A Global PerspectiveFar East: Focus on Hong Kong and Mainland China Patricia Ip Hong Kong

  2. China • Mainland* • Hong Kong Special Administrative Region* • Macau Special Administrative Region * Focus of current presentation • Mainly on the child protection system in Hong Kong with observations on child protection in mainland China

  3. Demographic Data of Hong Kong (HK) Area Population Children (<18 years) Chinese descent Birth rate Infant mortality Life expectancy female male • 1,104 square kilometres (<25% developed) • 7.0 million • 1.13 million (16.1%) • 95% • 11.7/1000 population • 1.6/1000 live births • 86.1 years • 79.8 years

  4. Child Protection Systemand its evolution in Hong Kong

  5. Developing a child protection system WHO / ISPCAN (2006) www.ispcan.org

  6. Procedural Guide for Handling Child Abuse Cases (1981; latest revision 2007) • Basic knowledge on child abuse • Multi-disciplinary collaboration • Handling referrals / enquiry / investigation • Roles of relevant departments / organisations http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_family/sub_fcwprocedure/id_childabuse1998/

  7. Reports of Suspected Child Abuse

  8. Management • Investigation • Social • Medical • Police Individual unit and in collaboration

  9. Multidisciplinary Case Conference • Agenda • Sharing of information • Risk assessment – child and other family members • Services to child, other family members • Whether child abuse established, category • Need to enter into the Child Protection Registry • Home or alternative placement • Follow-up arrangement – by whom, for what • Progress report / Review conference • Participants • Social workers • Doctors • Nurses • Clinical psychologist • Police • School personnel • Parents / child

  10. Post-Case Conference • Social: Social worker - case manager • Counselling, financial, housing assistance • Liaison • Follow-up Report • Review meeting • Health: • Medical treatment / follow-up • Psychiatric / psychological treatment • Police • +/- legal action

  11. Evolution of Child Protection SystemRecognition of Child Abuse in HK

  12. New Child Abuse CasesChild Protection Registry . http://www.swd.gov.hk/vs/english/stat.html

  13. Forms of AbuseChild Protection Registry

  14. Physical AbuseChild Protection Registry

  15. Physical Abuse • Prior to 1992: >85% of all abuse cases • Stabilised gradually to ~ 50% • Actual numbers increasing • 1979: The Child in Hong Kong: Evaluation Report for International Year of the Child need law to “reject unequivocally the use of physical violence as a means of rearing children” (Maria Tam) • 1990: banned corporal punishment in penal system • 1991: banned corporal punishment in schools

  16. 2004: ACA celebrating SpankOut Day • 2005: ACA – Declaration against Violence towards Children • Signed by Director of Social Welfare on behalf of the government but reservation on banning corporal punishment at home by law • 2006: child died in suitcase in the name of corporal punishment • Fresh calls to ban corporal punishment • Joint study with Save the Children Sweden • Visits by Peter Newell, Joan Durrant • No specific legislation on banning corporal punishment yet

  17. Child Sexual AbuseChild Protection Registry

  18. Recognition of Child Sexual Abuse • Few reports prior to the 1990’s • 1993 - Failed conviction of sexual abuse of a mentally handicapped woman for technical reasons • Legislative Amendments • 1995: Criminal Procedure and Evidence (Amendment) Bills • Child < 14 yrs can give unsworn evidence • Corroboration of a young child’s unsworn evidence not required • Video recorded interview used as evidence in court • Child < 7 yrs can give evidence in court • Testify in court via television link • 1996: Witness support programme

  19. Modification of Proceduresfor handling child abuse cases • For Child Sexual Abuse • Reports to either • SWD: Family and Child Protective Services Unit • Police: Child Abuse Investigation Unit • Strategic planning • Joint investigation • Video recorded interview • Medical Coordinators on Child Sexual Abuse (renamed Medical Coordinators on Child Abuse)

  20. Periodic reports on local paedophiles and child sex tourism • 1996 started discussions about law against child pornography • 2003 Prevention of Child Pornography Bill • Production, possession • Visual depiction – photograph or computer generated • Sex tourism

  21. Variable sentencing • Maximum fine $2 million and 8 years jail sentence • Actual sentencing • Possession of 1,150 images, 245 video files – 6 months suspended sentence, $20,000 fine • Possession of 8,300 photos, 205 video files – 200 hours of community service • 2008 Court of Appeal Sentencing Guideline • Automatic jail sentence with rare exceptions

  22. Paedophilia – HK a Haven? “Gary Glitter dreams of freedom and a home in Hong Kong”(South China Morning Post 28 Jan 2008) • “Disgraced former pop star Gary Glitter may be released early from his prison term in Vietnam after suffering a suspected heart attack - and the convicted paedophile is considering starting a new life in Hong Kong.” • “Observers point out that Hong Kong has two particularly appealing elements for a paedophile with a weak heart: world-class public hospitals and no sex offenders' register to track his movements.” • Comment from Glitter: “It's a big city where I can go around without being noticed. But I’ll be able to get English food there.”

  23. 2002 - involvement of clergy, tutors - reports of repeat sex offenders • 2008 Consultation on Sex Offender Registry • Voluntary system of checking by employer with consent of employee in work situations involving children, mentally incapacitated persons • Logistics will be worked out in 2011

  24. Child NeglectChild Protection Registry

  25. Child Neglect • ~3 - 6% of cases till 2005 • Increased to 12% in 2007 • mid-1980’s: ACA advocating on issue of unattended children • end-1980’s: 30 children / year dying while being left unattended at home

  26. 1991: Government consultation paper: “Measures to Prevent Children from Being Left Unattended at Home” • Education • Support • Legislation • Occasional Child Care Centres • 1997: Child Care Centres (Amendment) Bill • Facilitate mutual help childcare groups (< 5 children) • Certain categories of unsuitable persons prohibited as childminders (self-application of certificate – not a prohibited person)

  27. 2005-2007 child neglect involving children left unattended at home police involved on 49 occasions • 1 death falling from height • 5 smoke inhalation • 3 injured with falls at home

  28. Government recommendation • Education • Support: Promote extended hours childcare services • Pilot of Neighbourhood mutual help childcare • No specific legislation required against leaving children unattended

  29. Psychological Abuse • ~ 2% of child abuse cases • 1986: Kwok Ah Nui incident • Child kept at home from school by emotionally disturbed mother • 1993: Protection of Children and Juvenile Ordinance • Assessment Order: intervene when psychological abuse suspected without child removed from home • Hospital as Place of Refuge

  30. Child Fatality Review • Pilot scheme started in 2008 (under SWD) • Deaths in the previous 2 years (2006-7) • Completed all legal proceedings • Voluntary submission of information • Voluntary response to recommendations of panel

  31. First Report (2010) • Deaths in 2006 • 107 children reported to coroner’s court with legal proceedings completed • 61 natural • 46 non-natural • 20 accidents including 11 traffic accidents and 5 fell from height (3 unattended) • 14 suicide (13 fell from height) • 12 others • 4 assault (3 by parents) • 2 Medical complications • 6 unknown http://www.swd.gov.hk/doc/whatsnew/201001/PPCFR1R.pdf

  32. Strengths of the Child Protection System • Multidisciplinary approach • Procedures with role delineation • Joint training • Regular communication • Choice of government and non-government service • Child Protection Registry / Electronic patient record system • Minimal cost to user

  33. Challenges • Defining abuse • Complexity and workload • Recruitment and retention of experienced workers - police and social work units’ policy of staff rotation • Availability of alternative placements • Changing social needs

  34. Ongoing Concerns & Emerging Issues • Mandatory Reporting • Mandatory Treatment • Child Fatality / Serious Case Review • Clear prohibition of physical violence towards children • Clear prohibition against children left unattended • Repeat sex offenders - Lack of mandatory background check of workers in child-related professions • Juvenile Sex Offenders • Cybersafety • Data collection • Research on outcomes of intervention

  35. Prevention 上醫 Before 中醫 To be 下醫 After (Huangdi Neijing “Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon” )

  36. Prevention • Child Protection Registry • Cases registered after multidisciplinary case conferences • 0.6/1,000children <18 years (2005) • ~ 1% of cases received professional attention Study on Child Abuse and Spouse Battering: Report on findings of Household Survey, Chan KL, University of HK 2005 www.swd.gov.hk/doc/family/Report%20on%20findings%20of%20Household%20Survey.pdf

  37. Social Welfare - One Stop ServiceIntegrated Family Service Centres

  38. Other Preventive Efforts • Family Life Education • Maternal and Child Health Centres • Parenting Education • Triple P Child Health Services in Hong Kong. Ip FLY HKJ Paediatr (new series) 2008.13:180-182 Reasons for dropout: conflicting working hours existing family problems lack of childcare personal stress • Comprehensive Child Development Service 2006 Reaching the hard to reach

  39. Enabling Parents to be Parents • CRC Article 18... • State Parties shall render appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities...

  40. Employment • Unemployment rate: 4.3% • Under employment rate: 2% • Minimum wage • To be HKD28 (USD 3.60)/hr (May 2011) • 300,000 currently below this minimum • Long working hours • > 60 hrs: 700,000 people (1 in 5 of employed) • “5-day week / 7-day service” • Widening income gap • Gini Coefficient: 0.533 (2006)

  41. Child Empowerment Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights 1995 • 1995 Youth Conference on Children’s Rights 2004

  42. A Child-led Organization Kids’ Dream 2003 Kids Dream

  43. Legislative Council Candidate Forum

  44. 17th ISPCAN Congress Pre-Congress Workshop

  45. Child Protection Web Platform • Launched Jan 2011 • Objectives • Children’s Rights • Child safety: Home, outdoor, body, online • Stop child abuse • Children’s Voice http://acachild.asia/web/main.html?lang=en

  46. Hong Kong’s Development in Child Protection Reactive • Incident driven • Service development • Legislative changes Proactive Strengthening Rights of the Child • Child Policy • Child Commission • Child Ordinance Reference • Ip PLS. Child protection system in Hong Kong. Int J Child Health and Human Dev 2009;2:349-56.

  47. Child Protection in Mainland China People’s Republic of ChinaCombined 3rd / 4th Report on the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child • Child Policy • Child Commission • Child Ordinance http://big5.fmprc.gov.cn/gate/big5/www.fmprc.gov.cn/chn/gxh/zlb/tyfg/t738182.htm

More Related