YCCECE hosted a talk titled “Will a Child’s Life be Different Because of You?" by Mrs Priscilla Sun-Kai Lui-Tsang, a renowned child advocate and former Chair of the Hong Kong Committee on Children's Rights and a former member of the Hong Kong Children Commission on 20 December 2023. Mrs Lui reiterated that an accepting environment and continuous open discussions help enhance the awareness of children’s right.

She shared her perspectives on the pressing needs of children in Hong Kong against the backdrop of universal children’s rights. According to the statistics from Hong Kong Police Force, the number of child abuse cases in the first half of 2023 increased 29% year-on-year. Mrs Lui raised her concern over the rising number given the current low market sentiment and economic stress faced by many families after Covid-19 pandemic. Cases of neglect or psychiatric and mental nature are not obvious. She shared her concerns about mandatory reporting by mandated reporters. However, she said mandated reporters play a critical role in protecting children because they often are the very first people to see signs of or be told about child maltreatment (abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation).

“The government must take the lead in addressing an issue that has been persistently posing a threat to the lives of children. A systematic and strategic approach is required to review related laws and policies to protect the rights of children. Child protection work requires a continuous and concerted effort by all sectors of the community, therefore, besides government effort, institutions and childcare services providers should step up and collaborate to provide professional training for relevant stakeholders to enhance the chance of identifying, preventing, and handling case reporting,” said Mrs Lui.  The gazetted Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Bill requires 23 categories of professionals as mandated reporters, Mrs Lui welcomed the statutory duty of reporting covers not only teachers and ECE caregivers, but she also suggested that neighbours, supermarket staff and the general public can identify and refer cases as well tough without a statutory duty. 

Mrs Lui welcomed the government and Police’s campaigns to promote the projection of child’s right. All in a nutshell, ramped efforts should be put in to promote the personal safety of children and family strength with the support from family and friend circles, government and society. By fostering an accepting environment and open discussions, the pro-social non-discriminative attitude and behavior of the general public form the largest fundamental safety net for child’s right. 

Mrs Lui suggested mandated reporters’ roles and responsibilities to cover:

• Participation in building a caring, fair, positive and violence-free culture
• Early identification of needs and concerns
• Internal discussion of way forward
• Consultation with professionals or professional bodies
• Referral and helping to monitor

YCCECE echoes Mrs Lui’s advocacy for child’s rights. The College seeks to actively promote quality early childhood for every child from birth. Its education centred around the YCCECE Manifesto on Quality Early Childhood, the first three core elements stated children should have a right to live, access to health, optimal growth, and holistic development, including physical, cognitive, socioemotional, mental, and spiritual, as well as access to healthy, safe and secure environments (whether within the home, at school, or in the wider community), and adequate protection and care for his/her well-being.

Professor Allan Yuen, President of the College, said, “Children are at the centre of our early childhood education, and as such all learners or teacher students at YCCECE are trained to treat every child upon the Manifesto and act in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The College is working at full speed to offer training programmes to cater to the needs of professionals and society.”

Child’s Rights Training

The College announced the official launch of a new course on child’s rights named “Certificate in Child Rights and Safeguarding”. Recognized as QF Level 4 under the Qualifications Framework, the course aims to promote children’s rights education and empower early childhood professionals with up-to-date knowledge and procedures for child advocacy. The course introduces relevant knowledge and practice and the application of children’s rights and protection that support a child’s growth and development. The course covers areas of children protection and children’s rights, child maltreatment, safeguarding and protection of children, professional identity and responsibilities and the latest topics relating to child’s rights and safeguarding.

The training provided by the College adds to the government’s preventive and supporting measures in place and promotes a child-centred culture in society. The course is now open for enrolment, for details please visit www.yccece.edu.hk or contact cpd@yccece.edu.hk.