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Home > Public Services > Family and Child Welfare > List of Services > Foster Care    

 

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Foster care service 

   
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Service Description of Foster Care Service

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Foster Care
Foster Care provides residential family care to children under 18 years of age whose parents cannot adequately take care of them due to various reasons, so that they can continue to enjoy family life until they can re-unite with their families, join an adoptive family or live independently.

 

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Foster Care (Emergency)
Foster Care (Emergency) provides immediate and short-term residential family care to children under 18 years of age, whose parents cannot care for them because of emergency or crisis situations, so that they can continue to enjoy family life  until they can reunite with their families or secure a long-term placement. The duration of care should not exceed 6 weeks.

 

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Foster Care (Day)
Foster Care (Day) provides family day care to children under 10 years of age whose parents have difficulty to take care of them during daytime until the parents can escort them back home at night time.  In this way, the children can keep close contact with their parents. 

 

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Target Groups

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Foster Child in need of Foster Care or Foster Care (Emergency)
Child between newborn and under 18 years of age, normal in health and intelligence or mildly mentally handicapped.
  

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Foster Child in need of Foster Care (Day) 
Child between newborn and under 10 years of age, normal in health and intelligence or mildly mentally handicapped.
  

* Foster parents
The ideal foster parents should preferably have:
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happy family life and stable life style

- good health and stable emotion
- reached the age of 25 or above
- one of the applicants being a full-time carer at home
- primary education standard or above
- tidy, clean and safe living condition with adequate living space
- fondness for children and have experience and ability in child care
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readiness to accept social worker's investigation and guidance
(Even if you do not meet any of the above requirements, you are welcome to contact our Unit to facilitate our consideration on individual case.)  

   
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Information on Service Statistics

* As at the end of July 2011, the service statistics on foster care are as follows:
No. of Foster Homes 951
No. of Foster Children in Placement 932
   
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Application Procedures

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For Children in need of Foster Care Placement
Please contact integrated family service centres, medical social work units or other social service units for interviews and referrals.
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For Families interested to become Foster Parents
Please contact Central Foster Care Unit of the Social Welfare Department
Room 2202, 22/F., Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel. No.: 2573 2282
Fax No.: 2573 2120

Opening Hours: 

Monday to Friday 
8:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays 

 

 

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Foster Care Leaflet

PDF (Acrobat Doc) 

 

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Fees and Charges

Foster care is free of charge.  Foster parents will receive Foster Care Allowance for maintenance of foster children's monthly expenses.  In addition, they will receive incentive payment which is non-taxable.

 

* Intranet of Foster Care Service

'Intranet of Foster Care' is a newsletter published by the Central Foster Care Unit. The content of the Newsletter includes the latest development of foster care, programme forecast on training and publicity, etc. It aims at facilitating foster parents, foster children, referring workers and foster care workers, to attain a better understanding of the service development and enhance their mutual communication for a smooth cooperation.

Our most recent Newsletters (in Chinese version only) are placed below for your reference : 

 

 

* Nov  2011Jpeg (Page 1)  (Page 2)  (Page 3)   (Page 4) 
* May 2011Jpeg (Page 1)  (Page 2)  (Page 3)   (Page 4)   (Name list 1)   (Name list 2)
* Nov 2010 JpegPage 1 (JPEG Document) JpegPage 2 (JPEG Document)
* Jul 2010   JpegPage 1 (JPEG Document) JpegPage 2 (JPEG Document)

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Mar 2010  JpegPage 1 (JPEG Document)  JpegPage 2 (JPEG Document)

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Nov 2009 Jpeg Page 1 (JPEG Document)  JpegPage 2 (JPEG Document)

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Jun 2009 Jpeg Page 1 (JPEG Document) JpegPage 2 (JPEG Document)

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Feb 2009 Jpeg Page 1 (JPEG Document)  JpegPage 2 (JPEG Document)

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Nov 2008 Jpeg Page 1 (JPEG Document)  JpegPage 2 (JPEG Document)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
    

 

 
 

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