Social Welfare Department
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
GovHK TEXT ONLY TRADITIONAL CHINESE SIMPLIFIED CHINESE image SEARCH
Brand Hong Kong
SEARCH SITE MAP CONTACT US
*
*
   
Printer Friendly


Foster care service 

   
*

Service Description of Foster Care Service

*

Ordinary Foster care
Foster care provides 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.

 

*

 

 

 

Emergency  foster care service
Emergency foster care provides immediate and short-term 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.

 

*

 

 

Day Foster Care Service
Day foster care 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. 

 

*

Target Groups

*

 

Ordinary and Emergency Foster child
Child between newborn and under 18 years of age, normal in health and intelligence or mildly mentally handicapped.
 
 

*

Day Foster child
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:
-

happy family life and stable living

- 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
- tidy, clean and safe living condition with adequate living space
- fondness for children and have experience and ability in child care
-

readiness to accept social worker's investigation and guidance
(You are welcome to contact our Unit in case you do not meet any of the above requirements, to facilitate our consideration on individual cases.) 
 

   
*

Information on Service Statistics

* As at the end of January 2010, the service statistics on foster care service are as follows:
No. of Foster Homes 978
No. of Foster Children in Placement 938
   
*

Application Procedures

*

For children in need of ordinary foster care, emergency foster care or day foster care placement
Please contact integrated family service centre, medical social work unit or other social service units for interviews and referrals.

*

For families  interested to become ordinary, emergency  or day 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

*

Foster Care Service Leaflet

PDF (Acrobat Doc) 

 

*

Fees and Charges

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

 

* Intranet of Foster Care Service

'Intranet of Foster Care Service' is a newsletter published by the Central Foster Care Unit. The content of the Newsletter includes the latest development of foster care service, 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 Newsletter (in Chinese version only) is placed below for your reference :

 

  

  

*

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

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

*

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

* 

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

*

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

*

Aug 2008 Jpeg Page 1 (JPEG DocumentJpeg Page 2 (JPEG Document)

*

May 2008Jpeg Page 1 (JPEG Document) Jpeg Page 2 (JPEG Document)

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

*