Welfare Services

In Hong Kong, a wide range of welfare services for victims of child abuse, spouse battering and sexual violence are provided by the Social Welfare Department (SWD), subsidized and non-subsidized non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Family and Child Protective Services Units

The Family and Child Protective Services Units (FCPSUs) of SWD are specialized units manned by experienced social workers. They provide a co-ordinated package of one-stop services including outreaching, social investigation, crisis intervention, statutory protection, intensive individual and group treatment to victims of child abuse and spouse battering, batterers and their family members. Referrals for various services e.g. legal aid, school placement, residential placement etc. will also be made whenever necessary.

Direct application or referral by any organization to FCPSUs for services relating to child abuse and spouse battering cases is accepted.

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Central Western, Southern and Islands)
Address: Room 2313, 23/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel. no.: 2835 2733
Fax no.: 3107 0051

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Eastern and Wanchai)
Address: Rm. 229, 2/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong.
Tel. no.: 2231 5859
Fax no.: 2164 1771

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Kwun Tong)
Address: Rm. 502, 5/F, Nan Fung Commercial Centre, 19 Lam Lok Street , Kowloon Bay, Kowloon .
Tel. no.: 2707 7681
Fax no.: 2717 7453

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Wong Tai Sin and Sai Kung)
Address : 3/F, Wong Tai Sin Community Centre, 104 Ching Tak Street, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon.
Tel. no.: 3188 3563
Fax no.: 3421 2535

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Sham Shui Po)
Address: G/F, Cheung Sha Wan Community Centre, 55 Fat Tseung Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon.
Tel. no.: 2247 5373
Fax no.: 2729 6613

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Kowloon City and Yau Tsim Mong)
Address: Room 803, 8/F, Kowloon Government Offices, No. 405 Nathan Road, Kowloon
Tel. no.: 3583 3254
Fax no.: 3583 3137

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Shatin)
Address: Rm. 716, 7/F, Shatin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road , Shatin, New Territories.
Tel. no.: 2158 6680
Fax no.: 2681 2557

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Tai Po and North)
Address: Rm. 716, 7/F, Shatin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road , Shatin, New Territories.
Tel. no.: 2158 6696
Fax no.: 3104 1357

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing)
Address: 21/F, Tsuen Wan Government Offices, 38 Sai Lau Kok Road , Tsuen Wan, New Territories.
Tel. no.: 2940 7350
Fax no.: 2940 6421

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Tuen Mun)
Address: 4/F., On Ting/Yau Oi Community Centre, On Ting Estate, Tuen Mun, New Territories.
Tel. no.: 2618 5710
Fax no.: 2618 7976

Family and Child Protective Services Unit (Yuen Long)
Address: G/Fl., Wah Long House, Tin Wah Estate, Tin Shui Wai, New Territories.
Tel. no.: 2445 4224
Fax no.: 2445 9077

Integrated Family Service Centres/Integrated Services Centres

While social workers of FCPSUs will take up child abuse and spouse battering cases known to SWD, Integrated Family Service Centres (IFSC)/Integrated Services Centres (ISC) run by NGOs also provide counselling and tangible assistance to help victims of child abuse, spouse battering and their family members.

For victims of sexual violence, social workers of IFSCs/ISCs from both SWD and NGOs provide counselling services, crisis intervention, therapeutic and supportive groups, escort for report to the Police, if needed, and arrange referrals for other services including clinical psychological service, financial assistance, legal service, schooling arrangement, job placement, housing assistance (e.g. compassionate rehousing, conditional tenancy) and other community resources.

Direct application or referral by any organization to IFSCs/ISCs is accepted. A list of IFSCs/ISCc can be downloaded here.

Medical Social Services

Child abuse, spouse battering and sexual violence cases may come to the notice of the medical social workers in public hospitals and specialist out-patient clinics through hospital personnel, police or other organizations, and through direct approach by patients or their families.

The medical social workers also provide counselling, tangible services and arrange referrals for rehabilitation, community services and so forth to help the victims of child abuse, spouse battering and sexual violence cases and their family members.

A list of Medical Social Services Units can be downloaded here.

Clinical Psychological Service

The clinical psychologists of the five Clinical Psychology Units of SWD provide assessment and treatment services to abusers and victims of domestic and other sexual violence if they present symptoms of psychopathology. In addition, the clinical psychologists also provide consultation on the management of victims and abusers to social workers of SWD. Persons in need of clinical psychological service should approach other SWD service units for referral.

Assistance from clinical psychologists in the management of domestic and sexual violence cases is also available from some Integrated Family Services Centres and Integrated Services Centres of NGOs and major general hospitals of the Hospital Authority. The former mainly accept referrals from Integrated Family Services Centres and Integrated Services Centres, or in some instances other service units, of designated NGOs. For the latter, referrals are normally accepted from doctors or psychiatrists only. Unless they are known cases to the psychiatric services of the Hospital Authority, cases are usually followed up when they are receiving in-patient treatment only.

Witness Support Programme

In strengthening support to the abused children serving as witnesses in criminal proceedings, support persons would be arranged through the Witness Support Programme, set up jointly by SWD and the Police, to accompany the abused children who have to testify in the court proceedings through a live television link system.

The Witness Support Programme is also available to the mentally incapacitated persons.

Requests for arrangement of support persons under the Witness Support Programme are made to SWD by the Police.

Information Package for Child Witness

Booklet for Child Witness aged 5 to 9 (Chinese Version only )(Acrobat file)

Booklet for Child Witness aged 10 to 18 (Chinese Version only )(Acrobat file)

Booklet for Parent and Carer of Child Witness (Chinese Version only )(Acrobat file)

Refuge Centres for Women

Four refuge centers (addresses to be kept confidential) provide temporary accommodation and supportive services to women and their children who are facing domestic violence or family crisis. They are Wai On Home for Women, Harmony House, Serene Court and Sunrise Court. Refuge centres accept admission on a 24-hour basis.

Direct application or referral by any organization to refuge centres is accepted.

Wai On Home for Women Hotline : 2793 0223
Website: http://www.poleungkuk.org.hk

Harmony House Hotline : 2522 0434
Website: http://www.harmonyhousehk.org

Serene Court Hotline : 2787 6865
Website: http://www.cfsc.org.hk

Sunrise Court Hotline: 2890 8330
Website: http://www.poleungkuk.org.hk

Multi-purpose Crisis Intervention and Support Centre (CEASE Crisis Centre)

The CEASE Crisis Centre, operated by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, provides comprehensive support to victims of sexual violence and individuals / families facing domestic violence or in crisis.  Services include 24-hour hotline, immediate outreaching and short-term accommodation service.

Direct application or referral by any organisation to CEASE Crisis Centre is accepted (CEASE Crisis Centre 24-hour Hotline : 18281

Website : http://ceasecrisis.tungwahcsd.org)

Family Crisis Support Centre

The Family Crisis Support Centre (FCSC) operated by the Caritas-Hong Kong provides time-out facility and an integrated package of services in helping people under extreme stress or facing crisis to manage their emotions and seek positive solution to family problems, including domestic violence.

Direct application or referral by any organization to FCSC is accepted (Family Crisis Support Centre 24-hour Hotline 18288  Website: http://fcsc.caritas.org.hk).

Pilot Projects of Batterer Intervention Programme

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched a pilot   project of BIP (Pilot Project) from January 2006 to March   2008.  The Pilot Project consisted of two parts :  Part I was   conducted by a non-governmental organisation, the Hong   Kong Family Welfare Society (HKFWS) and Part II by the   SWD.  The HKFWS programme was completed and the   report has been finalized.   For the SWD programme, an   interim report has been prepared.  SWD will continue to   collect follow-up data after 12 months of completion of the   project and the final report will be issued when the final   evaluation results are available. 

                 － Final Report of Batterer Intervention Programme (Hong Kong Family Welfare Society) can be downloaded here.

                 － Interim Report of the Batterer Intervention Programme (Social Welfare Department) can be downloaded here.

Hotline Service

Hotline service is available to provide information on  social welfare services and immediate support to victims  of domestic and sexual violence (including child abuse). The hotlines which are operated by social workers or volunteers, or through the interactive voice processing system (IVPS) include:

SWD Hotline : 2343 2255

(Information on welfare services in the form of recorded   voice message or facsimile transmission can be obtained   on a 24-hour basis.  SWD further enhanced the hotline   service on 31.10.2008, to have social workers providing   counseling, support and enquiry service on a 24-hour   basis.  During specific period i.e. 9: 00 a .m. - 5:00 p.m.   from Monday to Friday; 9: 00 a .m. - 12:00 noon on   Saturday (excluding public holidays), SWD social workers are available to answer enquiries and handle emergency    cases. Outside the operating hours of SWD social    workers, callers can make use of the in-built call transfer   system (Press "0") to transfer their calls directly to the   Hotline and Outreaching Service Team operated by Tung 
Wah Group of Hospitals or either leave message on the 
recording machine for social workers to call back.)

Family Crisis Support Centre 24-hour Hotline: 18 288

Website: http://fcsc.caritas.org.hk

CEASE Crisis Centre 24-hour Hotline: 18281

Website: http://ceasecrisis.tungwahcsd.org)

Mutual Aid – HKCSS Helpline (through IVPS) : 1878668

Website: http://1878668.socialnet.org.hk/

Men’s Hotline

Caritas-Man's Hotline : 2649 1100
[Wednesday: 2:00 pm-5:00 pm]

Website:http://family.caritas.org.hk/ser/hotline.html

Harmony House Third Path Man's Services : 2295 1386
[Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 2:00 pm-10:00 pm]

Website:http://www.harmonyhousehk.org/eng/serviceimage/service5_eng.htm

Po Leung Kuk Men's Hotline: 2890 1830 [24 Hours]

Website:http://www.poleungkuk.org.hk/plk/index.aspx?lang=t&id=20060809125111

Victims of Spouse Battering

Harmony House 24-hour Women Hotline: 2522 0434 [24 hours]

Website: http://www.harmonyhousehk.org/index.asp

HK Association for the Survivors of Women Abuse (Kwan Fook) Hotline service : 3145 0600
[Monday-Thursday: 10:00 am-1:00 pm, 2:00 pm-5:00 pm]

Website:http://hkaids.med.cuhk.edu.hk/sjhiv/wcomp8/c4.htm  

Victims of Sexual Violence

CEASE Crisis Centre 24-hour Hotline: 18281

Website: http://ceasecrisis.tungwahcsd.org

RainLily: 2375 5322 [Monday-Friday: 9:00 am-10:00 pm Saturday: 9:00 am-1:00 pm]

Website:http://rainlily.rapecrisiscentre.org.hk/

Child Abuse

Against Child Abuse : 2755 1122
[Monday-Friday: 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am-1:00 pm]

Website:http://www.aca.org.hk

End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation : 2889 9933
[Monday-Friday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm]

Website:http://www.ecsaf.org  

Suicide Prevention

The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong : 2389 2222 [24 hours]

Website:http://www.sbhk.org.hk

Suicide Prevention Services: 2382 0000 [24 hours]

Website:http://www.sps.org.hk

The Samaritans 24 Hour Multi-Lingual Suicide Prevention Service: 2896 0000

Website:http://www.samaritans.org.hk/

Harmony House has set up the crisis intervention team in A&E Department of TMH, UCH, POH and TKOH to render immediate crisis intervention and support to battered spouse cases. Tel No. : 2959 3657 ( Tuen Mun Hospital ), Tel No. : 2310 0126 ( Tseung Kwan O Hospital & United Christian Hospital ), Tel No. : 2959 3657 (Pok Oi Hospital).  Social worker on duty : Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday : 7:00 pm to 12:00 mid-night (including public holidays).

The scheme aims to provide financial awards to persons who are injured as a result of a crime of violence (or to their dependants in cases of death), or by a law enforcement officer using a weapon in the execution of his duty. It is non-contributory and non-means-tested

Where the victim and the offender were living together as members of the same family at the time of the incident, assistance will only be payable under special circumstances (tel. no.: 2892 5220).