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- 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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Television Announcement in the Public Interest:
Your Family Care Can Enrich a Child's Life
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Foster Care Leaflet
 Leaflet
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Video： |
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i) Unforgettable Moments in Foster Care
Acknowledgement: Xinhua News Agency Asia-Pacific Regional BureauAcknowledgement: Xinhua News Agency Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau
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ii) We are all parents
Acknowledgement: RTHK Public Affairs Unit
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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 parents
The ideal foster parents should preferably have:
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happy family life and stable living |
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good health and stable emotion |
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reached the age of 25 or above |
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primary education standard or above |
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tidy, clean and safe living condition with adequate living space |
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fondness for children, experience and ability in child care |
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arrangement of adequate care plan for the child |
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readiness to accept social worker's investigation and guidance |
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(Persons who do not fully meet the above conditions are welcome to contact Central Foster Care Unit for consideration on individual case) |
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Training Programmes for Foster Care Service and other Programmes
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The Central Foster Care Unit (CFCU) of the Social Welfare Department provides foster parents with support which includes organizing regular training workshops & talks particularly paying attention to their needs in taking care of foster children. CFCU social workers also run Liaison & Sharing Group in different districts regularly to collect foster parents’ opinions and to identify their needs, with a view for achieving continuous improvement and development of foster care. |
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In 2019-20 year, CFCU together with clinical psychologist of Social Welfare Department, paediatrician of United Christian Hospital and psychiatrist of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital will organize a series of training programmes, namely Integrated Course on Foster Care Service (2019-20). The Course has 6 sessions, including 4 core sessions and 2 electives. The details are as follows-
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Integrated Course on Foster Care Service
(2019 - 20) |
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Target |
Venue |
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Session 1: “How the Brain relates with Attachment in Foster Children”
Content: Understanding foster children’s behaviours and attachment from a neuropsychological perspective
Speaker: Dr. MA Yee-man, Ellen, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Social Welfare Department
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18-10-2019 |
Around 40 foster parents |
Kwun Tong Community Centre |
Session 2: “Better Understanding of Children”
Content: Understanding and handling of foster children’s needs and misbehavior
Speaker: LAM Siu-ngar, Sara, Clinical Psychologist, Social Welfare Department
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1-11-2019 |
Around 40 foster parents |
Kwun Tong Community Centre |
Session 3: “Bridging Between Foster Children and their Birth Parents”
Content:
1. Better communication in working with birth parents
2. Facilitating the re-connection between foster children and their birth parent
Speaker:
1. Dr. MA Yee-man, Ellen, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Social Welfare Department
2. Social Worker of Central Foster Care Unit, Social Welfare Department
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22-11-2019 |
Around 40 foster parents |
Kwun Tong Community Centre |
Session 4: “Caring of Children, Caring of Self”
Content: Understanding and handling of stress in child care
Speaker: LAM Siu-ngar, Sara, Clinical Psychologist, Social Welfare Department
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13-12-2019 |
Around 40 foster care workers |
Kwun Tong Community Centre |
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Session 5 : “How to help Children with Special Needs”
Content: Understanding Foster Children with special educational need and handling their misbehavior
Speaker: LAM Ho-ming, Alex, Clinical Psychologist, Social Welfare Department
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21-2-2020 |
Around 40 foster parents and 20 foster care workers |
Kwun Tong Community Centre |
Session 6 : “Supporting Drug-abuse Parents and their Children”
Content:
1. Understanding the needs of Parent’s drug-abuse
2. Understanding the impact of illicit drugs on children’s health and development
Speaker:
1. Dr. CHENG Wai-fun, Anna, Associate Consultant, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, United Christian Hospital
2. Dr. Jennifer Poon, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, United Christian Hospital
3. Dr. Matthew WONG, Psychiatrist of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (Department of Psychiatry)
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20-3-2020 |
Around 40 foster parents and 20 foster care workers |
Kwun Tong Community Centre |
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Information on Service Statistics
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As at the end of September 2019, the service statistics on foster care are as follows:
| No. of Foster Homes |
927 |
| No. of Foster Children in Placement |
898 |
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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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Fees and Charges
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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.
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Intranet of Foster Care Service
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'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 :
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