Annual Highlights
Highlights of the Year 2024-25
Child Protection
To enhance public awareness of child protection and prepare for the upcoming implementation of the mandatory reporting regime for child abuse, the publicity campaign continued to promote the vital role of families in creating a loving and caring environment to protect children, under the theme of “Love Guards the Family．Protecting Children Begins with the Family”. Relevant training and promotional activities were carried out through the joint efforts of professionals from the social welfare, education and healthcare sectors. Six service teams under the Child Protection Support Service commenced operation in March 2025, providing targeted intervention and professional support for child abuse victims and their families.
Increasing Child Care Service Places
Two aided standalone Child Care Centres (CCCs) in Sham Shui Po and Kwun Tong districts commenced operation in September and October 2024, respectively, providing 188 additional service places. A new Residential Child Care Centre in Tuen Mun also commenced operation in March 2025, providing 48 additional emergency care service places.
Increasing the Level of Child Care Centre Parent Subsidy
Starting from April 2024, the Child Care Centre Parent Subsidy, which applies to all government-aided standalone child care centres and child care centres attached to kindergartens, was increased to a maximum of $1,000 per month to alleviate parents’ financial burden.
Strengthening the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project
With effect from April 2024, the incentive payment for home-based child carers under the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project was increased to $60 per hour for carers of infants and young children under three, or children with special learning needs, and $40 per hour for carers of other children. Starting from September 2024, the number of service places under the Project was expanded to about 2 000.
Extending the After School Care Programme for Pre-Primary Children
Four centres under the After School Care Programme for Pre-primary Children in the Eastern District, Kowloon City, Sha Tin, and Tai Po districts commenced operation in February 2025, providing a total of 168 additional service places.
Implementing District-Based Social Work Service for Pre-Primary Institutions
District-based Social Work Service for Pre-primary Institutions was extended to all districts in August 2024, with a total of 50 social work teams set up to provide services for subsidised/aided pre-primary institutions within their designated service areas.
Strengthening Support for Foster Care Service
A series of enhancement and improvement measures were implemented, including substantially increasing incentive payments for foster parents, providing additional support for foster families caring for children with special learning or care needs, arranging early assessments and appropriate professional rehabilitation therapy and training for foster children, and enhancing training for foster parents.