FAQs
Residential Child Care Service
Q: My child is hard to teach, which makes me angry, and I have no idea what to do. Can I have my child taught by the houseparents in Po Leung Kuk?
A: The residential child care service is targeted at children who cannot be adequately cared for by their parents because of family problems, such as those abused by their parents, or involuntarily separated as their parents suffer from mental disease, are mentally handicapped, abuse drugs or are imprisoned. Parents who find difficulties in teaching their children can seek help from social workers of schools or social service agencies at the location of their residences, such as Integrated Family Service Centres, Integrated Children and Youth Services Centres, etc.
Q: My boyfriend and I do not want our families to know my unmarried pregnancy, but I cannot bear to abort the baby. Can I directly send my baby to be under the care of Po Leung Kuk?
A: All applications for residential child care services should be assessed by social workers of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) or non-governmental social service agencies and referred via Central Referral System for Residential Child Care Services (CRSRC) of the Social Welfare Department.
Q: My younger brother tends to let off steam by beating or scolding his child, or leave his child alone at home in a fury due to his relationship problem with his wife. I am rather hoping that the child can live under proper care in Po Leung Kuk.
A: Any child care issues extended from the parents’ relationship should preferentially be settled with the help of Integrated Family Service Centre at the location of their residences. With the consent of the parents, social workers of the Centre may provide marriage and family counselling.
Regarding child care, unless an order is issued by the court, any application for children’s admission to the Kuk should be assessed and referred by the referring social workers with consent from their parents/guardians.
Q: How long can children live in Po Leung Kuk? Can they live here until they reach 18?
A: Different residential child care service units take in children at different ages, including Babies Section (from 0 to 3 years of age), Kinder Section (from 3 to 6 years of age), Children Section (from 6 to 18 years of age), Small Group Homes (from 4 to 18 years of age) and Foster Care Service (under 18 years of age). Our social workers will invite parents/guardians and referring social workers to attend case review meetings to regularly follow up children’s performance and family condition, and formulate welfare plans, such as family reunion and so on. Hence not every child lives here until he/she reaches 18. Please browse Emergency Residential Child Care Service for emergency / short-term residential child care service Emergency Residential Child Care Service
Any child who is still in need of residential child care service but has reached the upper age limit for admission to the said residential child care service unit should be referred by the referring social workers through SWD Central Referral System for Residential Child Care Services (CRSRC) to apply for other residential care services. Any internal transfer of the child to other residential child care services in the Kuk is not feasible.
Q: Can children be immediately sent to the care of Po Leung Kuk if they cannot be taken care of due to any emergency in the family?
A: You can first contact social workers of the Integrated Family Service Centre at the location of your residence, who will make a referral after they have assessed the service as needed. Our “New Comers’ Ward”, as a gazetted “Place of Refuge”, will take in any eligible children in need at any time.
Q: Can children living in Po Leung Kuk be admitted to kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools under Po Leung Kuk?
A: Our residential care service units are subsidised by the Social Welfare Department, and are not “linked” to our affiliated schools. Any admittance application should be made following the general procedure of each school. Parents and referring social workers have the duty to apply for schools for children, while social workers of Po Leung Kuk will provide opinions as appropriate.
Q: How long should an applicant wait for the general residential child care service?
A: Each application should be subject to the standard mechanism of the SWD Central Referral System for Residential Child Care Services (CRSRC). It depends very much on the emergency level of each application, and therefore there is no designated waiting time.
Temporary Child Care Service
Q: My husband and I need to work long hours, and sometimes have to work in the Mainland. Thus we have no time to take care of our children. Can we have our children under the care of Po Leung Kuk for some time if necessary?
A: Babies Section and Kinder Section both provide Temporary Child Care Service for young children from new born to 6 years of age. Please refer to "Temporary Child Care Services" under “Residential Child Care Services” for details.
Q: Can my children stay overnight in the Kuk if I have no time to pick them up when using your Temporary Child Care Services?
A: At present, we are approved by the Social Welfare Department to operate temporary day care service only. Therefore your children cannot stay overnight here.
Q: I want to use your Temporary Child Care Services today, but my son is having a fever. Can you assist him in taking the medicine?
A: Children having a fever should stay at home to avoid cross-infection, and the service is only open to healthy young children.
Q: Can you provide Temporary Child Care Services for my one-month-old daughter?
A: We provide Temporary Child Care services for normal and healthy young children from new born to 6 years of age. If your daughter meets all the criteria, she is eligible for the service.
Others
Q: I lived in the residential child care service unit of Po Leung Kuk, and now learn that you provide scholarships and grants for discharged residents. Where can I find relevant application information?
A: Please refer to "Scholarships and Grants Fund for Discharged Residents" on our website for relevant data and the application form.