The Social Welfare Department today released the second-phase review report conducted by the Committee on Review of Residential Child Care & Related Services, in which a total of 39 recommendations were put forward.

The committee was established in April last year to manage a review on residential childcare and related services in two phases.

The review’s first phase was completed in August. The committee made 31 recommendations covering residential childcare centres and residential special childcare centres, which have been implemented progressively.

The second-phase review, which comprised a comprehensive review on institutional and family-based care services as well as foster care services, started in September last year.

The review also included children's homes, boys'/girls' homes and hostels, small group homes and those for mildly mentally handicapped children.

Regarding such services, the report proposed recommendations that include service quality, regulation, planning and provision, including increasing the manpower of different ranks, expanding the scope of professional staff support services, strengthening staff training and requiring superintendents to complete training courses on child protection, improving the referral mechanism and guidelines, and enhancing case workers' functions and post-discharge support.

On foster care services, the committee suggested introducing flexible recruitment and care arrangements, strengthening the support and training for foster parents and enhancing promotions to attract participation in foster caring.

As the committee has finished its work, the Government expressed gratitude to the members for their valuable contributions and opinions.

It also pointed out that it will proactively follow up on the review reports to ensure the recommendations for improvement are effectively implemented.