Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today chaired the 19th meeting of the Commission on Children, where members were briefed on the Government's various measures to keep children safe from cyber threats.

Among the measures, the Education Bureau has integrated information literacy into the school curriculum, and promotes healthy Internet use, privacy protection as well as anti-bullying and anti-cyber-bullying among students through teachers' professional development and parent education.

Police prevent and combat cybercrime through close collaboration with stakeholders, proactive promotion of crime prevention and enhancement of intelligence exchange and law enforcement.

The Department of Health’s Student Health Service and the Cyber Youth Support Teams subvented by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) provide support for young people in need through early identification, intervention and follow-up as necessary.

Noting the trend of both primary and secondary school students spending more time on the Internet and electronic screen products, the commission members discussed how to protect children from cyber traps and health risks.

Members were updated on the SWD's progress of implementing the various recommendations of the Committee on Review of Residential Child Care & Related Services regarding service quality, service regulation and monitoring, service planning and provision, and foster care service as well as on the additional resources allocated by the Government.

Additionally, members welcomed the further measures set out in the 2023 Policy Address, including substantially increasing the incentive payment for both foster and emergency foster care services starting April 2024, offering additional support to foster families with children having special learning or care needs, and increasing the number of residential child care service places.

Prior to the meeting, Mr Chan led members to appeal to the welfare, education and health sectors, child concern groups and parents at large, to lead by example and vote in the District Council election on December 10.

He also encouraged parents to guide their children to understand the election, adding that schools could also take the opportunity as part of civic education for the next generation to learn about their civic duty from an early age.