Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun today officiated at the Foster Families Service Award Presentation Ceremony 2024 and called on more people to join the service to bring love and care for more children in need.

Around 700 foster parents and children took part in the ceremony, where 260 families were awarded for their care, devotion and exceptional contributions to fostering children.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr Sun called for support for the Social Welfare Department’s "one-plus-one" recruitment scheme.

He urged members of the public interested in serving children in need to submit applications together with their families and friends for taking care of the same foster child, so that they can swiftly stand in for one another when any of them cannot temporarily assume the caring role.

Mr Sun said this approach not only promotes mutual support among peers and families, but also saves the need to arrange for a foster child to stay in an unfamiliar living environment.

He also pointed out that foster parents have made significant contributions to the protection of children's well-being.

Mr Sun noted that the Government has, since last month, substantially increased the incentive payment for foster families, with the foster care service payment increasing from around $5,000 to about $11,000 per month, and that for emergency foster care service from around $6,600 to about $13,000 per month.

Additional support will also be provided to foster families taking care of children with special learning or care needs, he added.

The welfare chief also hopes these initiatives will impress upon foster families the support and appreciation for them in the community.

Members of the public who are interested in becoming foster parents may contact the Social Welfare Department's Central Foster Care Unit at 2573 2282 during office hours.