OneClick’s News

In the public sector formal assessment is usually arranged by the Department of Health’s Hong Kong’s Child Assessment Service.  Full details on the venues, scope of service and referral arrangements for 7 centers are available on line at dhcas.gov.hk. There is also a child assessment centre at HA’s Duchess of Kent Hospital.

In the NGO/private sector, assessments can be arranged by specialist Paediatric Neuro-developmental doctors and their associated teams of professionals. Details are available from the Specialist Register of Medical Council of Hong Kong (https://mchk.org.hk) with a list of those specialising in Developmental- Behavioural Paediatics /Paediatric Neurology. Child Psychiatrist doctors can also arrange assessment.

There is a wide range of education, health care and social services available, publically funded, privately financed or organized by Non- Government Agencies (NGOs). Links with specialist international groups are also available. Needs can vary at different stages of a child’s diagnosis, treatment and ongoing development.

On health and assessment , check on Child Assessment Service (https://www.dhcas.gov.hk).

On education, the provision will depend on the age of the child.

For age 0-6, NGOs supported by  the Social Welfare Department (SWD)(https://www.swd.gov.hk ) provide  Pre-school Rehabilitation Services, such as Early Education and Training Centre(EETC), Special Child Care Centre (SCCC), Integrated Programme in Kindergarten-cum-Child Care Centre,  Residential Special Child Care Centre (RSCCC). On-site Pre-school Rehabilitation Services, After School Care Programme (ASCP)

For age 4-18, Education Bureau – Special Education Branch (https://www.edb.gov.hk › special › about-special) provides a range of services for SEN children in  ordinary schools.

There are 63 (2021) aided special schools in Hong Kong cater for different categories of SEN students (Hong Kong Special Schools Council  http://www.hkssc.blogspot.com) ( for English speaking children, EFS Jockey Club Sarah Roe School https://www.jcsrs.edu.hk)

There are also  private schools in Hong Kong which accommodate SEN students.

‘Oneclick’ maintains an up- to- date catalogue of > 400 such services for assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of needs for child developmental and physical support, as well as news about research and special events.  On line queries about service availability and access are welcome.

Your child’s teacher (kindergarten/primary/secondary) and school social worker will have access to much information about assessment, education pathways and available services at different stages. Details about education for children with special needs are available from the Hong Kong Education Bureau (https://www.edb.gov.hk). There is a section there devoted to special needs and integrated education, with a recently launched one stop information website SENSE (https://www.sense.edb.gov.hk).

Each public sector mainstream primary and secondary school has a designated Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

Teachers in the private education sector are also important sources of information about locally available education pathways, depending on each child’s diagnosis and development stage.

Education University of Hong Kong- Supporting Unit for Special Educational Needs (SuSEN) (https://www.eduhk.hk › csenie), Department of Health (DH) and NGOs regularly arrange training and education sessions to support parents of children with special needs.

There are many parent groups in Hong Kong, both formal and informal.

Teachers, health care providers and social service staff are often very well informed about the formal groups which are set up with membership and committee systems. Many of these services/ groups are included in the ‘oneclick ‘database and are supported by active parent groups. Such as Parents’ resource website by Hong Kong Council of Social Service (https://www.sen.org.hk/), The Hong Kong Joint Council of Parents of the  Mentally Handicapped (https://www.hkjcpmh.org.hk)

Many such groups organize regular events to raise public awareness, socialize, as well as fund raise. Queries to ‘oneclick’ are welcome.

Informal WhatsApp groups are also very common, so ask around and get involved.  They are often a great source of expert practical advice from experienced parents.

This can sometimes be a real challenge in Hong Kong and depends very much on a child’s ability and willingness to cooperate for dental care, if necessary using local anaesthetic.  Hospital admission is necessary if a general anaesthetic is required.

Details of publicly funded dental services are available from (https://dh.gov.hk). These include the School Health Service and Dental Clinics, but care is limited to preventive, primary and care of an urgent problem such as pain or infection.

Some specialized and limited services requiring referral are available at Hospital Authority’s OMFS (Oral Maxillofacial Service) & Dentistry services in United Christian Hospital, Caritas Medical Centre and Kwong Wah Hospital.

Some private / NGO dental practitioners are skillful in managing the dental care of children with special needs.