FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICE IN HONG KONG |
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Background Information
FAMILY STRUCTURE
Nuclear Family |
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The total number of Hong Kong population is
increasing. In 2008, there are 7 millions population, while the
number of domestic households is 2,290,000. The average household
size in 1991 is 3.4 persons, which has dropped to 3.0 in 2008. |
Decreasing
Marriage |
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The crude marriage rates for both women and
men exhibit a continuous decline during 1991 to 2000. In 1991,
the number of marriages per 1,000 males is 13.6, and that of females
is 14.1. The rates then generally increase during 2001 to 2007.
The crude marriage rates for women and men increase significantly
to 13 and 14.4 respectively in 2007 . |
Decreasing
Newborns |
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The total number of birth has also dropped
by 16%, from 68,281 in1991 to 57,124 in 2005, with slight rebound
from 2004 onwards. Among the total number of birth, 25.9% (12915)
are born by mainland residents in HK in 2004. In 2006, the total
number of birth has increased to 65,194, 40% (26,132) is born by
mainland women in HK. |
Increasing
cross border marriages and families |
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In the past two decades, the number of cross
border marriage increases from 16,451 in 1986 to 26,203 in 2007.
For those marriage registered in Hong Kong, the number increases
from 782 in 1986 to 18,387 reflecting 38.7% in 2007. Most of the
marriages involve male HK residents married female residents in
the mainland, with increasing trend from 15,776 in 1986 to 21,888
in 2007. On the other hand, for those marriages involving female
HK residents married male residents in the mainland also increases
from 675 in 1986 to 4,315 in 2007. |
Increasing
Divorce |
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The total number of divorces increases rapidly
during 1981 to 2004. In 2004, the total number of divorces further
increases to a new high of 15,604. It however drops slightly by
about 5% to 14,873 in 2005. The number of female single parents
increases markedly by 95%, from 23,059 in 1991 to 45,072 in 2001.
However, the number of male single parents rises less significantly,
from 11,479 in 1991 to 13,388 (increased by 17%) in 2001. |
Increasing
working hours |
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Either one parents and both parents with weekly working hours more than 60 hours, increases by 30% (either one) and 42%(both) respectively, making up a total number of 0.2 million families in the last decade (1996-2005). The total number of long working hour single parent also increases by 83% from 4,200 to 7,700 from 1996 to 2005. Long working hour can affect family members' and parent-child interaction. |
FAMILY SOLIDARITY AND RESILIENCE
Decreasing
Family Solidarity |
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According to the Social Development Index
released by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, the sub-index
of family solidarity in 2004 is -215, which has further dropped
to -535 in
2006. |
Increasing
Domestic Violence |
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In recent year, the newly report child abuse
cases increases by 15.6%, from 763 cases in 2005 to 882 cases in
2008. The battered spouse cases increases dramatically by 90%,
from 3,598 cases in 2005 to 6843 cases in 2008. |
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However, the first territory-wide prevalence
survey on child abuse and battered spouse finds that the prevalence
rates of spousal and child abuse are 6% and 10% respectively. It
represents 60,000 children and 70,000 spouses suffering from severe
to very severe abuse. The total number of reported cases only represents
1-2% of the total number of child abuse and spousal abuse cases,
which reflects only the tip of an iceberg. |
| Social Cohesion | |
Poverty |
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In Hong Kong, the Gini coefficient has been
increasing in the past twenty years. The figure in 1981, 1991
and 2001 are 0.451, 0.476 and 0.525 respectively. In addition,
the increase from 1991 to 2001 is even more rapid than in the years
from 1981 to 1991. It reflects that poverty disparity in Hong Kong
is getting more serious in the past ten years. |
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There is 50% increase of low-income families
/ families in poverty in
the last decade. 0.89 million are low-income families in 1995,
where there is 1.25 million in 2005. Poverty rate has increased
from 14.8% in 1995 to a 10-year high 18.3% in the first quarter
of 2005. |
Language
Barrier of Ethnic Minorities |
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Ethnic minorities contribute to about 5% of HK's population, which makes up 342,198 ethnic minority people in HK. Most of them are in the working class, with median income of 3,500, which is only 35% of the territory-wide median income. There are 40,000 ethnic minority families, 95% fathers, 70% mothers and 28.4% children of ethnic families cannot speak Chinese. The language barrier greatly affects their livings and integration in the society. |
| Community Health | |
| Increasing Psychotropic Substance Abuse | |
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The total number of reported drug abusers
declines by a total of 3,359 persons between 1996 and 1999, at
an average annual rate of 6.1%, from 19,673 in 1996 to 16,314 in
1999. However, notably the said downward trend reverses in 2000
and 2001, with the number bouncing to 18,513 in 2001. Since 2002,
it reverts back to its downward trend and drops to 13,204 in 2006,
the lowest in the past ten years. |
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The number of young drug abusers aged under 21 declines from 3,657 to 2,482 from 1996 to 1999. It then surges up to 4020 in 2000, the highest in the past ten years. During 2001 and 2004, it reverts back to its downward trend and fell to 13,204 in 2006, the lowest in the past ten years. However, the number of young drug abusers under 21 rises by 12% from 2005 to 2006, from 2,276 to 2,549. |
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Ketamine is the most popular type of psychotropic
substance abused. The number of abusers rises significantly by
45% to 3,045 in 2006. The second most common is Triazolam (¡§Ecstasy¡¨)
and ¡§Ice¡¨. Among the youngsters, disco/karaoke is the most popular
locality to abuse drugs, with a proportion of 63.9%. It is
reported that 1,371 people or 11.3% of the total reported drug
abusers took drugs in Mainland China in 2006 and 39.6% of these
abusers are aged under 21. |
Future Trends and Challenges
| Service planning, Multi-disciplinary Collaboration and Professional Development | |
| In view of various challenges
faced by HK families, a long term welfare service planning should
be in placed to better plan for services in strengthening family
functions. Provided with the statistics and frontline workers'
observations, the needs of family and community are obvious that
proactive service planning in meeting the needs is necessary. The
various welfare services are also to work hand-in-hand and to further
enhance the professional service quality for the well-beings of
families in the society. The welfare services are to collaborate
with multi-disciplinary professionals in supporting families, for
instance, the health, justice and education sectors; in family
education, prevention and handling of domestic violence, substance
abuse and social integration of ethnic groups. |
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Family
Friendly Society in Strengthening Family Functions |
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With structural family disintegration, decreasing
family solidarity and resilience, series of family problems emerge.
For instance, child neglect, juvenile delinquency, domestic violence
and substance abuse, etc. To strengthen family solidarity, it
relies not only on efforts made by individuals and parents, but
also the government on nurturing a sustainable and family friendly
environment to facilitate a balanced family-work life style and
secure income support for the working population in Hong Kong. |
Strengthening
Neigbhorhood and Community support |
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Under the effects of increasing number of nuclear families, urbanization and economic hardship, the adverse impact on the disadvantaged groups, such as new arrivals, low-income groups and ethnic minorities are greater. Stronger neighborhood and community support not only promote residents¡¦ sense of belongings to the community, mutual trust and support, but also strengthen their resilience. The enhanced neighborhood support network empowers individuals, families and the community in building a cohesive community. |
Integrated
Service and Specialization |
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Integrated service setting encourages all aged groups to use the service or to outreach the families in community without stigmatization. However, there are strong need of specialized service targeted for particular target groups in catering for special needs, e.g. sexual violence victims, survivors of domestic violence, batterers, ethnic minorities and new arrivals. Specialized and integrated services are to be on parallel development. |
Diversified
Community-based Service Strategy |
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The service design is now more diversified.
Other than developmental, education, mutual support, therapeutic
groups and case counseling, the community outreaching working approach
is the key working approach. The outreaching effort can get in
directly contact with residents of the community and bring the
services to those needy families in the community proactively.
The community-based services can provide support in meeting the
special needs of individuals and families of the community in enhancing
self-help and mutual-help ability for building a cohesive community. |
Early
Identification and Intervention |
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Early identification of needs and intervention prevents further deterioration of problems. Therefore, there is also a service trend on targeted preventive service for early identification of families in needs and to provide them with early supports. |
Service Profile
The family and community services aim at strengthening the supportive and caring functions of family; promoting the spirit of self-help, mutual help and community participation as well as enhancing the quality of family and community through intervention at individual, family and community levels. The ultimate goal is to achieve social integration. .
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(June 2009)
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