28/02/2026
Attended a professional seminar on the mandatory reporting of child abuse — gaining a deeper understanding of the urgency and responsibility of child protection.
The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance will come into effect on 20 January 2026, aiming to build a protective shield around children by ensuring early identification and intervention in serious abuse cases.
As an educator, I am among the 25 designated professionals covered by the Ordinance — including teachers, school principals, and educational psychologists. This legislative change reaffirms our professional duty and ethical responsibility to protect children beyond the classroom.
Key insights from the seminar:
· Timing matters – The law moves us from “responding” to “preventing” and “early intervening”
· Cross-sector collaboration – Social welfare, education, and healthcare sectors must work hand in hand
· Exemptions clarify boundaries – Injuries caused by accidents, self-harm, or by other children (unless sexual in nature) are excluded from mandatory reporting, helping professionals exercise informed judgment
· The Practitioner‘s Guide, to be released in July this year, will further support us with practical tools and case scenarios
Child protection is not just a legal mandate — it is a shared mission for every adult in a child’s life. I’m grateful to the HKSAR Government for advancing this important legislation and empowering us as educators to stand firmly on the side of children.
參加了強制舉報虐兒的專業研討會 — 更深刻體會保護兒童的急切性與責任。
《強制舉報虐待兒童條例》將於2026年1月20日起正式實施,旨在及早識別和介入嚴重虐兒個案,為兒童編織更全面的保護網。
作為教育工作者,我屬於條例涵蓋的25類指明專業人員之一,包括教師、校長及教育心理學家。這項立法再次確認我們在課堂以外,肩負保護兒童的專業與道德責任。
研討會重點反思:
• 時機決定一切 – 條例推動我們由「事後回應」走向「及早預防與介入」
• 跨界協作 – 社福、教育及醫療衞生界必須攜手合作,建立無縫的兒童保護網
• 豁免範圍釐清界線 – 由意外、兒童自殘或其他兒童造成(除非涉及性)的傷害不屬強制舉報範圍,協助專業人員作出適切判斷
• 將於今年7月發布的《強制舉報者指南》,會提供流程圖、分析框架及情景範例,為前線專業人員提供實務指引
保護兒童,不僅是法律要求,更是每一位接觸孩子的成年人應有的共同使命。感謝香港特區政府推動這項重要立法,讓我們教育工作者能以更堅定的立場,站在孩子的一方。
#香港都會大學 Kong Metropolitan University