Save the Children Hong Kong welcomes the release of the Guide for Mandated Reporters from the government as a vital step forward in strengthening child protection in Hong Kong. As a child organisation with a strong focus on child protection, we acknowledge that this move can provide support to professionals in identifying and reporting serious suspected child abuse cases.
We commend the government’s plan to expand training opportunities, which are essential to help Mandated Reporters understand the complexities of harm to children and their responsibilities as duty bearers. We also encourage professional bodies to integrate mandatory reporting into their training and certification processes, ensuring readiness ahead of the 2026 implementation of the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance. Integration of these training opportunities will provide targeted support so professionals can more confidently identify and make decisions about serious suspected child abuse cases they may encounter within the unique contexts of their work.
We appreciate the diversity of scenarios provided in the guideline, and we recognise that different professionals may have different views and perspectives on the same case. Hence, we urge institutions and departments to maintain clear records and document the implementation to support regular review of processes, thereby enhancing the Mandated Report Guideline and practice. In addition, we urge child-facing organisations to establish clear internal reporting systems to better support their staff who are Mandated Reporters, address cases that do not meet the Mandatory Reporting Regime threshold.
To better protect children, reporting suspected child abuse cases is just the first step. A multi-disciplinary technical working group is needed to address the complexity of child abuse, and follow up in the best interests of the child. The government and community should continue to educate the public and raise awareness towards the Mandatory Reporting Regime and the responsibility of adults in protecting children.