Following allegations that a male warden sexually assaulted a nine-year-old boy and illicitly filmed him and four other boys showering, Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai told reporters on the sidelines of an opening ceremony yesterday that a comprehensive review of the management and operation of children’s care homes will be conducted, including risk assessments, operational management reforms, and amendments to relevant legislation.
The opening ceremony for the “2026 Cross-Disability Art Exhibition” was held at the Mount Fortress Corridor.
Addressing the month-long gap between discovering the incident and reporting it to the police, Hon noted that his bureau was first made aware of the situation in late August. The children’s care home immediately took protective measures by reassigning the staff member in question and taking him off the night shift. However, during the investigation, the staff member suspected of sexual child abuse could not be made aware of the ongoing investigation, Ho stressed.
After investigating, collecting evidence and obtaining consent from the parents, the facility’s staff accompanied the parents to file a police report on September 30, Hon said.
The affected children are currently in stable condition, with social workers and counsellors providing continuous follow-up support to the children and their families, according to Hon.
Regarding past security breaches in the centre where children left the facility without authorisation to wander around outside, Hon noted that his bureau operates nine residential facilities housing about 300 children with over 250 staff members, pointing out that the caregiver-to-child ratio stands at around 1:1.2, which is considered reasonable, though management processes have revealed distinct loopholes.
To address these vulnerabilities, Hon said that drawing on legislative amendment experiences from tutorial centres, the local government will review and revise relevant regulations to strengthen employee background checks and onboarding screenings*.
Meanwhile, comprehensive risk assessments will be conducted based on the minors’ ages and care needs, Hon said, adding that facilities will also eliminate security hazards by improving visitor and staff entry/exit logs, and implementing two-person shifts for high-risk tasks.
Hon noted that standard operating procedures will be updated to abolish single-staff night shifts in the children’s dormitories. Additionally, staff will undergo mandatory child protection training, the children in care will receive enhanced self-protection and sex education, and multiple feedback channels connecting the respective facility, schools and parents to ensure timely reporting and handling of issues, Hon noted.
*Onboarding screenings is the set of checks performed before a new worker gets access to systems, facilities, or sensitive materials. In healthcare, abbreviated screenings can increase diversion risk by allowing problematic individuals into access pathways too quickly. - Gemini
Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai speaks to reporters on the sidelines of the opening ceremony for the “2026 Cross-Disability Art Exhibition” at the Mount Fortress Corridor yesterday. – Photo: Ida Cheong
