Parents want support for SEN students amid class suspension

A concern group called on the Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po to step up assistance toward children with special educational needs from grassroots families as well as their carers in the upcoming Budget to be delivered on February 23.

The Society for Community Organization said the situation of these students has worsened due to no face-to-face class in the fifth wave of pandemic.

In an online survey with 311 parents of special educational needs (SEN) children from June to September last year, the group found a majority of parents said training and support to SEN children are too expensive.

Among the respondents, 61.4 percent said their children have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 40.8 percent said their children are with speech and language impairment, 32.8 percent have dyslexia, and 24.4 percent of children have emotional problems.

Almost 60 percent of respondents said they are from low-income families, while 37 percent said they are receiving comprehensive social security assistance from the government. Some 44 percent of children also live in poor housing environment like cage homes and subdivided flats.

The survey also found that 87.5 percent of parents want their children to get learning support by attending tutorial classes, others also wanted their children to receive training in speech, attention and social skills.

However, tutorial classes have turned to online because of the pandemic and it's more difficult for SEN children to pay attention in their studies.

A man surnamed Hung whose daughter has ADHA and dyslexia, said his daughter's situation has worsened because of no face-to-face classes during the pandemic and has to always stay at home.

He said his daughter was unstable which she sometimes kept running around and was sleepless sometimes. He later brought her daughter to see a doctor and she was admitted to hospital for a dozen days.

Hung said their life was difficult as SEN children need more outdoor and social life.

“When I am staying with her, I can't go to work. But I will be worried if I can't see her,” he said.