$20m boost for special-needs kids

Staff reporter

The WEMP Foundation set up by New World Development executive vice-chairman and chief executive Adrian Cheng Chi-kong is dedicated to providing assessments and treatment for 1,000 children with special educational needs.

In partnership with the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Foundation - Stubbs Road, the foundation has allocated HK$20 million to sponsor eligible SEN students.

In an interview with Sing Tao Daily, The Standard's sister paper, foundation chief executive Alex Mo Tik-sang said special education needs are on the rise.

In spite of improved awareness among parents and society, he said, there is a persistent lack of resources such as educational psychologists.

"There are many potential special needs cases among K1 [nursery] children and secondary school students that require prompt assessments," Mo said.

"However, parents often face lengthy waiting times for evaluations, which can be very stressful."

Children under 14 can apply for the program with one of the following documents: a new case appointment from the Hospital Authority with a waiting time exceeding six months; an evaluation by an educational psychologist; a referral letter from schools or a psychiatrist; or a report from the Department of Health's Child Assessment Service.

Children will receive subsidized assessment and treatment, with the hospital charging only an administrative fee of HK$320 for each psychiatric consultation and HK$100 for specialty medical services. Families receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance will be fully subsidized.

A mother, Choi, said her 11-year-old son, Ian, struggled to sit still in class after returning to in-person learning when the pandemic ended.

"He even damaged school property," Choi recalled.

After a nearly two-year wait for a public psychiatric appointment, she applied to the program. Ian was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder within two months, and his behavior is "under control" after a year of treatment.

A Chinese University survey indicated that 10.2 percent of Hong Kong students had ADHD last year, up from 6 percent in the 1990s.

Sharon Wong Yu-ming, a psychiatrist at the hospital, said the increase underscores a community need for action.

"It could be due to over-diagnosis or the effects of the Covid pandemic," she said.

Although early treatment is ideal before age six, Wong reassured parents not to blame themselves for delays in seeking help.

She advised them to consult psychiatrists for comprehensive assessments