Community & Charities
Family Services
Jockey Club partners NGOs to promote child-focused co-parenting
15/03/2016
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been actively promoting family harmony because it believes that harmonious societies are built upon loving family relationships. With Hong Kong seeing an increasing number of divorces in recent years, leading to growing concern about the interests of children affected by marital break-up, the Government is conducting public consultation on whether to put in place a ‘parental responsibility model’ through legislation. Such a model would emphasise the continuing responsibilities of both parents and give top priority to protecting the interests of the children involved.
To help address this concern in the meantime, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has donated some HK$6.5 million to the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) to implement a three-year ‘Promoting Child-Focused Co-Parenting in the Community’ project which brings together 10 NGOs to raise public understanding of the parental responsibility model through education and training.
Studies have shown that in order to implement the concept of co-parenting, both the mentality of the parents and their social culture need to be adjusted. By launching the Promoting Child-Focused Co-Parenting in the Community project, the Trust hopes that both parents involved in a divorce can make the transition from their previous role as a couple into becoming ‘parenting partners’, who consider the best interests of their children and participate in major decisions for their growth.
First-year Chinese University student Chuk Ka-lok’s parents divorced when he was in Form 3 and he now works as a volunteer for the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, helping young people with similar experiences. Lok, who now lives with his father, recalled today, “I suffered a lot when my parents were having disputes and planning to divorce. I hope this programme can help give the public a better understanding of co-parenting, and therefore minimise the damage to their children.”
The Promoting Child-Focused Co-Parenting in the Communityinitiative is aimed at encouraging co-parenting after divorcethrough a series of public education activities including district-based community education programmes run by NGOs, a micro-films contest, story book production and roving exhibitions in collaboration with schools. In addition, a clinical practice package will be developed and training provided for personnel in the social services, education and related sectors to enhance their ability to cope with different divorce cases.
A professional forum and seminars will also be organised to facilitate cross-sectoral exchange and provide a platform for experience-sharing by divorced families and those working with them. These programmes are expected to benefit over 120,000 people, while about 5,400 professionals will be trained over the next three years.
