A child-welfare expert on Thursday said enhancing child protection requires a joint effort between professionals and the wider community.

Maple Lau, director of Against Child Abuse, made the remarks after police arrested the parents of a 10-year-old girl on Wednesday on suspicion of "ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of a child or young person".

The girl was filmed carrying heavy packs of beer on the streets of Tuen Mun while her father walked beside her.

Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Lau said the video, which went viral online, apparently showed the girl carrying weight beyond what a child can safely handle, adding that it was a good thing that passers-by were vigilant enough to record the incident.

“Children’s rights and safety are truly important and must come first. In that respect, we’ve seen that public awareness of child protection has increased significantly. I think child protection is really a task that professionals and the general public must all work on together,” she said.

Lau explained that child abuse is broadly categorised into four main categorises: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and psychological abuse.

Physical abuse includes acts such as hitting, kicking, and burning, while neglect involves failing to meet a child’s basic needs, thereby endangering and harming their health and development.

Psychological abuse, meanwhile, includes placing responsibilities that are inappropriate for their age on children and causing them to experience anxiety.

Lau said even if an incident is a one-off, it still warrants attention, as any abusive behaviour can cause harm to a child.

She urged parents to raise children with love and respect and avoid violent methods when communicating with their kids.



Edited by Tony Sabine