Welfare Officials Hold Talks Over Abuse Claims

The Social Welfare Department says it held talks on Tuesday with officials of the organisation in charge of a foster home at the centre of child abuse accusations after sending a team of more than 20 specialists to conduct checks at the home.

The department made the announcement as the Society for the Protection of Children said it had suspended four more employees of the Children's Residential Home after a review of CCTV footage suggested they had used corporal punishment against toddlers.

"The department expressed its deep concern about the incident and received a briefing by the organisation on its handling of the incident," the Social Welfare Department said in a statement after talks with the chairman and some executive committee members at the society.

It said it had "requested the organisation to take corresponding measures to enhance the supervision of front-line staff and ensure that the children at the centre are provided with proper care".

The department said it had "sent an inter-disciplinary team, comprising more than 20 clinical psychologists, nurses, social workers, etc, to the child care centre concerned to conduct investigations and inspect the operation of the centre and its work records.

"The team also conducted observations on each of the 70 children in the centre in regard to their behaviours, health and emotional status. Initial observations suggested that the children were in stable condition."

The police arrested three staff members of the Children's Residential Home last week. Two of them have been charged with assault by those in charge of child or young person, and the third suspect was freed on bail.