The Agency welcomes the various people-oriented initiatives and measures promoting social inclusion proposed in the Five-Year Plan and the 2026 Policy Address. We would like to offer our views on the following three areas:

1. Cross-boundary Families and the Northern Metropolis

Under the Five-Year Plan, the Northern Metropolis will gradually evolve into a key development area integrating housing, employment, innovation and technology, transportation, and community life, which will strengthen people-to-people exchanges and social connections between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

The Agency believes that the development of the Northern Metropolis also presents an important opportunity to build new communities, support emerging families, and promote the integration of cross-boundary livelihoods. As the Northern Metropolis University Town gradually takes shape, and cross-boundary travel becoming increasingly convenient, the area is expected to attract more cross-boundary families, cross-boundary students, higher education populations and newcomers from Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong, and other mobile populations to live, work, or travel regularly within the district. This will create a diverse community with distinctive cross-boundary characteristics.

Families in the area will face increasingly complex and diverse needs related to housing arrangements, children's education, family relationships, community integration, language communication, and caregiving responsibilities. Therefore, we believe that the social service safety net in the Northern Metropolis should be established ahead of population inflow rather than after. Social welfare services  should be developed in tandem with the planning of the Northern Metropolis, providing timely and appropriate support to different families and residents. 

Since 2006, ISSHK has been providing integrated Shenzhen-Hong Kong family services, and has accumulated extensive case experience and data in serving cross-boundary students and families throughout the years. With our Shenzhen-Hong Kong Integrated Family Service Centre in Luohu and Cross-boundary and International Social Service Centre in Sheung Shui, the Agency looks forward to further contributing our expertise in cross-boundary family services and international social services to the overall development of the Northern Metropolis to support family well-being and community building.

2. Child Protection and Family Support

The Five-Year Plan proposes the continuous enhancement of the child protection system, and also clearly sets out a long-term strategy of gradually shifting family support from a “crisis response” approach to one focused on “prevention and the promotion of family resilience.” Our organization fully supports this direction. The Policy Address proposes the addition of three more subsidized standalone child care centres, providing approximately 1,800 additional child care places, and gradually regularizing after-school care services. We believe these measures will greatly improve access to child care and custodial services for grassroots and working families, helping to alleviate the pressure parents face in balancing work and childcare responsibilities.

Through our Integrated Family Service Centres in Sham Shui Po and Tin Shui Wai, we have supported grassroots families and children for many years and have a deep understanding of the challenges parents face in managing both employment and family responsibilities. For single-parent families, low-income families and ethnic minority families, and families with limited support from relatives, stable, affordable, and accessible child care and custodial services are particularly important. Such services often have a direct impact on whether parents can remain in employment and on the stability of children's daily lives.

In addition, our two Integrated Family Service Centres and other service units will continue to support the Government’s ongoing efforts to improve the handling and reporting mechanisms for suspected child abuse cases. Since the implementation of the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance earlier this year, social workers across all service units have strengthened promotional and educational efforts related to child protection at different levels.

3. Support For Ethnic Minorities

We welcome the Government’s further enhancement of support services for ethnic minorities and its efforts to establish a more comprehensive support network covering elderly care, youth development, and community participation. The newly introduced “Elder Harmony Network” and “Success Counsel Programme” will respectively strengthen community support for ethnic minority elders and provide career planning and experience-sharing opportunities for ethnic minority youth.

In line with the policy directions set out in the 2024 and 2025 Policy Addresses, the Agency established the DREAM Ethnic Minority Support Service Centre, the Ethnic Minority Care Team, and the HOPE Ethnic Minority Interpretation and Translation Service Centre in 2024 and 2025. These initiatives provide comprehensive support and services for ethnic minority communities. At the same time, we have actively developed a Women’s Network and a Youth Network through our centres.

We share the view that ethnic minority elders are a group in particular need of support. Therefore, since the establishment of the DREAM Ethnic Minority Support Service Centre, we have been committed to developing elder-focused services, including art therapy groups and health seminars. We look forward to actively contributing to the Elderly Inclusion Network by helping ethnic minority elders engage more fully with the community, facilitating the early identification of their needs, and ensuring appropriate referrals to suitable services.

With regard to supporting ethnic minority youth, we are pleased that the Government plans to regularize the EM District Ambassador Pilot Scheme and encourage individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds who possess academic qualifications or professional credentials to participate in welfare services.

The Agency has long collaborated with schools and the business sector to provide career guidance and employment opportunities for ethnic minority youth, inspiring them to explore the many possibilities for their future careers. By harnessing the linguistic, cultural, and professional strengths of different ethnic groups, we can work together to build a more open, inclusive, and diverse society in Hong Kong.