Budget Speech

Child Care Service

112.      I am aware that some parents may not be able to take care of their young children because of work or other reasons. I have talked with parents participating in the pilot Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project and with home-based child carers. They generally support the Project. I vividly remember a grandmother recounting in tears the pressure of babysitting two young grandchildren and her wish for help in times of need. I spoke to a transport worker who took his child to meet his babysitter in a park every day so that the child could receive the care of the babysitter while playing, and could hence get familiar with the babysitter more easily. The painstaking efforts of the father, the loving care of the babysitter and the spirit of mutual help in the neighbourhood have all left a deep impression on me.

113.      We have, since last October, implemented the pilot Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project in six locations with higher demand for child care services, namely Tung Chung, Sham Shui Po, Kwai Chung, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Kwun Tong. We encourage neighbours to take care of each other's young children. This can foster a closer community relationship, and provide more flexible child care services in addition to the regular ones. We plan to extend the project in March this year to other districts to meet the needs of more families.