History

The Hong Kong Family Welfare Society was known originally as the Social Service Centre of the Churches, established in 1938. The Society became an independent non-governmental organisation in 1949 with the initiation of the Rt. Rev. R. O. Hall and the expert assistance of Miss Katherine Scott-Moncrieff, a well-known social worker from the United Kingdom. Backed by the interest and concerns of a group of people from different Christian denominations, the Society was founded with the basic aim of helping families in distress through casework. In the early days, just after World War II, the Society helped with relief work for all people in need, including those who had been released from concentration camps set up during the occupation.

Milestones

40's

1949

The Hong Kong Family Welfare Society was formally established as an independent charitable organisation. Back in the days, our service focused on providing direct assistance to underprivileged families by the provision of financial loans and sponsorships, distribution of food and clothing, offering employment assistance and the operation of a free school.

70's

1971

Launched the “School Social Work Service”

1972

Launched the “Home Help Service”

1973

Launched the “Family Life Education” pilot scheme

80's

1984

Launched the “Foster Care Service”

1985

Launched the “Mental Health Group service”, which was funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

1988

With the sponsorship from The Community Chest, the Society set up the first "Family Resource Centre" at Butterfly Estate in Tuen Mun, to provide territory-wide services to support single-parent families.

90's

1993

Introduced the "Emergency Foster Care Service”

1997

Launched the “Divorced Mediation Service”

1999

Established the “Zonta White House” – Family Retreat Centre

00's
Established the first “Mediation Centre”

2001

Established the first “Mediation Centre” among NGO welfare organisations in Hong Kong, in order to provide family mediation and community mediation services. Sponsored by The Hongkong Bank Foundation, the Society also launched the “Peer Mediation Project” in 2001.

The Society’s first

2004

  • The Society’s first "Integrated Family Service Centre” was formally opened
  • The Society established 5 Integrated Family Service Centres to provide one-stop integrated family services to families in the community
  • Implemented the "Family Volunteering Movement”
  • Launched the "Carers Support Stations”
Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club to launch the “Bridge to Competence Project”

2005

Launched the “Bridge to Competence Project” which was funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club

launch the Pilot Project on Children Contact Service and established Parent-child Contact Centre

2016

The Society was commissioned by Social Welfare Department to launch the Pilot Project on Children Contact Service and established the “Parent-child Contact Centre”

Established Financial Education Centre

2017

Established the “Financial Education Centre”

Financial Education Centre received the 2019 Financial Education Champion Award from the Investor and Financial Education Council and the

2019

  • “Parent-child Connect Spcialised Co-parenting Support Centre” has been incorporated into the Government’s regular assistance programmes.
  • The Society was commissioned by the Social Welfare Department to launch the “Pilot Scheme on Social Work Service for Pre-Primary Institutions”
  • Conducted the first study on “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index” (HKFWI) in 2019, aiming to develop a socially relevant and culturally appropriate measurement tool of sound reliability and validity to regularly assess the wellbeing of Hong Kong families.
HKFWS Released Research Report on a Study on Family Wellbeing Index in Hong Kong

2020

Released “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index” research report.