Children

Foster Care Service

Does foster family need to attain any special skills to take care of foster child with special needs eg. basic medical knowledge ?


Most of the foster children are normal in health and intelligence, while some of them may have special needs, such as slow learners, children of limited intelligence, children who experience mildly mentally handicapped or minor health problems. We do not require the foster parents to be possessed with any special skills, but we have expectation on their capability and patience to take care of the child. The child may need to attend medical follow-ups and extra trainings, and their emotions and behaviours may be different with the others. Thus it is recommended for the foster parents to attend suitable parenting courses to enhance their fostering skills. It is common to encounter difficulties during the foster care journey, nevertheless foster care workers will provide training and support, and accompanies you every step of the way to alleviate foster parents' pressure.

Source: Ms. Wan, Social Worker (Foster Care Service), Hong Kong Family Welfare Society