In response to media enquiries relating to a private residential care home for persons with disabilities (RCHD) in Kwai Chung, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) gave the following response today (October 17):

     The SWD has all along attached great importance to the quality of RCHDs, and is very concerned about an incident in which a former superintendent of an RCHD in Kwai Chung was suspected to have engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse with a female resident with intellectual disability.

     The former superintendent has not taken up any duty nor been involved in the management of the home concerned since he was detained by the Police in August 2014. The home at that time also posted notices to inform residents and their family members of the arrangement. A female home manager has since then taken up the job as manager of the home.

     The former superintendent was later charged and the District Court withdrew the charge on May 17, 2016. The female resident was immediately moved to another residential care services unit in August 2014, and emotional support and other assistance were also provided. She has stayed at a subvented residential home run by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) since December 2015. Social workers of both the SWD and the NGO have all along been following up on her needs, including emotional and social welfare support. She is now in a stable condition and continues to receive regular treatment. Social workers of SWD have also contacted other residents of the home after the incident to explore their emotional and social welfare needs and have provided assistance accordingly.

     The SWD’s Licensing Office of Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities has stepped up the frequency of inspection for close monitoring of the home’s service performance. The SWD stated that the home could not fully meet the requirements within the specified period as stipulated in the written directives the department issued to it on August 31 and September 9, 2016 according to the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance. There was no substantial improvement in the care services provided by the home. In view of these, the SWD has been seeking legal advice on further action to be taken regarding the home, and at the same time the department will continue to monitor closely its operation and the implementation of other improvement measures.

Ends/Monday, October 17, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:42

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