About Us

To equip child care workers with professional knowledge and skills in teaching children with special educational needs (SEN), Heep Hong Society has collaborated with the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) to offer two academic programmes in 2012: Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education (Special Educational Needs) and Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education (Special Educational Needs). Heep Hong Society also announced receiving a donation of HK$5 million from the Joseph Lau Luen-hung Charitable Trust for developing the programmes and establishing scholarship awards.

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony, Miss Nancy Tsang, Director of Heep Hong Society, said, “The overall demand for pre-school special education has been increasing, along with the rising number of young children requiring special service. At present, more than 6,000 children are receiving pre-school special education service while over 5,000 are on the waiting list. Facing such huge demand, we have encountered great difficulties in employing sufficient special child care workers. A survey conducted by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service has revealed that about 200 child care workers will need training in special child care for the coming three years. Such training will be useful to over 10,000 kindergarten teachers for identifying children with special needs and catering for learner diversity.”

Ms Tsang added, “The four core courses are developed by Heep Hong experienced psychologists and therapists. They are namely Early Assessment and Intervention; Teaching Pre-school Children at Risk of Dyslexia; Supporting Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders; and Language Delay and Training. Upon completion of these courses, Heep Hong will recognize the students as holding the qualification equivalent to the Social Welfare Department’s “One-Year In-Service Course in Special Child Care Work”.

Heep Hong Society also announced receiving a HK$5 million donation to develop the above new programmes. Dr Henry Au Yeung, Chairman of Executive Committee of Heep Hong Society, expressed deep gratitude to the Joseph Lau Luen-hung Charitable Trust for supporting the development of the programmes and setting up scholarship and award schemes. Deadline for scholarship and award application is 10 February 2012. For details, please visit www.heephong.org or call 2776 3111.

Founded in 1963, Heep Hong Society is committed to providing professional care, education and training services to children from birth to those in junior secondary school who have developmental and learning problems, and support services to their families. The Society is a leading service provider in the field and serves more than 6,000 families every year.