Child Health Service
An integrated child health and development programme is implemented in Maternal & Child Health Centres (MCHCs) to promote the holistic (physical, cognitive, emotional and social) health and wellbeing of children. The core components of the integrated programme are parenting, immunisation, as well as health and developmental surveillance.
Summary table of the integrated programme
Parenting
The parenting programme aims to equip parents of all children attending MCHCs with the necessary knowledge and skills to bring up healthy and well-adjusted children. Anticipatory guidance on child development, childcare (e.g. breastfeeding, infant and young child feeding and nutrition, home safety, oral health etc.) and parenting are provided to all parents during the antenatal period and throughout the pre-school years of children, in the form of information leaflets, listen to the pre-recorded parenting FAQ, public talks and parenting activities (conducted in Cantonese only), online resources and individual counseling. For parents of children with early signs of behaviour problems or those who encounter difficulties in parenting, a structured group training programme on positive parenting skills - Positive Parenting Program (conducted in Cantonese only) is also available.
Immunisation
MCHCs provide immunisation to children from birth to 5 years according to the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme.
Schedule of Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme
Health and Developmental Surveillance
It consists of a series of routine reviews conducted by health professionals, designed to achieve timely identification and referral of children with health and developmental problems. These include a physical examination of the newborn child, periodic monitoring of the child's growth parameters, and formal hearing and vision screening tests at specific ages. Developmental surveillance is performed in partnership with parents through anticipatory guidance, eliciting parents' concern and observing the child.
Schedule of the integrated programme
Fees and Charges
All child health services provided at MCHCs are free of charge to Eligible Persons. For Non-eligible Persons, a fee of HK$365 is charged per visit.