The Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Centre reported yesterday 1,092 cases of counselling related to family support last year, with an increase of 10 to 15 percent over the previous year, estimating that the number of cases will increase further this year.
Representatives of the centre announced the statistics at a press conference on the premises of the Sheng Kung Hui (S.K.H.) North District Youth Service Team in Fai Chi Kei district yesterday.
Sheng Kung Hui (聖公會) is the Cantonese name for the Anglican Church.
SKH Macau Social Services Coordination Office Service Coordinator Ip Kam Po said that last year’s cases mainly involved emotional disturbances such as communication between family members, marital relationships, child care and education, five percent of them involving family conflict and suspected domestic violence.
Ip suggested that parents should give more recognition and appreciation to their children to help them cope with stress, which may be due to parents neglecting their children’s emotional needs and focusing too much on their academic performance. Ip said that the government should also focus more on strengthening parenting education and family counselling for young families, as financial and livelihood pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic may intensify the conflicts between family members.
The centre also released the findings of a survey on the impact of mobile phone use on family relationships. The findings revealed that 37 percent of parents use their mobile phones “very often” when spending time with their children, while 50 percent said they felt that their spouse spent more time on the phone than on them when having meals together.
According to the press conference, the survey was conducted by the centre’s social workers through questionnaires in 2019. Ip said the findings show the importance of a family having quality time together. Ip pointed out that the negative emotions that accumulate over time can affect parent-child relationships if family members continue to feel left out and unable to communicate positively with each other.
The centre also announced the operation of a paid counselling service led by the centre’s senior counsellors, which aims to provide face-to-face counselling to those suffering from mental health issues or parent-child relationship problems to help those undergoing counselling release their emotional distress.
An 1 ½ -hour initial counselling assessment will cost 450 patacas. Face-to-face counselling lasting 50 minutes will also cost 450 patacas each time.
For more information and enquiries, please call 66538789 during office hours or email pip@skhwc.org.mo or ihlei@skhwc.org.mo to make an appointment for the counselling service.
Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Coordination Office Service Coordinator Ip Kam Po (left) addresses yesterday’s press conference as two representatives of the centre look on. Photo: Ginnie Liang
Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Coordination Office Service Coordinator Ip Kam Po talks to reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s press conference about the centre’s family support cases.
