To help children and parents emerge from the shadow of Tai Po fire tragedy, counselling psychologists from the Department of Counselling and Psychology at Hong Kong Shue Yan University have partnered with Save the Children Hong Kong to operate “Save the Children Hong Kong’s Child Psychological Support Hotline”.
Dr Bess Lam Yin-hung, Associate Head (Postgraduate Studies) of the Department of Counselling and Psychology at HKSYU, explained that the psychological support hotline is staffed by both counselling psychologists and graduates of the department, all of whom have experience working with children. The service comprises short-term emotional relief and long-term psychological support. Short-term assistance is primarily offered over the phone, with triaging based on the child’s age and the severity of trauma. Online or in-person counselling is also available to help children process their emotions. Looking ahead, the team will continue monitoring the community’s emotional needs and raising awareness of mental health issues through public lectures and related initiatives.
Dr Lam noted that for mild or temporary emotional difficulties, techniques such as deep breathing and relaxation exercises can help individuals self-regulate. However, if symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or sleep disorders persist, professional treatment should be sought. She emphasised the importance of publicity — ensuring that the public is aware of the hotline and its triage function so that affected families can receive timely support and help children manage emotional distress.
Dr Phoebus Tsui Chak-sum, Senior Lecturer in the department and Head of the hotline service at the Counselling and Research Centre, highlighted that the Tai Po fire is one of the most serious incidents in recent years, causing casualties and property loss. Many children may worry about the safety of family members, have nightmares about the fire, or have “flashbacks” when exposed to related scenes, leading to emotional distress and affecting daily learning and life. As Save the Children Hong Kong has been supporting affected families in the area, the organisation’s service network has been combined with the professional expertise of the Counselling and Psychology Department to establish this counselling hotline.
Discussing the core of child psychological counselling, Dr Tsui explained that children’s language and cognitive abilities are still developing, making it difficult for them to directly express emotions. They may instead show anxiety or depression through physical discomfort. Counsellors must therefore be patient, empathetic, and skilled in child-specific counselling techniques to guide children through their emotional experiences.
Dr Tsui anticipates that, given the large number of affected families, the hotline may receive many enquiries. Some children who were directly affected may require play therapy and long-term, multifaceted support in daily life. He hopes that through professional counselling, affected children and families will regain hope and resilience, discover their inner strengths, gradually cope with life’s challenges, and return to normal routines.
The hotline will run daily from 9 am to 9 pm for three months (mid-December to mid-March next year) and can be reached at 3859 2625, supporting in Cantonese, English and Mandarin. At the same time, the team is initiating medium-to-long-term emotional support, focusing on assessing the emotional needs of students from kindergarten to secondary school living in Wang Fuk Court. They are working with schools to implement the ‘Healing Heart and Mind’ programme, an expressive arts intervention, alongside follow-up counselling. Our goal is to help these children rebuild a sense of safety by returning to a normal daily life.
