Nearly half of Hong Kong parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) have said their families encountered unpleasant treatment in public, such as stares, teasing or scolding, a poll has found.
The Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) released the results on Sunday after polling 520 parents of SEN children and 619 members of the public between September and October last year.
Among the families of SEN children, 47% said they experienced “unfriendly reactions” from others.
Of those who reported rude reactions over their children’s behaviour, 43 per cent noted they had experienced uncomfortable stares, 32 per cent said their kids were mocked and nearly 30 per cent faced verbal abuse and bullying.
Three out of five members of the public tended to blame poor parenting when a child was shouting, running around or damaging property. Only extreme behaviours, such as repetitive actions and self-harming, were more likely to be associated with SEN.
Li, a 40-year-old housewife caring for two children with SEN, said that sometimes negative reactions from strangers could make situations worse.
She recalled comforting her son, who was crying in public, when a passer-by remarked: “If kids are naughty, you are supposed to scold them.”
