IAS to pilot emotional education programme at two childcare centres

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) confirmed yesterday that a midyear pilot will introduce emotional education into childcare services at roughly two centers.

Wilson Hon, IAS president, said earlier this year that the bureau plans to integrate emotional education for young children into childcare services as part of its annual work programme.

According to his earlier remarks, Macau currently has 7,700 childcare slots, meeting 75% of demand for children under three – the highest proportion among neighboring regions.

He said 150 additional slots for children under two will be created this year through internal adjustments to childcarecentre allocations.

As noted, training on incorporating emotional education for young children into childcare services has been completed, and the necessary conditions are in place to continue offering such training to parents.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of an event yesterday, Hon said that his bureau has been working with the University of Macau to design emotionaleducation materials for children under three.

“We will begin midyear,” he said, “and as soon as some materials are ready, we will start rolling them out.”

Hon said the project is expected to be completed this year, with a pilot at about two childcare centres by midyear; if the pilot proves successful, the programme will be expanded to all childcare centres across Macau.

Hon emphasized that ages 0–3 are a critical period during which children learn to express moods and feelings through language – a skill that lays the foundation for emotional regulation later in life. He said authorities began planning emotionaleducation initiatives last year, commissioning the university to train childcarecentre staff and organizing parent seminars on four themes to help parents act as their children’s emotionalregulation coaches.

Meanwhile, as reported, the IAS is nearing completion of a census and registration of elderly people living alone or in twoelder households.

With more than 30,000 questionnaires collected, the bureau has drafted a plan to input the data into a system and link it to a map to pinpoint the distribution and characteristics of solitary elders across districts, enabling targeted, regular care for those at high risk or in need of special attention.