Survey: Poverty from disability is a scenario that exists in the city

A research project on children in poverty commissioned by the Caritas Macau shows that around 47% of impoverished children are from single-parent families.
The study received completed questionnaires from 146 children in July 2020, and conducted focus groups with 41 other children and their parents. The research team studied children aged 2 to 12 from three types of disadvantaged families: subsidized families, low-income families, and families using food support.
About a quarter of the sample were families that had newly immigrated. Over 2% of all the families had arrived in Macau less than a year and a half ago. Families with members that hold Mainland China Exit and Entry Permits made up 11% of the sample.
In a press conference held last week, Dr Chan Kam Tong, an associate professor of Social Work and Social Administration at Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC), stressed that poverty from disability is a scenario that exists in Macau. The study found out that less than one-fifth of the families had physically disabled family members.
About 60% of the children possessed the ability to regulate their emotions, while about 27% did not. Nearly 30% of the children showed a tendency towards Internet addiction.
The study also discovered that 10% of parents had habits such as alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addictions and criminal records.
The research team suggested the government establish more policies to safeguard children’s health. The education and social welfare sectors should expand their efforts to promote children’s emotional health and support should also be provided to disadvantaged families.
Meanwhile, the academic reminded parents that they are the most impactful examples for their children’s development and behavior.
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Chan hinted that domestic or parental violence may be absorbed mentally by children and repeated.
“Some children use relatively violent methods to sort out problems. Their parents use similar methods on them,” Chan said. “There is a possibility that the children will resort to violence at school when they are faced with conflicts with schoolmates.”
He added that the verbal and non-verbal behaviors of parents directly affects their children.