As the consultation period for the 2017 Policy Address and coincided with the approaching Christmas holiday, the HKFWC and Tin Shui Wai Community Network organised a sing-along with a group of mothers and their children before the central government offices to call for increased measures to support childcare. The choir of 20 stood in a straight line, holding guitars and their children's hands as they marched to the headquarters and sang to government. In their songs written to the tune of Christmas carols and songs from the women's community, they sang their protest of government's disregard of the needs of the caregiver community, and demanded that the 2017 Policy Address reflect their appeal.
The HKFWC and the Tin Shui Wai Community Network urged that government promote more policies to support childcare for low-income families. We issued the following recommendations:
- Provide allowances for caregivers engaged in long-term care.
- Implement the caregivers allowances for children with special learning needs.
- Develop a comprehensive plan for childcare support services.
- Accelerate the consultancy study of childcare services.
- Normalise the childcare nanny profession.
- Promote family-friendly employment policies.