杨益财（拉丁马士单选区议员）先生询问社会及家庭发展部长：

(a) 过去五年，幼儿发展局每年调查了多少幼儿园虐童案件？

(b) 幼儿园虐童案件是否呈上升趋势？

(c) 教育部是否已确定可实施的任何预防性措施，以帮助幼儿园教师应对其工作要求？

马善高（社会及家庭发展部长）先生：幼儿培育署 (ECDA) 调查的儿童管理不善案件数量从2022年的137起略微增至2023年的147起。三年来，经证实的儿童管理不当案件平均数量略有增加，从2022年的每10万名注册儿童约11起案件增加到2023年的约12起案件。调查和经证实的儿童管理不当案件数量的增加，可归因于家长和教育工作者提高了警惕性和对适当举报渠道的认识。

所有教育工作者都应为儿童提供安全和有利的环境。幼儿培育署 (ECDA)加强了培训计划，以便所有教育工作者都清楚自己有义务确保儿童安全。此外，幼儿培育署 (ECDA)还在审查我们的监管框架，以期加强对违规经营者的处罚规定。

幼儿培育署 (ECDA)已采取措施，改善教育工作者的福祉和工作条件，以便他们更好地照顾我们的孩子。这包括从2025年起取消托儿所必须在星期六营业的规定，以及从2024年起，除了六个发展日外，指定教师节和儿童节为学前假期。这将使教育工作者有更多的时间休息并专注于自身发展。

幼儿培育署 (ECDA)还希望建立一支替补人员队伍，以更好地让教育工作者休假。家长也有责任肯定我们教育工作者的工作，并对教育工作者抱有合理的期望，例如何时回复夜间发送的信息。

CHILD ABUSE CASES IN PRESCHOOLS AND TEACHER SUPPORT MEASURES IDENTIFIED

37 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) for each year in the past five years, how many cases of child abuse in preschools have the Early Childhood Development Agency investigated; (b) whether there is a rising trend of child abuse in preschools; and (c) whether the Ministry has identified any upstream measures that can be implemented to help preschool teachers cope with the demands of their jobs.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The number of child mismanagement cases investigated by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) increased slightly from 137 cases in 2022 to 147 cases in 2023. The three-year average number of substantiated child mismanagement cases increased slightly from about 11 cases per 100,000 children enrolled in 2022 to about 12 cases in 2023. The increase in the number of investigations and substantiated child mismanagement cases can be attributed to increased vigilance and awareness of appropriate reporting channels among parents and educators. 

All educators are expected to provide a safe and conducive environment for children. ECDA has strengthened training programmes so that all educators are clear of their obligations to ensure child safety. Additionally, ECDA is also reviewing our regulatory framework, with a view to enhance the penalty provisions on errant operators. 

ECDA has introduced measures to improve the educators' well-being and working conditions so that they can better care for our children. This includes removing the requirement for childcare centres to operate on Saturdays from 2025 and designating Teachers' Day and Children's Day as preschool holidays, on top of six Development Days from 2024 onwards. This allows the educators to have more time to rest and focus on their development.

ECDA is also looking to put in place a relief staff pool to better enable educators to take time-off. Parents also play a role in appreciating the work of our educators and having reasonable expectations on educators, such as when to expect replies to messages sent at night.