Hong Kong’s autism support services are fragmented. Can the private sector help?

Raymond Lam says caring for his five-year-old autistic son requires his full attention.

Photo: Edmond So In the first of a series on challenges facing Hong Kong’s growing autistic population, Fiona Sun examines how the city can mobilise stronger support from the private sector to turn systemic hurdles into opportunities.

Hong Kong parent Raymond Lam Yiu-wah says caring for his five-year-old autistic son has been a constant source of stress, as the boy requires his full attention.

The 42-year-old auditor said his son, diagnosed with autism at the age of two, had yet to speak in full sentences and tended to cling to repetitive routines, which could trigger distress if disrupted.

He said his son rarely initiated interaction with others and struggled to maintain focus.

Adding to the family’s burden was the cost of support services for his son, about HK$1 million (US$127,645) a year, including full-day private one-on-one courses and speech therapy sessions.

He said the family turned to costly private care after finding public services were under-resourced and had long waiting times, adding his son would have to wait more than a year for a government assessment. “We faced enormous mental stress after his diagnosis.

We went through hope, disappointment and eventually had to adjust our expectations,” he said. “There are still so many uncertainties and moments of bewilderment.” Lam added that his concerns were growing as his son would soon start primary school and, as he grew up, would eventually have to find his place in society.

He called for more affordable support services for autistic children.

Experts have said Hong Kong’s autism support services are fragmented and lack resources, leaving patients facing waits of months or years for affordable public support, while private therapies remain prohibitively expensive and put critical early intervention windows at risk.

They called for better mobilisation of the public and private sectors to plug service gaps and meet rising demand in both Hong Kong and mainland China, to turn the city into a centre for autism support services.

The calls were made ahead of the United Nations’ World Autism Awareness Day, which falls on April 2.

In Hong Kong, the population of people with autism is growing.

The number of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and treated under the Hospital Authority was projected to stand at 28,300 in 2025-26, according to the latest official statistics.

The figure is a rise fr

原文链接: 南华早报