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The Forum was hosted at The CUHK Graduate Law Centre, Chinese University of Hong Kong which is located at the 2/F Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Central, Hong Kong.
The Forum was held over two days: Friday, 13 November 2015 from 13:00 to 18:30 Saturday, 14 November 2015 from 8:30 to 18:30 |
Day 1 Friday 13 November 2015 |
4.5 CPD Points
The Law Society of Hong Kong |
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Registration 13:00 - 13:30
Welcome Address 13:30 - 13:35 Opening Address 13:35 - 13:45 Keynote Address 13:45 - 14:00 Welcome Dean and Simon F.S. Li Professor of Law Christopher Gane, Faculty of Law, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Professor Michael Hor, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong Opening Address The Rt. Hon. Sir Matthew Thorpe QC Keynote Address The Hon. Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma Tao-Li, GBM |
Panel 1 14:00 - 15:45
Q&A 15:45 - 16:00 Refreshment 16:00 - 16:15 Law reforms in dealing with children on divorce: a Children Bill for Hong Kong UPDATE Unfortunately, the long awaited Children’s Bill has not yet been made available to the public, despite statements by the relevant government department that it would be released in July 2015. Whilst we have waited as long as possible in the hope of receiving the Bill, we now have no choice but to amend the content of this Panel’s discussion to address instead the participants’ suggestions for what could and indeed should be included in any the new legislation. We are hopeful that this Panel’s presentations and subsequent discussion with the audience can be a useful starting point for feedback to the government on what today, 10 years after the original Law Reform Commission report, is needed to address children’s legal issues in Hong Kong (15/10/2015). 10 years since the Law Reform Commission's report on Child Custody, the Administration is drawing up a Children Bill. This panel seeks to consider the relative merits and challenges presented by the proposed changes to the law on child custody. |
Panel 2 A 16:15 - 17:00
Break 17:00 - 17:10 Panel 2 B 17:10 - 18:15 Q&A 18:15 - 18:30 Experiences from other jurisdictions - those who have reformed? those who have decided against change? UPDATE As noted, the Children’s Bill is not yet available. Nonetheless, as originally envisaged, this Panel will provide an international perspective on the successes on challenges faced by other jurisdictions in the reform and application of child law. It is hoped that this too may provide useful feedback to the government on its proposed reforms (15/10/2015). We have the benefit of hearing from several eminent overseas speakers on how their respective jurisdictions have dealt with framing the legal form and principles relevant to the parent-child relationship, particularly post-divorce. Indeed, how do other jurisdictions, whether common law or civil law, Western or Asian, decide issues of custody and what could be learnt from the experience of those jurisdictions? |
Day 2 Saturday 14 November 2015 |
7 CPD Points
The Law Society of Hong Kong |
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Registration 08:30 - 09:00
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Panel 1 09:00 - 09:30
Q&A 09:30 - 09:45 Refreshment 09:45 - 10:00 Children's Dispute Resolution in Hong Kong In October 2012 a pilot scheme for Children’s Dispute Resolution was introduced in the Hong Kong family courts. The scheme aimed to enhance effective case management, encourage parties to reach agreement and thereby to promote case settlement and reduce conflict. In this session the relative merits and successes, or otherwise, of the scheme will be discussed. |
Panel 2 10:00 - 11:15
Q&A 11:15 - 11:30 Representing Children's Perspective This panel hopes to explore: (i) ways in which such processes can become more child inclusive, (ii) how we can ensure that the children are truly heard and in the most appropriate manner, and (iii) how to strike a fine balance between shielding children from manipulation and adult conflict, whilst safeguarding their right to be involved and heard in any decision making process related to them. The panel will consider this topic from a social welfare, psychological, legal and first person perspective, with the latter being provided by the children themselves. |
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Panel 3 11:30 - 12:45
Q&A 12:45 - 13:00 Frontline Experience The law does not exist in a vacuum. In this session, those who work on the frontline to promote children’s interests, child welfare and child protection discuss the unmet needs of children in Hong Kong and what steps can be taken to address those needs in terms of both policy initiatives, legal enforcement and reform. |
Lunch Break 13:00 - 14:30
Lunch Break Forum attendees are free to make their own arrangements for luncheon. The Panel 4 Session will begin promptly at 14:30. |
Panel 4 14:30 - 16:00
Q&A 16:00 - 16:15 Refreshment 16:15 - 16:30 Children's Issues: Data Effective policy development and law-making are dependent upon accurate and up to date data. Without such data, the resulting policy and law may be based on outdated, biased or ineffective information. In this session the way in which data about children’s issues and needs can be collected and analysed are discussed, including the roles of various stakeholders in that process. The question as to whether there is a need to enhance Hong Kong’s child-related policy and law-making by developing a better approach to gathering and using data, and if so, how, will be canvassed. |
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Panel 5 16:30 - 17:45
Q&A 17:45 - 18:00 Children's Issues: Policy This session will consider how to maximize effective policy making for family justice systems. What can different disciplines: legal, social, political and medical, bring to this process? How can more collaborative, integrative and interdisciplinary decision making and policy formulation for children and families be facilitated in Hong Kong? The session will discuss local and overseas perspectives on policy-making on children's issues so that those responsible may make more effective and sustainable policy for children in Hong Kong. |
Closing Address 18:00 - 18:15
Closing Remarks 18:15 - 18:30 Closing Drinks 18:30 - 20:00 Closing Official close of the Third Children's Issues Forum 2015. Closing Address Kids' Dream, Hong Kong Closing Remarks Russell Coleman SC Temple Chambers Closing Drinks All attendees are invited to join a short cocktail reception to mark the closing of the Third Children's Issues Forum. |
Forum Closing Dinner
20:00 - 23:00 Mr David H Glynn on behalf of the CIF 3 Organising Committee Forum Closing Dinner The Third Children's Issues Forum Closing Dinner will be held on Saturday evening at the Hong Kong Club. |