Recent cases in Macau involving young people engaged in “parallel trading” and serious assaults have generated widespread public concern. Macau should adopt “prevention-first and proactive” strategies, optimizing the three links of “prevention, intervention, and emergency response” to strengthen the protection network. I suggest three measures:
Strengthen the Government’s leading role – Optimize the “Interdepartmental Network for Youth Growth Protection” and its working groups, improving the response to and follow-up of at-risk cases. It is recommended to introduce a “case manager” system to integrate school, community, and family resources into individualized plans. Given the high turnover rate among frontline psychologists and social workers, the Government should improve salaries and career prospects in order to stabilize the core workforce of the network.
Deepen the effectiveness of school support – Schools serve as the front line for the “early detection, care, and guidance” of youth. A dual system of “resident social workers” and “special counselors” is recommended to assess and intervene in medium- and high-risk cases, creating alert mechanisms during exam periods and before/after long vacations. Given the gaps in young people’s legal awareness regarding cyberbullying and parallel trading, public services should cooperate in creating legal education materials based on real cases. Interactive formats such as “mock trials” or “risk simulations” would help cultivate legal awareness.
Strengthen responsibility in family education – The family is the core foundation of a child’s development; helping parents become the first line of defense is vital. The Government should upgrade the “Happy Heart” support hotline into a “24-hour online parenting platform,” offering immediate psychological counseling and disciplinary guidance strategies. It should also expand the “Parent School” courses on risk identification and crisis response, promoting effective communication between parents and children.
