Li San-yuk works irregular hours leaving his wife to care for their three children on her own. The situation grew so difficult Mrs Li felt frustrated and helpless. However, with the assistance of social workers Mr Li now entrusts his second son to the care of a community nanny in the daytime through the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project, relieving his family pressure. He said the project has given him genuine help.

Mr Li told news.gov.hk he took his second son to meet the nanny in a park every day so the pair could get familiarised with each other.

"I am very grateful to the nanny. She never minds changing her arrangements to fit our schedule. We have always been late in picking our son up but she has never shown any dissatisfaction. My son loves to stay at her home," he said.

Mutual assistance: Li San-yuk and his son, Fan Siu-lai, Candy Yeung and Cheng Sau-fong, and Chan Hoi-kwan and Rebecca Koo.

The Social Welfare Department launched the $45 million three-year pilot Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project in 2008-09 to provide more flexible day-care services at neighbourhood level for children under six.

The department's Senior Social Work Officer Rebecca Koo said the project, launched in October, will be extended to all administrative districts of the department by March.

"The main features of the project are flexibility, community participation and neighbourhood support. We hope to promote mutual support so families in need can readily access childcare assistance, reducing the risk of children having accidents while being left unattended at home," she said.

The project has received community support since its launch.

Caring interest

Fan Siu-lai joined the project voluntarily three months ago. She is now caring for an 18-month-old girl. Although the girl initially refused to go into Ms Fan's house for the first two days, she is now reluctant to leave when her father comes to pick her up each night.

"I have never treated it as a job. I try to understand her feelings, likes and dislikes, and play with her. At one time she had a toothache, I immediately reminded her mother to take the girl to see a doctor. The mother and I have maintained very close contact," she said.

Ms Fan also cooks for the girl for no extra charge and has no intention of earning extra from the good deed. She has introduced her friends to the project, such as Candy Yeung.

Witnessing the change in the young girl cared for by her friend, Ms Yeung now also feels enormous satisfaction in helping others. She said knowledge of children's psychological and physical needs are equally important to basic love and patience, so she has joined childcare training seminars to learn more. The training even helps in the care of her own son.

Extended family

Another nanny Cheng Sau-fong and her husband, who have two grown-up sons, have always wanted to have a daughter. They treat the 16-month old girl in their care just like their own daughter. The girl is so attached to them she calls Mr Cheng "dad".

"Children are not difficult to take care of," Ms Cheng said. "Just feed them when they are hungry, let them sleep when they are tired and play with them. Give them more encouragement and hug them more. It is really joyful to watch them growing up."

The three nannies agreed the project offers useful help to their neighbours and they will encourage more people to join. They were chosen by the Christian Family Service Centre to take part in the project. Centre social worker Chan Hoi-kwan praised the three nannies for being highly responsible and full of caring love.

She said participants must be volunteers with love and patience, and with good communication skills, awareness, sensitivity, home environment and family support.

Miss Chan said the centre ensures children are properly taken care of, providing training to nannies, conducting home visits, and arranging meetings for nannies and parents to liaise with each other.