Built in the 1950s and '60s, the Shek Kip Mei Housing Estate will have accomplished its historic mission by the end of this week. Many former residents are making their last trips back to the estate, to relive the fond memories they have of the past.

Communal bathrooms, public toilets and open kitchens set up along the corridors may not be acceptable by today's standards. Yet, families at that time took pride in having their own tiny flats, to house under one roof their children and elders.

The forbearance and support family members rendered each other, the concern and kindness of the neighbours, so dearly cherished by society at the time, have long faded into history, only to be reminisced occasionally in replays of old Cantonese movies.

Admittedly, we have a higher quality of life today. The hectic pace of modern society, added to it the various demands occasioned by our daily needs, turn some of us away from our loved ones in pursuit of our personal aspirations. Personal choices sometimes come before the family's interests, inter-personal relationships recede, and families and friends are sacrificed.

Upholding family values key to problem solving

Family harmony is the foundation of social harmony. Social problems, far and wide, find roots in the non-functioning of some of the family values. The key to strengthening the family fabric lies in the fortification of relations among individual family members. Families, whose members are ready to hold on to one another and stand by each other, find problems easier to resolve.

A harmonious family has intrinsic values at its core, including filial piety, mutual love and respect between spouses, and parental love for children. Without the devotion and selfless giving of our family members, life would not have been the same for all of us.

The lack of love and understanding among family members will have a profound effect on one's personal development. To address the problem at source, we are promoting and strengthening family education to re-instill in our community the need to live out the basic family values capped under the umbrella of "modeling", "harmony", "care" and "commitment".

Welfare policies family oriented

The elements of a family are embedded in various policy portfolios, such as education, housing, tax regime and family welfare. Successful implementation of "family-friendly policies" would need the collaboration of different Government departments.

In the past few years, we have been promoting a family-oriented welfare policy, including integrating various family services to make them more comprehensive and accessible, and providing home-based services to help the elderly continue to live with their families. These efforts are bearing fruit. We hope to apply this approach more holistically and comprehensively to more policy areas.

We need to think outside the box in tackling the challenges faced by families in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive announced in his recent Policy Address Government's plan to conduct a study on the setting up of an integrated, holistic and high-level Family Commission.

New commission can promote family values

At present, we have separate commissions and bodies set up specifically to handle issues from the perspectives of the elderly, youth and women. A Family Commission can help examine government policies from the angle of family and assess their impact on families before implementation. Promoting family values can also be one of the commission's key tasks.

In our study on the feasibility of setting up the Family Commission, we will take stock of existing family-related policies and resources, and review the re-organisation and resources re-allocation that need to follow to provide more effective and coordinated support to families across different policy areas. We aim to complete the study in six months. A final decision will be made by the next Administration.

Community support is pivotal to strengthening the foundation of a family. To this end, we need closer collaboration across different sectors, social strata and professions. We all need to, starting from our own families, walk the talk. With our concerted efforts, we will see the rainbow in the sky.

This opinion piece from Dr York Chow appeared in several local newspapers.