Recently, a professional initiative focused on the healthy development of at-risk children was launched across Wenling City. From February 7 to 17 of 2025, Beijing Chunhui Children’s Foundation and Wenling Civil Affairs Bureau joined hands to conduct a citywide risk-level evaluation for at-risk children. The evaluation team, composed of 40 Chunhui social workers holding certifications in social work, education, and other relevant fields, visited 16 towns and subdistricts, conducting comprehensive evaluations for approximately 1,200 at-risk children and their families. This large-scale endeavor plays a vital role in Wenling’s child welfare system. It supports the precise identification of risks faced by children in difficult situations and provides critical data for formulating individualized care plans. Furthermore, it helps to enhance the overall child welfare framework and offers a solid data foundation for policy development—marking a key step forward in child protection services in Wenling.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the central government, under the leadership of President Xi, has attached great importance to the care and protection of at-risk children, treating it as a key component of national social welfare. In December 2023, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, together with 14 other departments, issued a three-year action plan aimed at improving care services for rural left-behind and at-risk children. In July 2024, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Finance jointly released a notice to support some under-resourced counties in strengthening services for at-risk children.

At-risk children face complex challenges such as poverty, disability, and the absence of adequate guardianship. Many struggle with unstable care environments, emotional issues, and difficulty integrating into society. Extreme incidents still occur from time to time, posing risks not only to the children but also to broader social stability. Although a basic protection system has taken shape under the support of the government, regional disparities and limited service capacity remain, along with gaps in child service professionalism and targeted support.

To put President Xi’s instructions on child protection into practice, Wenling launched a new initiative aimed at strengthening services for at-risk children. In response, Beijing Chunhui Children’s Foundation leveraged its extensive experience in child welfare to take part in this important initiative. As a core element of the initiative, this evaluation marks a turning point. Founded in 2012 and granted public fundraising qualifications in 2017, Chunhui Children is a top-rated 5A social organization. It has been offering long-standing support for orphaned and at-risk children in child welfare institutions through its signature programs—Chunhui Mama, Chunhui Care Home, and Chunhui Village—by recruiting and training front-line caregivers and educators.

Following a strict three-level quality control process—evaluation, review, and cross-checking, the evaluation work proved challenging for the social workers. During the day, they visited homes to carry out evaluations. Some families lived in remote, hard-to-reach areas, requiring a long travel time and early morning departures. At night, after returning from the families, the team did extra work, reviewing and cross-checking the evaluation data they collected to ensure the accuracy of all data. In their limited rest time, they quickly reinvigorated themselves for the next day’s demanding schedule. When children and families hesitated to engage due to self-protection instincts or distrust of strangers, Chunhui social workers remained patient, using sincerity and professionalism to break through barriers. When facing silent children, they applied child-friendly techniques such as “house-tree-person drawing test” and “story card interpretation” to help them open up. Thanks to these methods, the average time required to build initial trust was reduced to just 15 minutes. Every Chunhui social worker on the team walked through every corner of Wenling, delivering both warmth and professionalism to families in need.

Focusing on three key dimensions—family guardianship capacity, children’s psychological and behavioral characteristics, and available social support—the evaluation team used tools such as the “At-Risk Children Risk Level evaluation Form” and the “Children’s Psychological Behavior Scale” to quantify risks.  They also established a friendly connection with the children through plays, storytelling, and card games, which enabled them to gather emotional and behavioral data dynamically. To ensure data objectivity, the team used scientific data models to conduct cross-analysis and finally developed 1,200 personalized evaluation reports. These reports will offer strong, evidence-based support for the government in developing tailored support policies.

The goal of this evaluation was to use professional tools to evaluate the care environment of at-risk children and analyze the risks they face in areas such as guardianship, emotional well-being, and behavior. Based on the findings, each child will receive an individualized care plan under a “one child, one file” system that allows for dynamic updates. The core objective is to reinforce the primary role of the family guardianship, ensure families fulfill their responsibilities, and safeguard both the healthy development and legal rights of at-risk children. Ultimately, this effort aims to build a comprehensive, systematic, and efficient care service framework.

Throughout the evaluation process, Chunhui’s social workers followed the “best interests of the child” principle—placing children at the center of every action, listening to their voices, and assessing their needs from the perspective of their future development. With deep commitment to professionalism, they listened carefully and offered support with love, ensuring all evaluation data was truthful, accurate, and comprehensive. They also strictly adhered to confidentiality standards, respecting the privacy and dignity of every child and family involved.

At-risk children are among society’s most vulnerable groups, and their growth depends on additional care and support. Wenling’s child care service initiative reflects the government’s deep commitment to protecting these children—and represents the joint efforts of many in society.

This evaluation project is a meaningful step in Chunhui Children’s mission and a key milestone for improving child protection services in Wenling. The participation of Beijing Chunhui Children’s Foundation has injected new energy into the city’s efforts. With its rich experience in child care services, Chunhui Children has provided Wenling’s at-risk children and families with professional evaluations and follow-up support.

With the continued efforts of all involved, Wenling’s at-risk children will receive more accurate and professional care and support—and grow up in an environment filled with love. Moving forward, Chunhui Children will continue to follow up on the results of the evaluation, promote the implementation of care plans, and encourage more social forces to join in. Together, we can raise a warmer, brighter sky for every child in need.