CRC/C/CHN/CO/3-4 assistance and support services to parents and legal guardians, including to working parents, in the performance of child-rearing responsibilities. It further recommends that the State party reform the school merger programme in mainland China and prioritize family environment and community-based care rather than institutionalization of children. 50. The Committee is concerned that women from mainland China who are married to residents of Hong Kong, China and also have children who are residents of Hong Kong, China are not able to obtain residence permits in Hong Kong, China, and thus regularly have to go to mainland China to renew their one-way entry permits, and that they are not entitled to work or family support in Hong Kong, China, creating an unstable and vulnerable family situation for their children. 51. In accordance with article 9, the Committee recommends that Hong Kong, China take all necessary measures to facilitate family reunification, including by granting these mothers residence permits in Hong Kong, China. Children deprived of a family environment 52. The Committee is seriously concerned about the widespread abandonment of children in mainland China, particularly children with disabilities and girls, mainly due to the State party’s family planning policy and discrimination and stigma attached to children with disabilities and girls. Furthermore, while it notes that the NPCD calls for an increase in qualified child welfare professionals by 2020, the Committee is concerned that the NPCD and other new policies advocate for the establishment of children’s homes and offer greater funding for such institutions than for kinship and community-based care, which could unintentionally create incentives for government agencies to institutionalize children rather than seek community-based alternative care options. 53. The Committee is concerned about the absence of procedures for regular review of the placement of children in care in Hong Kong, China and the lack of legislation on the termination of parental rights when necessary. It is also concerned about the insufficient professional support and care provided to families and children in Hong Kong, China and that the best interests of the child and the right of the child to be heard are not sufficiently considered in family crisis situations. The Committee is concerned that in Hong Kong, China and Macao, China, children deprived of family care are placed in residential institutions rather than in family-based care. 54. The Committee urges the State party to take immediate steps in mainland China to eliminate the widespread stigma in relation to girls and children with disabilities and reform its family planning policy, in an effort to address the root causes of the abandonment of girls and children with disabilities. It further recommends that, in all areas under the State party’s jurisdiction, the best interests of the child be prioritized in all decisions about alternative care for children and that community-based, family-type care be preferred over institutionalization. The Committee further recommends that the State party continue to increase the number of professionals working with children and provide training to all professionals, including through allocation of additional government resources. 55. The Committee recommends that Hong Kong, China implement the Law Reform Commission’s recommendations concerning law and procedural reforms in this area and that Macao, China and Hong Kong, China increase resources and services, including family and psychosocial counselling and parent education, and train all professionals working with children. It further recommends that the rights of the child to have his or her best interests taken as a primary consideration and to be heard are fully taken into account in all decisions regarding custody, residence, 12