SOCIAL WELFARE
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regions Hong Kong Island, West Kowloon, East Kowloon and the New Territories. The district offices are the main points of contact with the public and voluntary welfare organisations and they provide a complete range of social welfare services. The department also has Development and Social Security branches responsible for the central planning and development of new policies in social welfare and social security, and a Subventions Branch which deals with the central administration of subventions, evaluation and the servicing of the various advisory committees.
On all matters of social welfare policy, except rehabilitation, the government is advised by the Social Welfare Advisory Committee, whose members are appointed by the Governor. This committee is under the chairmanship of the Director of Social Welfare. The Rehabilitation Development Co-ordinating Committee advises on rehabilitation services and is chaired by an unofficial.
During 1980, a review was carried out of the staffing structure in the voluntary sector, following the lines of a similar review in the Social Welfare Department in 1978-9. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that the best use is made of trained social workers and to improve career structures for social workers at all levels. A working party is being set up by the Secretary for Social Services to look into the shortage of trained social workers and to devise a long-term manpower policy.
Voluntary agencies play a key role in the provision and development of social welfare services in Hong Kong. Most are affiliated with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and are assisted by annual subventions from the government. These subventions amounted to $159 million in the 1980-1 financial year. In the middle of the year, a government working party recommended major changes in the present discretionary system of sub- vention, which would provide 100 per cent of the financing for the basic costs of defined services, and these proposals were still being discussed with the voluntary sector at year's end.
The Community Chest, which has some 77 welfare bodies affiliated with it, represents an endeavour by these organisations to co-ordinate their local fund-raising activities. The Community Chest raised $19 million in its 12th annual fund-raising campaign in 1979-80, compared with $17.7 million in 1978–9.
Social Security
Social security is provided through the Public Assistance Scheme, the Special Needs Allowance Scheme, the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme and Emergency Relief. All of these schemes are administered by the Social Welfare Department.
Public Assistance, which is means-tested and non-contributory, is designed to help needy individuals and families by bringing their income up to a basic subsistence level. To be eligible for public assistance, applicants who are under 15 or more than 59 years must have lived in Hong Kong for at least one year. Able-bodied unemployed applicants, aged between 15 and 59, must have two years' residence in Hong Kong and also must be registered with the Local Employment Service of the Labour Department for employment. Young people aged between 15 and 17 are eligible as dependents of their families, unless they are orphans or are without relatives.
The scales of assistance are regularly reviewed and were last adjusted on September 1, 1980, when an increase of 22 per cent was made to keep pace with inflation. In addition to the basic scale rates, old age supplement, disability supplement (effective from April 1), and long-term supplement are payable to eligible applicants.