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SOCIAL WELFARE
Apart from the services provided by the department, voluntary agencies such as the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society, the Lok Heep Club of Caritas - Hong Kong, the Society of Boys' Centres, the Hong Kong Student Aid Project, the Hong Kong Juvenile Care Centre, the Pelletier Hall and the Marycove Centre, all make significant contributions to the correctional services programme.
Family Welfare Services and Child Care
The main objective of family welfare services is to help individuals cope with or, where possible, to avoid personal and family problems; thereby preserving and strengthening the family unit. These services are provided on a territory-wide basis through 19 centres operated by the Social Welfare Department and a number of voluntary agencies and, in hospitals, by the Medical and Health Department's medical social workers.
Services include counselling on personal and family problems; care and protection for young people under the age of 21; residential and foster care for children up to the age of 21; day care for children under six; and referrals for schooling, housing, employment, financial assistance, legal advice, medical attention, home help, and placements in appro- priate institutions for vulnerable groups. The number of families and individuals assisted in 1981 was 20 412.
As an adjunct to the services provided through Family Services Centres, the Family Life Education Unit of the Social Welfare Department co-ordinates the promotion of publicity and programmes aimed at fostering positive attitudes to social and family responsibilities. Territory-wide campaigns making extensive use of the mass media are supported by district level programmes organised by social workers. The theme of the 1981 publicity campaign was on the need for mutual understanding between parents and their adolescent offsprings. The department also exercises statutory responsibilities under a number of ordinances, including the Protection of Women and Juvenile Ordinance, the Guardianship of Minors Ordinance, the Marriage Ordinance and the Offences Against the Person Ordinance.
All child care centres are subject to registration, inspection and control under the Child Care Centres Ordinance and Regulations. The prime objective of child care centres is to provide full day care and supervision for children under the age of six in accordance with standards laid down in legislation. An additional 540 places opened in subvented child care centres in 1981 bringing the total number of subvented places to 12 111.
Residential care is also provided, when necessary, to children and young persons. Studies continued on the best ways of meeting the needs of children who require residential care, and recommendations have been made on improving children's homes and of developing non-institutional care especially foster care and small group homes.
The Adoption Unit handles both local and overseas adoptions the latter with the assistance of a voluntary agency. During the past two years, it has also handled cases involving Vietnamese children who arrived in Hong Kong during the refugee influx. At the end of the year there were 475 cases of legal adoption by court orders, 25 proposed adoption cases and 164 cases of overseas adoption.
Care of the Elderly
Direct services to the elderly are provided mainly by the voluntary sector with assistance from the government. They aim at promoting the well-being of the elderly, primarily through care in the community, but, where necessary, by referral to a residential institution. Community services include home help, meals, visiting and laundry services, community education, and social and recreational activities. By the end of 1981 there were 168 home
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