SOCIAL WELFARE
At the end of the year, the Social Welfare Department and non-governmental organisa- tions provided a total of 766 integrated programme places, 987 special child care places (including 54 residential places) and 905 early education and training centre places for pre-school disabled children. In addition, the service of a clinical psychologist was provided for autistic children in special child care centres. For disabled adults, there were 2 293 day activity centre places providing day care, daily living skills and work training for the mentally handicapped; 4 575 sheltered workshop places providing employment for disabled persons unable to compete in the open job market; and 2 548 hostel places and 17 supported housing places for those disabled persons who could neither live independently nor be adequately cared for by their families, or who lived in areas too remote from their places of training or employment. For aged blind persons unable to look after themselves adequately, or who were in need of care and attention, 339 places were provided in homes and care-and-attention homes for the aged blind. In addition, 200 long-stay care home places, 809 halfway house places and 110 day activity centre places were provided for discharged mental patients. Twenty-one social and recreational centres were provided for all categories of disabled persons.
The supported employment scheme introduced by the department continues to provide employment opportunities for disabled persons. Various supported employment service models are being developed.
To improve service quality, professional back-up from clinical psychologists, occu- pational therapists and physiotherapists is provided in all rehabilitation day centres and hostels. Other support services include the respite service, which provides short-term relief to families with mentally-handicapped persons, and five home-based training teams which help train mentally-handicapped persons while they await placement.
The Queen Elizabeth Foundation for the Mentally Handicapped, set up in August 1988, aims to further the welfare, education and training of mentally-handicapped persons and to promote their employment prospects. The management and use of the foundation's funds are determined by a council appointed by the Governor. During the year, the foundation allocated $9 million in the form of grants or sponsorships to 42 non-governmental organisations and three government departments, enabling them to undertake projects for the benefits of mentally-handicapped persons. The fund stood at $119 million on March 31, 1993.
Staff Development and Training
Training of professional social workers is provided by the universities, polytechnics and post-secondary colleges. The Social Welfare Department and non-governmental organisations assist in the provision of practical work placements for social work students from these institutions.
The department, through its Lady Trench Training Centre, provides various types of in-service training programmes such as orientation courses for newly-recruited staff, basic social work training for non-professional grade staff, induction training for staff transferred to a new service area and staff development programmes to provide knowledge and skills to help handle the increasingly complicated social problems. During the year, the training centre organised 266 programmes, seminars and workshops for 10 001 participants. It also operates a child care centre for 113 children aged between two and six years, which serves as a training facility for child care personnel.
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