SOCIAL WELFARE
178
Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Regulation states requirements for residential care homes. The Social Welfare Department's Registration Office of Private Homes for the Elderly has been restructured and renamed the Licensing Office of Residential Care Homes for the Elderly to administer the licensing system provided under the legislative scheme.
Services for Young People
The overall objective of services for young people is to help those aged between six and 24 to develop into mature, responsible and contributing members of society. A Working Group on Services for Youth at Risk has been established to assist the formulation of youth policies.
At the district level, 16 youth offices of the department co-ordinate and strengthen existing youth groups and community organisations, promote new groups and help them develop programmes to meet community needs.
In December 1995, there were 222 children and youth centres operated by non- governmental organisations. With the recommendation of the Report on Review of Children and Youth Centre Services, the children and youth centre service was re- focused to strengthen guidance and support services to young people, apart from developmental and preventive programmes.
All secondary schools have social workers who aim to identify and help students whose academic, social and emotional development is at risk. Twenty-two additional
- school social workers were provided in 1995. At the end of December 1995, 250 school social workers served a student population of 449 000. The department achieved its white paper target in 1994–95 of providing one school social worker to 2 000 students one year in advance.
The outreaching social work service provides counselling and guidance to young people who do not normally participate in conventional social or youth activities and who are vulnerable to undesirable influences. In December 1995, there were 30 teams serving priority areas with a high juvenile crime rate and a high youth population. A review completed in 1995 recommended continual expansion of the service as an effective means to reach out and help young people at risk.
With the introduction of the integrated team service model in 1994, youth services including children and youth centres, outreaching social work, school social work and where possible, family life education, were provided by one team of social workers under one management. Five teams were set up in 1995, giving a total of 10 integrated teams. Three pilot projects under the community support service scheme, which started in October 1994, were targeted to help children and youths who have infringed the law to re-integrate into society. The services will be evaluated in 1996. Uniformed organisations offer young people opportunities to join organised activities with progressive training programmes for the development of character and leadership, to help them become responsible members of the community. This year, 92 100 youths benefited from this service provided by eight subvented organisations. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme has attracted a membership of 41 200 through its 19 operating authorities.
The Opportunities for Youth Scheme offers funding support to youth groups to plan and implement community service projects. In the 1994-95 year, 127 projects were approved involving 2 600 young people and 75 900 service customers benefited.
:
d.........