CHAPTER 12
SOCIAL WELFARE
170
HONG KONG is not a welfare state but the community cares deeply about its state of welfare. Its residents expect the government to help the disadvantaged maintain an acceptable standard of living. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) spent $7 billion five years ago; in 1997, it spent $20.6 billion.
The responsibility for carrying out government policies on social welfare rests with the Director of Social Welfare. It is based on the objectives set out in three White Papers, the most recent on rehabilitation entitled Equal Opportunities and Full Participation: A Better Tomorrow for All (1995).
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The government is advised on social welfare policy by the Social Welfare Advisory Committee, covering all areas of social welfare development, and the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee (the former Rehabilitation Development Co-ordinating Committee), on matters of rehabilitation. An Elderly Commission under the auspices of the Health and Welfare Bureau was set up in July 1997 to advise on and co- ordinate services for the elderly including health, medical, welfare, education, housing, and employment. Committee/Commission members are appointed by the Chief Executive and their meetings are chaired by non-officials. The SWD maintains a close working partnership with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), most of which are subvented by the government and affiliated with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. The Co-ordinating Committee for the Welfare of Children and Youth at Risk chaired by the Secretary for Health and Welfare examines the various issues relating to youth at risk and child abuses.
Since April 1, 1997, elderly recipients who meet the prescribed criteria and choose to retire permanently to Guangdong have been able to continue receiving their monthly standard rate and annual long-term supplement payable under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme. This represents a significant step forward in the operation of the social security system in Hong Kong. Previously, as in most other places in the world, social security benefits were payable only to persons residing permanently in Hong Kong.
More services were provided in 1997 to meet the arising needs. They included the addition of 1 356 day nursery places, 72 day crèche places, 90 occasional child care places, six small group homes, eight home help teams, one clinical psychology unit, eight clinical psychologists and 10 child protection workers. For young people, 14 additional school social workers and one outreaching social work team were provided, four combined children and youth centres and six integrated teams were established, and two pilot projects to help youth at risk were launched. For the elderly, a further 63 places in homes for the aged, 439 care-and-attention home