SOCIAL WELFARE
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The department operates a telephone hotline service which provides information on welfare services to callers with pre-recorded messages or through facsimile transmission 24 hours a day. Social workers are on duty to provide immediate counselling and advice to customers in need, especially to those in crisis situations.
A wide range of child welfare services is provided. An adoption service arranges permanent homes for children in need. The Child Protective Service provides early intervention and intensive casework service for the protection of children whose safety is endangered by the action or neglect of their parents, care-givers, causing physical or psychological harm, gross neglect and sexual exploitation of the children. The Child Custody Service provides social investigation and casework service for the children who are affected by the separation or divorce of their parents. Residential child care services are provided for children and young people who need care or protection because of family crises or their behavioural or emotional problems. At the end of 1998, there were 600 foster care places, 904 places in small group homes and 1 473 places in children's homes, boys' and girls' homes and hostels.
Child care centres provide day-care facilities for children under the age of six. At the end of 1998, there were 26 315 aided/government day nursery places, 1 000 aided day crèche places and 687 occasional child care places provided in 220 centres. All child care centres were registered under the Child Care Services Ordinance and Child Care Centres Regulations. The Fee Assistance Scheme helps low-income families in financial need to pay child care centre fees. New legislative provisions to regulate childminders and mutual help care groups in order to strengthen protection of young children and to facilitate mutual help child care arrangements were implemented in September 1997.
Medical Social Services
Medical social workers provide patients and their families with individual and group counselling, financial aid, housing assistance or referral to other community resources to facilitate their treatment, rehabilitation and re-integration into the society. To provide easy access to patients and their family members, medical social workers are stationed in public hospitals so that immediate advice and assistance can be rendered to those in need. Medical social workers also contribute and assist in the teaching of student-professionals in medicine, nursing, social work and other allied health professions on the social and psychological implications of illness and disabilities, and in promoting understanding and acceptance of the sick and the disabled. In 1998, 254 000 cases received services from 384 medical social workers.
Care for the Elderly
The basic principle underlying services for the elderly is the belief that we should enable an old person to live in a familiar community with dignity. Where necessary, a spectrum of services should be available to facilitate elderly people's continued participation in society for as long as possible.
'Care for the elderly' is one of the Strategic Policy Objectives announced by the Chief Executive in October 1997, the essence being: 'Caring for the elderly is the responsibility of every family. Elderly people should be provided with a sense of security, a sense of belonging and a feeling of health and worthiness'.