Social Welfare ■ 197
Rehabilitation Services
With the aim of integrating persons with disabilities into society and helping them to develop their capabilities fully, government departments and NGOs provide a variety of rehabilitation services to meet their different needs. These services are coordinated by the Commissioner for Rehabilitation on the advice of the RAC.
Services for Children with Disabilities
At year-end, there were 1 860 integrated programme places in ordinary kindergarten-cum-child care centres, 1 474 special child care centre places, including 110 residential places, and 2 045 early education and training centre places for children with disabilities before they enter school. In addition, 56 places in small group homes were also provided for mildly mentally handicapped children who cannot be adequately cared for by their families.
Services for Adults with Disabilities
Persons with disabilities were provided with 1 655 supported employment places to work in open settings with support and assistance. In addition, 432 places created under the On-the-Job Training Programme for People with Disabilities and 311 places for young people with disabilities or showing early signs of mental illness created under the 'Sunnyway' programme were made available to handicapped persons looking for jobs. Those not yet ready to compete for jobs in the open market were accommodated in sheltered workshops where 5 113 places were provided.
A total of 453 places in integrated vocational training centres and 3 399 places in integrated vocational rehabilitation services centres were created to provide a range of integrated vocational training and rehabilitation services. Funding was approved under the 'Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprises' project for 23 NGOs to set up small businesses that can employ persons. with disabilities. It created 44 businesses which provided jobs for about 530 persons unable to compete for jobs in the open market because of their disabilities. The Marketing Consultancy Office (Rehabilitation) assisted vocational rehabilitation services units to develop their marketing and business strategies and employment- aided services.
Day activity centres provided 4 370 places where mentally handicapped persons were taught how to live more independently. There were also 230 places in training and activity centres set up to help former mental patients adjust to normal daily life.
There were 6 699 places in hostels and care homes for persons with disabilities who are unable to live independently in the community, or whose families cannot care for them adequately. Elderly blind persons were provided with 825 places in care-and-attention homes. For former mental patients and discharged chronic mental patients, 1 509 places in halfway houses and 1 407 in long-stay care homes were provided for them.
Professional Back-up and Support Services
Back-up services provided by clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists are available to persons with disabilities in rehabilitation day centres