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Social Welfare
The Tuen Mun Children and Juvenile Home, with 388 places, provides educational, pre- vocational and character training to juvenile offenders as well as children and young people with behavioural and/or family problems.
The Young Offender Assessment Panel, run jointly by the Correctional Services Department (CSD) and the SWD, provides the courts with professional views on sentencing options for offenders aged 14 to below 25. The Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners Scheme, another joint service of the SWD and CSD, assisted 775 discharged prisoners rehabilitate and reintegrate into the community in 2012. The SWD provides funding to an NGO to offer hostel and supportive services to ex-offenders.
Services for Young People
The objective of welfare services for young people is to help those aged between six and 24 become mature, responsible and contributing members of society. NGOs provide a range of preventive, supportive and remedial services to achieve this goal.
Integrated Children and Youth Services Centres
At year-end, there were 138 Integrated Children and Youth Services Centres (ICYSCs), providing centre-based services, outreach services and school social work services to address young people's developmental needs.
Outreaching Services
The 16 district youth outreaching social work teams provide services to high-risk youths and deal with juvenile gang issues. Eighteen designated ICYSCs provide outreaching services at night to help youths who loiter at neighbourhood black-spots get back on the right track.
Services for Juvenile Delinquents
Five Community Support Service Scheme teams operated by NGOs assist young people who are subject to the Police Superintendent's Discretion Scheme (PSDS). The Family Conference Scheme, run jointly by the SWD and the Hong Kong Police Force, assists juveniles cautioned under the PSDS for the second time or who are in need of the services of three or more parties. Social workers, police officers, teachers and parents of these young people work together to decide what is best for them.
Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services
At year-end, the SWD was subventing 14 residential drug treatment and rehabilitation centres and halfway houses, 11 counselling centres for psychotropic substance abusers and two centres for drug counselling. In 2012, 22 licences and 18 certificates of exemption for drug treatment and rehabilitation centres were issued or renewed under the Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres (Licensing) Ordinance.
School Social Work Service
At year-end, a total of 568 school social workers were provided to 471 secondary schools to help students with academic, social and emotional problems and to maximise their educational opportunities.
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