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Social Welfare
Improving the CSSA Scheme
With effect from 1 April, the SWD provides rent allowance to CSSA recipients who have been Tenants Purchase Scheme flat owner-occupiers under the Housing Authority for more than five years. From the same date, the SWD includes post-secondary students of CSSA families in the calculation of rent allowance so a family's entitlement will not be affected if it has members. receiving post-secondary education.
In the school year 2014-15, the SWD increased by $1,000 the grant for school-related expenses for primary and secondary students of CSSA families, in addition to the annual price adjustment according to the established mechanism.
Pilot Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong
The Pilot Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong, launched in June, provides eligible elderly persons on the Central Waiting List for subsidised care-and-attention places with an option to live in the two elderly homes in Shenzhen and Zhaoqing which are run by Hong Kong NGOs.
Pilot Scheme on Living Allowance for Carers of the Elderly Persons from Low Income Families
The two-year Pilot Scheme on Living Allowance for Carers of the Elderly Persons from Low Income Families under the Community Care Fund (CCF) rolled out in June aims to provide such carers with a living allowance to help supplement their living expenses so that elderly persons in need of long term care services may, with their carers' help, receive proper care to enable them to remain in the community.
Bought Place Scheme for Private Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities
The Bought Place Scheme (BPS) was made permanent in October on completion of a four-year pilot scheme. By year-end, the government had purchased 365 places in seven private Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities under the BPS to increase the supply of subsidised residential care places for persons with disabilities and to provide them with more options.
Lump Sum Grant Subvention System
Enhancements to the Lump Sum Grant (LSG) Subvention System in 2014 included implementing the 'Best Practice Manual' from July for 164 NGOs subvented under the LSG system, allowing NGOs greater flexibility in using the Provident Fund reserve, and providing NGOs with additional recurrent subvention of $470 million from 2014-15 onwards.
Social Welfare Programmes
Family and Child Welfare
SWD and NGOs provide a variety of family and child welfare services.
Family Services
Services for families in need are provided at three levels. At the primary level, attempts are made through early identification, public education, publicity and empowerment to prevent family
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