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Social Welfare
Prevention of Fraud and Abuse
To preserve the integrity of the social security system and ensure the proper use of public funds, the department's Special Investigation Section prevents and combats fraud and abuse of social security assistance. The public can make reports via a special hotline, 2332 0101. At the year end, 230 abusers had been jailed, bound over, ordered to perform community service, fined, or given warnings.
Funding
Subventions and Service Monitoring
Through a Lump Sum Grant Subvention System, recurrent subventions were given to 170 NGOs to provide social welfare services in accordance with government policies. Capital grants from the Lotteries Fund were allocated to NGOs on the advice of the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee to meet NGOs' non-recurrent commitments. A Service Performance Monitoring System keeps track of the output, outcome and service quality of subvented units, according to 16 well-defined service quality standards and specific funding and service agreements, through regular self-assessment reports submitted by NGOs and review/surprise visits conducted by the department.
A Lump Sum Grant Independent Complaints Handling Committee handles complaints related to NGOs receiving lump-sum grants that cannot be addressed satisfactorily at the NGO level.
NGOs can refer to a Best Practice Manual that was published on 1 July 2014. To facilitate its implementation, the department launched an 'Envisioning Programme on the Best Practice Manual' in 2015 to provide a platform for the sharing of experience and knowledge on challenges and opportunities arising from an increased transparency and accountability in corporate governance, financial management and human resource management.
Social Welfare Development Fund
The Social Welfare Development Fund supports all subvented NGOs to carry out training and professional development programmes, business system upgrading projects and service delivery enhancement studies. In 2015, about $1 million was approved for three applications.
Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged
The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged promotes cross-sectoral collaboration in helping the disadvantaged through social welfare projects by providing grants that match donations. made by business organisations. In 2015, this fund allocated about $47.5 million for 51 welfare NGOs to implement 82 welfare projects.
To encourage more cross-sectoral collaboration, the government injected another $400 million into the fund in 2015-16, with $200 million dedicated to implementing more after-school learning and support programmes for primary and secondary students from grassroots families. In 2015, the fund allocated about $41 million for 67 welfare NGOs and schools to implement 78 dedicated fund projects.
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