CHAPTER VII
CONCLUSION
CONSULTATION AND CO-OPERATION WITH VOLUNTARY
WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS
65. Government assumes an overall responsibility for the welfare of the community, and provides some of the more essential and statutory social welfare services to achieve this end. As mentioned in last year's report appreciation must be expressed to the very large number of voluntary organizations and dedicated workers who have given such valuable service to the community. The important part which these organizations play in the Hong Kong social welfare field has required the building up of machinery for consultation, co-ordination and co-operation between themselves and the Government to ensure that the development of necessary welfare services is uniform and efficient. The Department continues to try and improve upon this machinery.
66. Co-ordination between the Social Welfare Department and voluntary agencies is maintained both by direct contact and by a pro- cess of joint consultation. Some forty officers of the Department sit on the management and other committees of various agencies, act as consultants and also advise these agencies of relevant departmental policies. But the main avenue of communication is through bodies which themselves co-ordinate a group of welfare services. Caritas and the Hong Kong Christian Council, for instance, co-ordinate the welfare activities of many Roman Catholic and Protestant Church organiza- tions respectively.
67. The most comprehensive body, however, is the Hong Kong Council of Social Service which provides a convenient vehicle of com- munication with over 80 affiliated member agencies. The Council, which began in 1947 with a small group of concerned people, has been reorganized and strengthened and has emerged into a position of increased respect and standing. There are now separate divisions dealing with rehabilitation, children and youth, family service and child care. The Department is represented on the Council's Executive Committee and lends the support of its officers to many of its other committees.
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