workers who have given such valuable service to the community. The important part which these organizations play has required the build- ing up of proper machinery for consultation, co-ordination and co- operation between themselves and the Government to ensure that avail- able resources are utilized in the most efficient way possible to meet the needs of the community.
15. Co-ordination between the Social Welfare Department and voluntary agencies is maintained both by direct contact and by a process 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.
16. 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 re-organized 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 services 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.
Staff
17. The approved establishment of the Department was 1,561 for 1971-72. The number of staff in service on 1st April, 1972 was 1,458, leaving 103 vacancies.
18. During the year 82 appointments were made to the Assistant Social Welfare Officer grade and 126 appointments were made to other departmental grades.
19. A detailed breakdown of the types and numbers of staff are given in Appendix 4.
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