WELFARE OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN
37. The Division is responsible for carrying out statutory respon- sibilities arising out of the Protection of Women and Juveniles Ordin- ance Chapter 213, the Adoption Ordinance Chapter 290, the Marriage Ordinance Chapter 181, Offences Against the Person Ordinance Chapter 212 and the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance Chapter 79.
38. The Department is responsible for the guardianship of children who through desertion or extreme neglect or cruelty on the part of parents have been denied basic care e.g. abandoned children, children of unmarried parents and children in moral or physical danger.
39. The Department's Children's Reception Centre at Chuk Yuen provides temporary care for 80 children who are in need of care and protection. Apart from providing residential care, arrangements are also made for observation and assessment of these children with a view to their eventual placement.
40. Residential and day care services in nurseries, creches and play centres provided for the care of children continue to be in great demand by mothers who have to work to supplement family incomes and others who, for one reason or another, are unable to devote sufficient care and attention to their children at a vital period of their growth.
41. During the year under review more than 11,700 places were available for children in some 77 non-profit-making nurseries and creches and 14 play centres. The majority of these are sponsored by voluntary welfare organizations, and are assisted by a recurrent sub- vention from Government. Some nurseries receive donated equipment from UNICEF.
42. Legal adoption of children is made in accordance with the pro- visions of the Adoption Ordinance, Chapter 290, under which the Director of Social Welfare is required to advise the Supreme Court on the suitability of the adoptive parents. 329 children were adopted locally during the year and it is an encouraging sign that the waiting list of applicants now exceeds the number of children available for adoption. However, there is a small number of disabled children for whom suitable homes are difficult to find. Requests made by overseas families for the adoption of local children are considered by the Depart- ment in conjunction with two voluntary welfare organizations, viz. the
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