TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 1977
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SCHEME TO EXPAND
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (TUESDAY) URGED HEADMASTERS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE.
HE MADE THIS PLEA AT THE SEVENTH GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE TANG SHIU KIN PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE HONG KONG WESTERN DISTRICT WOMEN'S WELFARE CLUB.
HE SAID ANY STUDENT WHO HAD PROBLEMS CONCERNING HIMSELF, HIS FAMILY OR SCHOOLWORK OR A TEACHER WHO HAD COME ACROSS ANY STUDENT WITH EMOTIONAL, BEHAVIOURAL OR SOCIAL PROBLEMS SHOULD APPROACH THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER FOR ADVICE AND GUIDANCE.
FOR SCHOOLS WITH NO SOCIAL WORKERS ASSIGNED TO THEM, HE CONTINUED, CASES SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE FAMILY SERVICES OFFICES OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WHEN SUCH A SERVICE WAS REQUIRED.
THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SCHEME WAS LAUNCHED JOINTLY BY THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS IN 1974, MR. LEE SAID.
*WITH THE CONCERTED EFFORTS OF TEACHERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS, STUDENTS ARE BEING HELPED TO SOLVE THE IR MANY PERSONAL AND FAMILY PROBLEMS, TO IMPROVE THE IR BEHAVIOUR BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOLS AND TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING INFLUENCED BY OR JOINING CRIMINAL ELEMENTS, HE EMPHASISED.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, MR. LEE CONTINUED, THE SERVICE
HAD BEEN MAKING STEADY PROGRESS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR, THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS HAD INCREASED FROM FIVE TO 10 WITH A TOTAL ENROLMENT OF 12,000 PUPILS. IN THE PRESENT YEAR, ANOTHER 17 SCHOOLS WITH A TOTAL OF 19,000 PLACES HAD BEEN SELECTED TO JOIN THE SERVICE.
AS FOR THE PLANS TO STRENGTHEN THE SERVICE, THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WOULD EMPLOY ADDITIONAL SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS FOR THE 1977/78 SCHOOL YEAR THUS INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS PROVIDED WITH THIS SERVICE FROM 17 TO 85.
+ IN THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, EIGHT AGENCIES ARE ALREADY PROVIDING SIMILAR SERVICE TO 99 SCHOOLS WITH A TOTAL OF OVER 80,000 PUPILS. THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE AGENCIES TO EXPAND THE IR SERVICES TO COVER MORE SCHOOLS, HE ADDED.