THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1977
VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS MEETING DEMANDS
FOR CHILD CARE SERVICES
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MORE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS ARE EXPANDING THEIR CHILD CARE SERVICES AND SETTING UP MORE CHILD CARE CENTRES TO MEET INCREASING DEMANDS BY THE COMMUNITY, MR. MAK WING-BONG, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE SAID TODAY WHEN HE OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE LUTHERAN PHILIP HOUSE NURSERY AT ITS NEW PREMISES.
THE NURSERY, SITUATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF MAGNOLIA HOUSE, MA TAU WAI ESTATE, HAS 60 PLACES - TEN MORE THAN AT ITS OLD ADDRESS AT FOK LO CHUEN ROAD, KOWLOON CITY. IT WAS SPONSORED BY A WEST GERMAN ORGANISATION BEFORE IT BEGAN RECEIVING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES IN APRIL 1974.
MR. MAK SAID BECAUSE OF ITS LARGER ACCOMMODATION AND PROXIMITY TO PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, THE NURSERY AT ITS NEW PREMISES COULD PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE TO FAMILIES REQUIRING ITS FACILITIES.
MR. MAK ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE WAS TO GUARANTEE THAT CHILDREN UNDER THE CARE OF SUCH CENTRES WERE GIVEN A SUFFICIENTLY HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE TO ENSURE THEIR PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AS WELL AS
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT.
HE STRESSED THAT ALL REGISTERED CENTRES WOULD HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECOND PHASE OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE ON FLOOR AREA, PLAY AREA, RATIO OF STAFF TO CHILDREN, AND THEIR NURSERY AND FIRST AID TRAINING BEFORE JUNE 1, 1978.
HE SAID THAT SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ORDINANCE, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS REGISTERED A TOTAL OF 169 CHILD CARE CENTRES.
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