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FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1950
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TO REQUIRE A CHILD CARE WORKER TO HAVE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION WITH TWO SUBJECTS AT GRADE E OR ABOVE, OR THE EQUIVALENT OR ALTERNATIVELY BE
A FORM THREE OR JUNIOR MIDDLE THREE GRADUATE AND AGED AT LEAST 18 YEARS. IN BOTH CASES, THE WORKER MUST HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AN APPROVED TRAINING
COURSE IN CHILD CARE.
CHILD CARE CENTRES ARE NEVERTHELESS ENCOURAGED TO RECRUIT FORM FIVE GRADUATES AS CHILD CARE WORKERS, AND GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED FOR CHILD CARE STAFF WITH THE HIGHER QUALIFICATIONS.
* TO CREATE A CATEGORY OF TRAINEE CHILD CARE WORKERS
WHO ARE FORM THREE OR JUNIOR MIDDLE THREE GRADUATES, AGED AT LEAST 18 YEARS, AND WHO ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A TRAINING COURSE IN CHILD CARE WITHIN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF SERVICE.
* TO REVISE THE STAFF-CHILDREN RATIO FOR RESIDENTIAL CENTRES
FROM 116 TO 1:8 DURING THE DAY (8 AM - 8 PM) AND TO 1:12 AT NIGHT (8 PM - 8 AM) AS CHILDREN DO NOT REQUIRE AS MUCH ATTENTION AT NIGHT. THE RATIO IN DAY CARE CENTRES FOR CHILDREN AGED UNDER TWO YEARS IS ALSO REVISED TO 118.
DESPITE THE CHANGES, THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUBVENTION AT THE PREVIOUS RATIO OF 116 FOR CHILD CARE CENTRES WISHING TO MAINTAIN THIS RATIO.
* TO RELAX THE MINIMUM FLOOR SPACE REQUIREMENT PER CHILD,
PREVIOUSLY BASED ON NET AREA, BY ALLOWING AN ALTERNATIVE CALCULATION BASED ON THE GROSS AREA OF THE PREMISES, I.E. INCLUDING ANY PASSAGEWAY, STOREROOM, KITCHEN, OFFICE, TOILET FACILITY AND STAFF ROOM. THIS WILL ENABLE MORE CHILD CARE PLACES TO BE PROVIDED.
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THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE NEW PROVISIONS WERE AIMED AT EASING THE DIFFICULTIES FACED BY CHILD CARE CENTRES IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING SUITABLY QUALIFIED STAFF, AS EXPERIENCE HAD SHOWN THAT THE PREVIOUS REQUIREMENTS WERE UNREALISTICALLY HIGH.
HE POINTED OUT THAT OF THE 1 500 CHILD CARE STAFF NOW EMPLOYED, ONLY 840 MET THE QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED, WHILST THE REST WERE EITHER UNTRAINED OR LACKING IN THE STIPULATED ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS.
*THE DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING STAFF HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED BY A HIGHER TURNOVER RATE OF ABOUT 30 PER CENT PER YEAR - A TOTAL OF 237 CHILD CARE STAFF HAVE RESIGNED IN THE SIX MONTHS ENDING FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, HE SAID.
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HE SAID THE STAFF PROBLEM, IF UNHEEDED, COULD BE AGGRAVATED BY THE PLANNED EXPANSION OF CHILD CARE FACILITIES AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 1 970 CHILD CARE STAFF WOULD BE REQUIRED IN 1982-83, INCREASING TO 3 280 BY 1985-86.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE AMENDMENT REGULATIONS HAD TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE NEED TO CONTINUE ENSURING AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF SERVICE AND PROVISIONS HAD BEEN MADE TO THIS EFFECT.
/CHILD CARE