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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1980
* CONSTRUCTION SITES UNDER THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION REFER TO MTR CONTRACTS FOR WHICH WORK WAS IN PROGRESS DURING JUNE 1980.
DETAILED EMPLOYMENT AND VACANCY FIGURES ARE OBTAINABLE ON REQUEST FROM THE EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
CHILD CARE SCHEME FOR DISABLED CHILDREN TO EXPAND
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO EXPAND AT A FASTER RATE FROM NEXT YEAR THE SCHEME WHICH ENABLES MILD-GRADE DISABLED CHILDREN TO INTEGRATE WITH NORMAL CHILDREN IN DAY NURSERIES.
BEGINNING IN 1981-82, THE DEPARTMENT WILL AIM AT AN ANNUAL INCREASE OF 90 PLACES IN NORMAL NURSERIES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN AGED TWO TO SIX YEARS.
THE SCHEME HAS EXPANDED BY 60 PLACES EACH YEAR SINCE IT STARTED IN 1978 ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS.
AN EXTRA 42 PLACES WILL BE PROVIDED BEFORE NEXT APRIL, WHICH WILL BRING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUCH PLACES TO 180.
MR LAU KAI-CHUEN, SENIOR SOCIAL WORK OFFICER (CHILD CARE), SAID TODAY THE SCHEME HAD ENABLED DISABLED CHILDREN TO ENJOY CHILD CARE IN A HOME SETTING TOGETHER WITH NORMAL CHILDREN OF THEIR AGE.
HE SAID THE SCHEME HAD GAINED ENCOURAGING RESPONSE NOT ONLY FROM MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS BUT ALSO FROM PARENTS WITH NORMAL CHILDREN IN THE NURSERIES.
+THESE PARENTS HAVE GENERALLY ACCEPTED THE IDEA OF THE INTEGRATED CHILD CARE PROGRAMME, AND THEIR CHILDREN HAVE GONE ALONG WELL WITH THEIR DISABLED COUNTERPARTS,+ HE SAID,
MR LAU SAID THESE WERE IMPORTANT FACTORS WHICH HELPED YOUNG CHILDREN WITH MINOR DISABILITIES TO BE SOCIALLY REHABILITATED AND FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UNDER THE SCHEME, HE SAID, SUBVENTED NURSERIES RUN BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES ARE INVITED TO JOIN, AND THE DEPARTMENT GIVES THEM EXTRA SUBVENTION TO MEET ADDITIONAL STAFF COST.
GRANTS ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE FOR SPECIAL FACILITIES AND STAFF TRAINING, HE ADDED.
/EACH PARTICIPATING
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