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SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 1981
SWD TO KEEP HOTLINE+ SERVICE
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE WITH ITS +HOTLINE+ SERVICE TO HELP PEOPLE WITH PERSONAL OR FAMILY PROBLEMS.
THIS FOLLOWS A REVIEW OF ITS EXPERIMENTAL OPERATION IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS IN WHICH THE HOTLINE HAS FULFILLED A NEED FOR THOSE SEEKING QUICK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AND GUIDANCE.
THE HOTLINE-3-432255 WAS INTRODUCED LAST OCTOBER PRIMARILY TO SERVE OUTSIDE OFFICE HOURS AND TO SUPPLEMENT WELFARE SERVICES ALREADY AVAILABLE IN THE DEPARTMENT'S FIELD OFFICES.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THE HOTLINE HAD SO FAR RECEIVED MORE THAN 13 000 CALLS, MOST OF WHICH CAME AFTER OFF ICE HOURS.
HE SAID THE CALLS IN GENERAL CONCERNED PROBLEMS SUCH AS STRAINED FAMILY RELATIONSHIP, CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOUR, CHILD CARE, REHABILITATION AND FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES,
ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE CALLS WERE ABOUT SERVICES NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF SOCIAL WELFARE, HE SAID, THE STAFF WERE ABLE TO REFER THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS.
+HOWEVER, WE WOULD WISH TO SEE THE HOTLINE SERVICE USED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE A GENUINE WELFARE PROBLEM,+ HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID A NUMBER OF CALLS WERE ON SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE, AND THEY WERE QUICKLY FOLLOWED UP BY CASE WORKERS IN THE FIELD OFFICES.
FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, ONE CALLER REPORTED A CASE WHERE THE MOTHER IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD APPEARED TO BE ILL-TREATING HER TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS.
THE HOTLINE STAFF WERE QUICK TO ACT ON THE CALL BY NOTIFYING FAMILY SERVICES CASEWORKERS IN THE NEAREST DISTRICT TO VISIT THE FAMILY. AS A RESULT, THE MOTHER WAS COUNSELLED AND MADE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROPER WAYS OF PARENTAL CARE.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WAS A CASE WHERE THE CALLER WAS SO THANKFUL FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDED BY A HOTLINE STAFF THAT HE WROTE TO THE PRESS TO EXPRESS HIS GRATITUDE.
THE HOTLINE IS OPERATED BETWEEN 9 AM AND 10 PM ON WEEKDAYS AND SATURDAYS, AND FROM 1 PM TO 10 PM ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. OVERNIGHT CALLS ARE MACHINE-RECORDED FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING DAY,
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