SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 198
MORE PLACES NEEDED FOR PHYSICALLY DISABLED
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE SUBSTANTIAL SHORTFALL IN RESIDENTIAL PLACES FOR PHYSICALLY DISABLED ADULTS WHO CANNOT BE CARED FOR AT HOME, OR WHO HAVE NO FAMILIES OR RELATIVES.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING TODAY (SATURDAY) OF THE HONG KONG RED CROSS SHUN LEE HOSTEL FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED YOUNG PERSONS AT SHUN LEE ESTATE IN KWUN TONG, MR ALLEYNE SAID THE 1981 REVIEW OF THE REHABILITATION PROGRAMME PLAN HAD ESTIMATED A CURRENT REQUIREMENT OF 1 138 PLACES.
+BUT AT PRESENT THERE ARE ONLY 222 RESIDENTIAL PLACES,+ MR ALLEYNE SAID. +OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS PROVISION WILL INCREASE BY ABOUT 400 ADDITIONAL PLACES BUT THIS IS STILL FAR SHORT OF THE ESTIMATED DEMAND WHICH WILL THEN HAVE GROWN TO ABOUT 1 200.+
HE SAID PREMISES HAD BEEN RESERVED IN NEW PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES UNDER PLANNING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HOME RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHELTERED WORK.
RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR PHYSICALLY DISABLED YOUNG PERSONS ON THE OTHER HAND, IS MAINLY PROVIDED THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BOARDING FACILITIES IN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS.
MR ALLEYNE NOTED THAT THE RED CROSS OPERATED FOUR SPECIAL SCHOOLS WITH RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES.
ON THE COMPLETION OF THE EXPANSION OF ITS BOARDING FACILITIES IN THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA SCHOOL, THE CURRENT SHORTFALL WILL BE REDUCED FROM 61 TO 19 IN 1982.
+ IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR THERE WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT PLACES TO MEET THE ESTIMATED DEMAND,+ MR ALLEYNE SAID.
THE DIRECTOR PRAISED THE RED CROSS FOR BEING THE FIRST ORGANISATION HERE TO START PROVIDING RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR PHYSICALLY DISABLED SCHOOL CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE.
+THIS SERVICE STARTED 13 YEARS AGO IN TSZ WAN SHAN ESTATE, AND TODAY WE MARK THE EXPANSION AND REPROVISIONING OF THIS SERVICE TO THIS NEW HOSTEL, HE SAID.
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