FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1982
#ST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER TO CEASE SUBVENTION TO DAY NURSERIES AND TO IMPROVE STANDARDS IN KINDERGARTENS WOULD LEAD TO INCREASES IN FEES FOR THESE SERVICES, MR WOODHOUSE EMPHASISED THAT THE FEE ASSISTANCE SCHEME WOULD BENEFIT MANY THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WHO HAD HITHERTO NOT QUALIFIED FOR ANY FINANCIAL HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN MEETING THE EXPENSE OF PRE-PRIMARY CARE AND EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
+FEE ASSISTANCE WILL BE PAID TO FAMILIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SLIDING SCALE DEPENDING ON NET HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AFTER DEDUCTION OF RENTAL EXPENSES, HE SAID. +HIGHER LEVELS OF ASSISTANCE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES WHO NEED TO PLACE THEIR CHILDREN IN DAY NURSERIES, IN LINE WITH THE HIGHER FEES CHARGED BY THESE CENTRES.+
A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WILL BE ADMINISTERING THE SCHEME. EMPHASISED THAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL DO ALL IT CAN TO ENSURE THAT THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS ARE INTRODUCED AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE,
SHE SAID THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WAS CONSCIOUS THAT THE CHANGE FROM GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION TO THE NEW FEE ASSISTANCE ARRANGEMENTS WAS CAUSING WORRY TO SOME OPERATORS OF DAY NURSERIES. IN ORDER TO ASSIST PARENTS TO APPLY FOR FEE ASSISTANCE, SHE SAID THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE SENDING STAFF TO NURSERIES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES TO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS ON THE SPOT.
SHE URGED PARENTS WHO WILL HAVE A CHILD ENROLLED IN
A KINDERGARTEN OR DAY NURSERY IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE LEAFLET EXPLAINING PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING FOR FEE ASSISTANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
COPIES OF THE LEAFLET ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN ALL URBAN AND NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT OFFICES. SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FIELD OFFICES AND CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED FROM REGISTERED NURSER IES AND KINDERGARTENS.
THE SPOKESWOMAN ADDED THAT EACH LEAFLET INCLUDES A PRELIMINARY APPLICATION FORM TO BE DETACHED AND SENT TO THE NEAREST SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
ONCE THE FORM IS RECEIVED, THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE WILL CONTACT THE PARENT TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW. PARENTS WILL BE INFORMED, BY POST, WHETHER THEIR APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THE AMOUNT OF FEE ASSISTANCE PAYABLE.
+ THE APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR FEE ASSISTANCE WILL BE KEPT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, IN ORDER NOT TO INCONVENIENCE PARENTS,+ SHE SAID. SHE ADDED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN ON ADDITIONAL STAFF TO ENSURE THAT ALL APPLICATIONS ARE DEALT WITH SPEEDILY.
NEVERTHELESS SHE STRESSED THE NEED FOR PARENTS TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND, PREFERABLY, NOT LATER THAN JULY 31 IF THEY WISHED TO START TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE IN SEPTEMBER.
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