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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1983
WHERE THE CHILD HAS BEEN ORPHANED, ABANDONED OR GIVEN UP BY THE NATURAL PARENTS THE USUAL COURSE IS FOR HIM TO BE MADE A WARD OF THE DIRECTOR, WHICH HE WILL REMAIN EITHER UNTIL HE REACHES 21 OR UNTIL HE IS LEGALLY ADOPTED.
+ HAVE NO LESS THAN 800 SUCH WARDS, WHICH I SUPPOSE MAKES ME THE GUARDIAN OF MORE CHILDREN THAN ANYONE ELSE IN HONG KONG,+ MR CHAMBERS SAID.
SPEAKING OF CHILD ABUSE CASES, MR CHAMBERS SAID SUCH CASES WERE MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN THOSE OF ABANDONED OR ORPHANED CHILDREN.
PARENTS WOULD INVARIABLY DENY THEY HAD DELIBERATELY ABUSED THEIR CHILDREN AND WOULD RESENT OR OPPOSE INTERVENTION BY A SOCIAL WORKER.
THE SITUATION BECAME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT IN SERIOUS CASES WARRANTING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION, HE SAID.
THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION IN THOSE CASES WAS WHETHER OR NOT TO ALLOW THE CHILD TO REMAIN WITH THE PARENT OR PARENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABUSE, HE SAID.
THERE IS A SCHOOL OF THOUGHT THAT ARGUES IN FAVOUR OF IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF THE CHILD AS BEING THE ONLY ABSOLUTE WAY OF GUARANTEEING HIS PERSONAL SAFETY.
AGAINST THIS ARGUMENT THE SOCIAL WORKER MUST WEIGH THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING AND NURTURING THE BOND BETWEEN THE PARENTS AND THE CHILD.
HE ALSO SAID THAT THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES ORDINANCE PROVIDED HIM WITH WIDE POWERS TO INTERVENE IN ANY SITUATION WHERE HE BEL JEVED THAT A CHILD WAS LIKELY TO BE EXPOSED TO MORAL OR PHYSICAL DANGER.
TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE CASES REQUIRED INTENSIVE COUNSELLING AND FOLLOW-UP AS WELL AS CLOSE LIAISON WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND JUDICIARY.
SOCIAL WORKERS HANDLING SUCH CASES, HE SAID, HAD GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIRED DISTINCTIVE PERSONAL QUALITIES AS WELL AS EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING.
IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR THE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED A SPECIAL CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES UNIT CONSISTING OF CAREFULLY SELECTED STAFF WORKING EXCLUSIVELY ON CHILD ABUSE CASES.
AT THE END OF OCTOBER, THE UNIT WAS HANDLING 93 CASES INVOLVING 125 CHILDREN, INCLUDING ALL NEW CHILD ABUSE CASES AS WELL AS REFERRALS OF THE MORE DIFFICULT EXISTING CASES FROM FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES.
/HE SAID