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THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1985
THE DEPARTMENT, SHE ADDED, WAS UNDERTAKING A COMPLETE RE- EXAMINATION OF THE PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES GOVERNING ADOPTION PLACEMENT, TO TRY TO SHORTEN THE TIME TAKEN TO PLACE CHILDREN WITH THE IR FUTURE ADOPTIVE PARENTS.
SPEAKING OF FOSTER CARE, SHE SAID, IT PROVIDED SUBSTITUTE CARE FOR CHILDREN IN A NORMAL FAMILY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A TRAINED SOCIAL WORKER.
THIS WAS A PARTICULARLY DESIRABLE FORM OF PLACEMENT FOR BABIES AND VERY YOUNG CHILDREN WHO HAD NEED FOR INDIVIDUAL LOVE AND ATTENTION, AND PHYSICAL CARE.
THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S CENTRAL FOSTER CARE UNIT ENABLED THE CENTRALISING OF PUBLICITY FOR THE SERVICE AND PROVIDED +NEW IMPETUS+ TO THE RECRUITMENT OF FOSTER HOMES, SHE SAID.
SINCE 1983 THE UNIT HAD RECEIVED SOME 800 ENQUIRIES FROM PEOPLE INTERESTED IN BECOMING FOSTER PARENTS.
SOME 200 HOMES HAD BEEN STUDIED TO ASSESS THE IR SUITABILITY TO RECEIVE FOSTER CHILDREN, AND 90 NEW HOMES HAD BEEN GIVEN APPROVAL TO RECEIVE CHILDREN. THERE WERE NOW 96 CHILDREN PLACED IN FOSTER HOMES.
MRS CHAN SAID SHE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE PLANNING TARGET OF 120 PLACES WOULD BE ACHIEVED BY THE END OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.
FURTHER EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE, SHE SAID, DEPENDED ON THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT SUFFICIENT FOSTER PARENTS.
WITH REGARD TO SMALL GROUP HOMES, SHE SAID THEY CATERED FOR GROUPS OF EIGHT CHILDREN, OF DIFFERENT AGES, LIVING TOGETHER IN THE CARE OF HOUSE-PARENTS IN ORDINARY PUBLIC HOUSING ACCOMMODATION.
THIS TYPE OF CARE HELPED MINIMISE FEELINGS OF ISOLATION FROM THE GENERAL COMMUNITY AND ENABLED SIBLINGS TO REMAIN TOGETHER OR FOR SINGLE CHILDREN TO DRAW COMFORT AND SUPPORT FROM NEWLY ACQUIRED +BROTHERS+ AND +SISTERS+ IN A HOME-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, SHE SAID.
MARKED IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN NOTICED IN THE WELL-BEING AND BEHAVIOUR OF CHILDREN TRANSFERRED TO THE HOMES FROM LARGER INSTITUTIONS, MRS CHAN SAID.
THE NUMBER OF SMALL GROUP HOMES WOULD BE INCREASED FROM THE PRESENT FIVE WITH 40 PLACES TO EIGHT WITH 64 PLACES THIS YEAR, AND THE DEPARTMENT AIMED AT OPENING AN ADDITIONAL THREE NEW HOMES EACH YEAR OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
MRS CHAN POINTED OUT THAT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CHILD CARE SERVICES HAD NOT IGNORED THE LARGER CHILDREN'S HOMES.
+WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMPROVE STAFFING STANDARDS CONSIDERABLY IN THE LAST YEAR AND BY PROVIDING MORE CHILD CARE STAFF, HAVE ENSURED THAT THE CHILDREN IN CARE RECEIVE MORE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION, + SHE SAID.
/MAJOR NEW