THURSDAY,
1985
HOWEVER. THE CONCEPT OF +CARE+ ALSO EMBRACED A +MORE PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE WELFARE OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, MRS CHAN SAID.
SOCIAL WORKERS IN CHILD CARE CENTRES, CHILDREN'S HOMES AND HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY OR SEVERELY HANDICAPPED MUST NOT ONLY ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE STANDARDS OF PHYSICAL CARE, BUT MUST ALSO STRIVE, IN THE CASE OF CHILDREN IN CARE, TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE PROBLEMS OF ADJUSTMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL LIVING AND DEPRIVATION OF PARENTAL LOVE.
IN THE CASE OF VERY OLD PEOPLE, OR OF THE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED WHO MAY FEEL THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LIVE FOR, THE EMPHASIS IS TO ENRICH THEIR LIVES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THROUGH ACTIVITY AND CONTINUING INVOLVEMENT WITH THEIR FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY.
CLOSELY RELATED TO THE ROLE OF +CARER+ WAS THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER AS +HELPER, MRS CHAN SAID.
IN MANY AREAS OF WELFARE SERVICES, SHE SAID, INCREASING EMPHASIS WAS BEING PUT ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES TO HELP PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES AND CARRY ON COPING INDEPENDENTLY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
+THIS EMPHASIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE FACE OF INCREASING PRESSURES UPON THE FAMILY WITH THE ATTENDANT PROBLEMS OF MARITAL BREAKDOWNS AND SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES,+ SHE SAID.
SHE NOTED THAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT WAS ALSO VITAL FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE AND THE DISABLED LIVING ON THEIR OWN OR IN NEED OF HELP DURING THE DAY WHEN OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WERE AT WORK.
SHE SAID THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, BOTH PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT WAS REQUIRED.
TURNING TO THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER AS AN ENABLER,+ MRS CHAN SAID THAT THIS ROLE WAS ASSUMING GROWING IMPORTANCE AS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROBLEMS HE WAS FACING INCREASED AND IN THE LIGHT OF RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS.
+MANY OF THE CASES HANDLED BY SOCIAL WORKERS INVOLVE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS AND, IN SOME CASES, THE WORKER CAN DO LITTLE MORE THAN TO OFFER GUIDANCE ON THE CPTIONS AVAILABLE TO HIS CLIENTS TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFICULTIES, SHE SAID,
ANOTHER ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS WAS THAT OF CUSTODIANS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, THE DIRECTOR SAID.
TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SERVE THE COURTS IN MANY AREAS STATUTORY WORK LIKE PROBATION.
(CIAL BORKA