WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1985
+ONE CAN HAVE SOME SYMPATHY WITH THE RELUCTANCE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR CROWDED PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES TO HAVING A HALF-WAY HOUSE SITED CLOSE TO WHERE THEY LIVE OR WHERE THEIR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL, HE ADDED.
MR CHAMBERS SAID THERE HAD BEEN TRAGIC INCIDENTS INVOLVING DISCHARGED MENTAL PATIENTS, BUT NONE OF THESE HAVE INVOLVED RESIDENTS IN A HALF-WAY HOUSE+.
+SO FAR AS I AM AWARE NO SERIOUS PROBLEMS HAVE EVER ARISEN FROM ANY OF THESE CENTRES, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS, HE SAID.
+ IN ORDER TO CONVINCE PEOPLE OF THE RIGHTNESS OF THE HALF-WAY HOUSE POLICY THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED TO CARRY OUT A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE
DEPARTMENT, ABLY SUPPORTED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICERS AND A NUMBER OF WELFARE AGENCIES WHICH ARE ACTIVE IN REHABILITATION WORK, HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD IN RECENT MONTHS TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS, + HE SAID.
MR CHAMBERS STRESSED THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ACCEPT THAT HANDICAPPED PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE SHUNNED AND REJECTED FROM SOCIETY.
+THEY ARE ORDINARY PEOPLE JUST LIKE THE REST OF US, WHO HAVE BEEN UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SUFFER FROM DISABILITIES WHICH COULD HAVE AFFECTED ANY OF US HAD THE CIRCUMSTANCES BEEN DIFFERENT, AND WHO NEED OUR SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT,
HE SAID.
MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER INTEGRATING THE DISABLED INTO THE COMMUNITY IN 1977, THERE HAD BEEN A STEADY EXPANSION OF SERVICES FOR THE HANDICAPPED.
BUT, HE SAID, IT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR GOVERNMENT AND WELFARE AGENCIES TO EXPAND REHABILITATION SERVICES IN ORDER TO INTEGRATE THE DISABLED FULLY INTO THE COMMUNITY, IT WAS NECESSARY TO OVERCOME THE PREJUDICE AGAINST THOSE WHO SUFFERED FROM SUCH DISABILITIES.
TURNING TO THE 1985 ZONTA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, THE THEME OF WHICH WAS +HOPE FOR THE HANDICAPPED+, MR CHAMBERS SAID THIS YEAR'S AWARD WAS VERY TIMELY IN THAT IT HIGHLIGHTS THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF FAMILIES WITH HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND SHOWS HOW WOMEN WHO SEEM TO BE FACED WITH ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS CAN, THROUGH DEVOTION AND PERSEVERANCE, DO A GREAT DEAL TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN TO OVERCOME THE IR DISABILITIES AND TO LIVE AS NORMAL A LIFE AS POSSIBLE+.
/MR CHAMBERS,