(RBURY, JULY 30, 1986'
1
+HAVING CONCLUDED THAT THE CHILD MIGHT BE IN PHYSICAL DANGER, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IRRESPONSIBLE FOR THE SOCIAL WORKERS TO HAVE WALKED AWAY FROM THE SCENE, WITHOUT TAKING THE DECISIVE ACTION THAT WOULD ENABLE BOTH THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD TO RECEIVE THE TREATMENT AND THE CARE THAT THEY NEEDED, HE SAID.
FOR THE FUTURE, MR SHIPMAN SAID, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE HAD PROPOSED THAT AN AMENDMENT SHOULD BE MADE TO THE ORDINANCE REQUIRING THE DIRECTOR OR A DULY AUTHORISED OFFICER TO APPLY FOR A SEARCH WARRANT FROM A MAGISTRATE BEFORE THE POWER IN SECTION 44(1) TO ENTER PREMISES COULD BE EXERCISED.
+A PROVISION OF THIS KIND WOULD HELP TO ALLAY ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT THE PRESENT CASE, AND I AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE UMELCO PANEL HAS AGREED THAT IT MERITS SERIOUS CONSIDERATION, TOGETHER WITH OTHER MEASURES.+
AS A SAFEGUARD FOR FUTURE CASES, MR SHIPMAN SAID THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE HAD PROPOSED THAT A PROVISION SHOULD BE INSERTED TO REQUIRE A CHILD'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN TO BE GIVEN ADVANCE NOTICE OF A COURT HEARING AND TO BE PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE COURT.
THE
+IN PRACTICE THIS IS INVARIABLY DONE IF THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN IS KNOWN, BUT A STATUTORY PROVISION OF THIS KIND WOULD BE SEEN TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. UMELCO PANEL ALSO FEEL THAT THIS PROPOSAL SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.+
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE REVIEWS CONDUCTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND ACCEPTED THE CONCLUSIONS WHICH THEY HAD REACHED.
+OUR SOCIAL WORKERS PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH COMPETENT AND DEDICATED SERVICE, DESPITE HAVING A HEAVY CASE-LOAD.
+ THEY OFTEN HAVE TO TAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS, AS IN THE PRESENT CASE, NOR ARE THEY ALWAYS IN A POSITION TO DEFEND THEIR ACTIONS PUBLICLY, BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY.
+ | BELIEVE THAT THE DIRECTOR AND HER STAFF DESERVE OUR TRUST IN THEIR INTEGRITY AND OUR RESPECT FOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT, HE SAID.
ON THE PRESENT CONDITION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF AH-NUI AND MADAM WONG, MR SHIPMAN SAID A CASE CONFERENCE BETWEEN THE VARIOUS PROFESSIONALS CONCERNED WITH THEIR TREATMENT AND CARE WAS HELD ON JULY 18.
HE SAID THE CASE CONFERENCE FOUND THAT MADAM WONG WAS NOT YET CONSIDERED TO BE WELL ENOUGH TO LOOK AFTER THE CHILD ON HER
OWN.
+
/HE SAID