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MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1986
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ENDORSED THE PROPOSAL THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD SET UP GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING TEAMS COMPRISING CLASS TEACHERS. GUIDANCE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS TO PROVIDE A FORMAL AND REGULAR CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION TO FACILITATE CO-ORDINATION OF THE PROVISION OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES,
AS ALL THESE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PERSONNEL ARE INVOLVED IN THE DELIVERY OF THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUPPORTED THE NEED FOR GUIDELINES TO DEMARCATE THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. IT WAS ALSO FELT THAT BETTER OVERALL DIRECTIONS COULD BE GIVEN TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AS TO HOW THEY SHOULD SPEND THEIR TIME.
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT FULL COVERAGE OF ALL PRIMARY SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ATTAINED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MEANWHILE, IT ACCEPTED THAT THE MANNING RATIO OF STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS TO PUPILS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.
FOR THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IT ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDATION THAT AS AN INTER IM MEASURE, THE MANNING RATIO OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS SHOULD BE IMPROVED FROM THE EXISTING RATIO OF ONE SCHOOL. SOCIAL . WORKER TO 4 000 STUDENTS TO ONE TO 3 000 STUDENTS.
IMPLEMENTATIONS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE REPORT BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE NOTED THAT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN 1989-90 TO TAKE STOCK OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS RESULTING FROM IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AT TODAY'S MEETING THE SWAC ALSO ENDORSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR A PILOT SCHEME DESIGNED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS FROM JANUARY 1, 1987.
THE SCHEME PROVIDES FOR AN OFFENDER, WHILE ON A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER TO REMAIN IN EMPLOYMENT OR TO CONTINUE WITH SCHOOLING, AND TO DO UNPAID WORK DURING LEISURE HOURS THAT IS USEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY. IN THIS WAY, BY DISCIPLINED EFFORT UNDER SUPERVISION, AN OFFENDER WOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO REHABILITATE
IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY.
INITIALLY, THE SCHEME WILL OPERATE IN THREE MAGISTRACIES WESTERN MAGISTRACY, KWUN TONG MAGISTRACY AND THE TSUEN WAN MAGISTRACY.
UNDER THE PILOT SCHEME, THE COURT MAY ISSUE A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER IN RESPECT OF AN OFFENDER (AGED 14 AND ABOVE) IN VIEW OF A CUSTODIAL SENTENCE IF THERE ARE CLEAR INDICATIONS IN THE PROBATION OFFICER'S REPORT THAT THE OFFENDER IS SUITABLE AND THAT THERE IS WORK AVAILABLE.
A SMALL TEAM