FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1986
13
MAKE FULL USE OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE CALL
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN, TODAY (FRIDAY) URGED PARENTS AND PUPILS TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE.
SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF THE CHEUNG CHUK SHAN COLLEGE, SHE SAID THAT THERE WERE THREE SOURCES OF HELP FOR TROUBLED SCHOOLBOYS AND GIRLS FROM THEIR SCHOOL AND TEACHERS, FROM THEIR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER, AND ABOVE ALL, FROM PARENTS.
THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE, SHE SAID, NOW EXTENDED TO 486 SECONDARY SCHOOLS COVERING A TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION OF NEARLY 460 000.
+ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREE PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL ARE INVOLVED IN THIS SERVICE,+ SHE SAID.
+BETWEEN THEM THEY COMPLEMENT THE TEACHING RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO HELP STUDENTS OVERCOME ANY PROBLEM THAT MAY BE AFFECTING THEIR SCHOOL WORK, OR THEIR EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT.
+A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER IS NOT THERE TO SCOLD AND PUNISH BUT TO HELP THE STUDENT UNDERSTAND WHY HE BEHAVES IN A CERTAIN MANNER AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH BEHAVIOUR.
+THROUGH HIS PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER CAN HELP TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND HIS PARENTS OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, TO REALISE THEIR SHORTCOMINGS AND GENERALLY TO GIVE THEM A BETTER SENSE OF SELF-WORTH, + MRS CHAN SAID.
HOWEVER, SHE ADDED THAT FOR A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER TO DO HIS WORK EFFECTIVELY, HE REQUIRES THE UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION OF ALL THE TEACHING STAFF IN THE SCHOOL AND ABOVE ALL, ACCEPTANCE FROM THE VERY PUPILS WHOM HE WAS THERE TO SERVE.
+1 URGE ALL PUPILS TO ACTIVELY SEEK OUT THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS FOR HELP REGARD HIM AS A FRIEND AND A CONFIDANT WHO IS THERE TO LISTEN TO YOUR WOES, TO SHARE IN YOUR TROUBLES AND TO HELP YOU SEE THE WAY AHEAD, SHE SAID.
SHE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT DEVOTED OVER $19 MILLION PER YEAR TO THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE AND INTENDED TO SPEND MORE.
/+IT WOULD