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TUESDAY, JULY 7, 1987
THE WORKING GROUP WAS SET UP BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN LATE 1985 TO ADVISE ON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE SERVICES AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES ΤΟ THE FAMILY.
LED BY MR LACHLAN MACQUARRIE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SOCIAL STUDIES AT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP COMPRISED SOCIAL WORKERS INVOLVED IN THE PROVISION OF CHILD CARE SERVICES, PROFESSIONALS IN RELATED DISCIPLINES SUCH AS PAEDIATRICS AND PSYCHIATRY AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
IN ITS REPORT, THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDS THAT AGENCIES WITH OPERATING RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE INSTITUTIONS SHOULD, IN CONCERT
A THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, REVIEW THEIR ADMISSION CRITERIA WITH VIEW TO ENSURING THAT NO CHILD IS DENIED ACCESS TO THE SERVICES WHICH WOULD BEST SUIT HIS NEEDS. IT ALSO OBSERVES THAT HEAVY WORKLOADS, HIGH STAFF TURNOVER, FREQUENT STAFF POSTINGS AND LACK OF SPECIALISATION ARE CONTRIBUTING TO CO-ORDINATION PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE REFERRING ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE FOR WORK WITH THE FAMILY AND THE SERVICE ORGANISATION CARING FOR THE CHILD.
"WHILE GENERALISATION IS DESIRABLE AT RECRUITMENT LEVELS FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT REASONS, THERE SHOULD BE A TREND TOWARDS SPECIALISATION AT SUPERVISORY LEVELS WHERE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO RECOGNISE AND HANDLE DIFFICULT CASES IMPORTANT,' IT NOTES.
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IS PARTICULARLY
AS A BASIS FOR
AS REGARDS THE PRINCIPLES WHICH SHOULD SERVE THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE FAMILY AND RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE SERVICES, THE WORKING GROUP NOTES THAT THE FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE AND DESIRABLE FOR THE CHILD то REMAIN WITH HIS OWN FAMILY.
THE SECOND PRINCIPLE IS THAT A FAMILY SETTING MEETS THE NEEDS OF A CHILD IN CARE BETTER THAN AN INSTITUTIONAL SETTING AND PARTICULARLY SO FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.
IT ALSO OBSERVES THAT IN AN INSTITUTIONAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS ARE PREFERABLE TO LARGER ONES; AND PROGRAMME OF PLANNING AND REGULAR ASSESSMENT FOR THE CHILD IS ESSENTIAL FROM PRE-PLACEMENT TO AFTERCARE.
SETTING, SMALLER A COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY AND THE
OTHER CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT ARE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS:
/FAMILY SUPPORT