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WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987
SOCIAL WORKERS WELCOME BILL ON CHILD ABUSE
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THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1987 WHICH STREAMLINES PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING CHILD ABUSE CASES HAS WON PLAUDITS FROM THE SOCIAL WORK F.SLD FOR ITS LIBERAL, FLEXIBLE AND COMPREHENSIVE PROVISIONS.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE SAID THE BILL REPRESENTED A TIMELY STEP TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO UPDATE AN OBSOLETE ORDINANCE WHICH WAS ENACTED ALMOST FOUR DESADES AGO.
MR HUI RECALLED THAT THE KWOK AH-NUI CASE LAST YEAR HAD LED THE SOCIAL WORK SECTOR TO QUESTION THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE COULD BE EXERCISED WITHOUT INDUCING THE ABUSE OF POWER AND INFRINGING UPON HUMAN RIGHT.
HE NOTED THAT CLAUSE 7 OF THE BILL, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE WORKING GROUP ON CHILD ABUSE, OFFERED A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM RAISED.
"IT STIPULATES THAT BEFORE FORCIBLE ENTRY INTO PREMISES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE MUST OBTAIN A WARRANT ISSUED BY A MAGISTRATE, JUVENILE COURT OR DISTRICT COURT ACTING AS THE THIRD PARTY IN A MOVE THAT AFFECTS THE WELL-BEING OF THE FAMILY INVOLVED.
[
SINCE THE COURT CAN ONLY ISSUE A GROUNDS, ITS DECISION WOULD LEND SUPPORT JUDGMENT OF SOCIAL WORKERS,' MR HUI SAID.
WARRANT ON REASONABLE TO ГНЕ PROFESSIONAL
HE WELCOMED THIS AMENDMENT THAT NOT ONLY UPHELD THE CLIENT'S DIGNITY BUT ALSO FACILITATED THE WORK IN HANDLING CHILD ABUSE CASES.
MR HUI APPRECIATED THAT CLAUSE 3 OF THE BILL, WHICH REQUIRED CHILDREN AGED 7 OR ABOVE TO GIVE EVIDENCE IN COURT AND PROVIDED THE COURT WITH DISCRETION TO BRING YOUNGER CHILDREN BEFORE IT IF NECESSARY, WAS AIMED AT AVOIDING EMOTIONAL TRAUMA FOR YOUNG CHILDREN,
HOWEVER, HE BELIEVED THAT INSTEAD OF TAKING AGE AS THE ONLY CRITERION FOR COURT APPEARANCE, THE MENTAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF ABUSED CHILDREN SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
IN THE
HE CONCLUDED BY CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT ΤΟ SPEED UP A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE OUTDATED PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE, LIGHT OF RAPID SOCIAL CHANGES IN HONG KONG.
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