17
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1987
IN CONNECTION WITH FAMILY
LIFE
EDUCATION PROGRAMMES, MR CHAMBERS SAID A SPECIAL POSTER HAD BEEN PRODUCED TO PUBLICISE MEASURES WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE SAFETY AT HOME.
"FAMILIKS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY IN TAKING CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE USE OF FACILITIES IN CHILD CARE CENTRES AND TO APPROACH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FOR FINANCIAL AND OTHER ASSISTANCE.
"AT PRESENT THERE ARE OVER 28,000 PLACES IN CHILD CARE CENTRES, AND AN ADDITIONAL 1,600 PLACES ARE PLANNED FOR THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.
"HOME HELP SERVICE IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THIS TOO WILL BE STEADILY EXPANDED,' HE SAID.
■
ARRANGEMENTS WERE ALSO BEING MADE WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR NEIGHBOURS TO HELP IN PROVIDING TEMPORARY CARR FOR CHILDREN ON A MUTUAL AID BASIS, MR CHAMBERS SAID.
CHILD ABUSE PROBLEM OUTLINED
* * * * *
A TOTAL OF 725 NEW CHILD ABUSE CASES INVOLVING 884 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN HANDLED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON RITA FAN, MR CHAMBERS SAID AS AT THE END OF JUNE THIS YEAR, THERE WERE 403 ACTIVE CHILD ABUSE CASES INVOLVING 454 CHILDREN.
HE NOTED THAT ACCORDING TO POLICE RECORDS, AN AVERAGE OF 40 PERSONS WERE PROSECUTED BACH YEAR IN CONNECTION WITH CHILD ABUSE CASES DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS. THERE WERE 40 CASES IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, HE ADDED.
"PARENTS WHO HAVE ABUSED THEIR CHILDREN ARB PROVIDED WITH COUNSELLING BY SOCIAL WORKERS, WHO MAY REFER THEM FOR TREATMENT BY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SAID MR CHAMBERS.
AND
PSYCHIATRISTS
IF
NECESSARY,
H
|+
*IN ADDITION, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES ON SUPPORTIVE GROUPS ARE ORGANISED TO ENHANCE PARENTS' SKILL IN BRINGING UP THEIR CHILDREN, HE ADDED.
PARENTHOOD AND KNOWLEDGE AND
"
ABUSE CASES,
PROBLEM AND
TO
MR CHAMBERS ALSO NOTED THAT IN HANDLING CHILD SOCIAL WORKERS TRIED GO GET DOWN TO THE ROOT OF
THE HELP THE FAMILY AS A WHOLE TO PREVENT FURTHER ABUSE.
/18