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9.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1988
HELPING NEW RESIDENTS SETTLE IN
THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS WHICH ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS RECOGNISE THAT WAYS HAVE TO BE FOUND TO HELP NEW RESIDENTS OVERCOME INITIAL DIFFICULTIES, FORM NEW FRIENDSHIPS AND BUILD UP KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL RESOURCES, LADY WILSON SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE HONG KONG FAMILY WELFARE SOCIETY'S FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE AT BUTTERFLY ESTATE LN TUEN
MUN, LADY WILSON SAID NEW COMMUNITIES TOOK TIME TO BECOME ESTABLISHED.
"DESPITE A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING, BETTER HOUSING RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, FAMILIES IN HONG KONG ARE FACING MANY OF PROBLEMS WHICH EXIST IN OTHER SUCCESSFUL AND FAST MOVING CITIES.
AND THE
"INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES OFTEN HAVE TO BE MORE MOBILE TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES.
"THIS MOBILITY CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE DISRUPTION TO FAMILY LIFE, LOOSENING FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIP TIES, AND SOMETIMES REQUIRING RELOCATION OF JOBS AND SCHOOLING FOR CHILDREN, LADY WILSON SAID.
SHE NOTED THAT A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATIONS AND SOCIETIES IN THE NEW TOWNS HAVE BEEN FORMED TO PROVIDE FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT TO NEW RESIDENTS.
"THIS IS MOST WELCOME. IF THIS FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE CAN PROVIDE A WELCOMING AND INFORMAL ENVIRONMENT AND BE A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE FOR FAMILIES WHO COME INTO THE AREA, IT WILL BE FILLING AN ENORMOUS GAP, LADY WILSON SAID.
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THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE OFFERS AN INFORMAL FACILITY FOR FAMILIES AT BUTTERFLY AND NEARBY ESTATES, AND PROVIDES AN INFORMATION AND ADVICE SERVICE FOR SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.
LADY WILSON SAID THE RECOGNITION OF THE NEEDS OF SINGLE OR ONE-
PARENT FAMILIES IN HONG KONG WAS A NEW DEVELOPMENT.
"UNLIKE MANY OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THE TERM 'SINGLE PARENT' OFTEN MEANS AN UNMARRIED PARENT, HERE IN HONG KONG IT USUALLY REFERS TO A WIDOWED, DIVORCED OR SEPARATED PARENT.
"THE NUMBER OF THESE FAMILIES, WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 20, IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 11.5 PER **ENT OF DOMESTIC HOUSEHOLDS. THIS IS NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT FIGURE, SHE NOTED.
SHE SAID IT WAS SAD AND REGRETTABLE THAT A NUMBER OF TRAGEDIES HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF CHILDREN BEING LEFT ALONE AT HOME BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS HAD LONG WORKING HOURS OR THAT THEY HAD BE ABSENT FROM HOME.
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WHILE SUCH
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