SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1992
7
LADY WILSON PRAISES HEEP HONG SOCIETY
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BOTH THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER ΤΟ PROMOTE SERVICES FOR PRE-SCHOOL HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, LADY WILSON SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE MARY WONG SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRE OF THE HEEP HONG SOCIETY FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, SHE SAID THIS KIND OF CO-OPERATION WAS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PROUD OF.
SHE PRAISED THE SOCIETY FOR ITS EFFORTS IN PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE HELP FOR THE HANDICAPPED.
"REHABILITATION SERVICES ARE GROWING FAST, SHE SAID, ADDING THAT THEY WERE MEETING BASIC NEEDS AND EFFORTS WERE AT PRESENT DEVOTED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE WORK.
"THERE IS INCREASING CONCERN AND AWARENESS IM MANY COUNTRIES NOW, THAT EARLY INTERVENTION WITH CHILDREN WHOSE DEVELOPMENT IS IMPEDED BY THEIR MENTAL OR PHYSICAL HANDICAPS IS NECESSARY,' LADY WILSON SAID.
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SHE ADDED THAT EARLY DIAGNOSIS COULD HELP CHILDREN FROM DETERIORATING, IF PROGRAMMES WERE SET UP WITH THEIR OWN SPECIAL NEEDS IN MIND.
NEVERTHELESS, THERE WERE ENORMOUS DIFFERENCES AND DIVERSITY THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF HANDICAPS.
IN
1989 WHERE
A SYMPOSIUM ORGANISED BY THE HEEP HONG SOCIETY IN ALL PARTICIPANTS, DOCTORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, PARAMEDICS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS ALL AGREED THAT IT WAS CRUCIAL THAT ALL THESE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES SHOULD GET TOGETHER, AND SHARE ORDER TO DO THE BEST FOR EACH CHILD, SHE SAID.
INFORMATION IN
"IT IS ONLY THROUGH SHARING IN THIS WAY, THAT FIELD CAN BE POOLED TO OBTAIN BEST RESULTS.
"NO SINGLE DISCIPLINE, CAN CLAIM ADEQUACY IN SPECIAL CHILDREN ON THEIR OWN, SHE SAID.
TT
WISDOM IN THE
HANDLING THESE
WHILE PROFESSIONALS MIGHT HAVE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AT HAND, SHE SAID THEY LACKED THE PARENTS' CHANCES OF SUSTAINED OBSERVATION AND INTERACTION WITH THE CHILDREN.
LADY WILSON ALSO SAID PARENTS OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN OFTEN HAD HEAVY DEMANDS ON THEM, BOTH PHYSCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
"WE, THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE THIS BURDEN WITH THEM," SHE SAID.
/BY PROVIDING