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Social welfare committee briefed on welfare issues
The Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, briefed the Social Welfare Advisory Committee (SWAC) today (Thursday) on welfare issues in the 1995 Policy Address and the progress of implementing the undertakings in the previous policy commitments.
Members also exchanged views on the further development in the welfare sector in the years ahead.
At the meeting held today, members were briefed on the methodology being adopted in reviewing the adequacy of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) standard rates and were presented the preliminary findings of the review based, inter alia, on an analysis of the first six-month data from the Household Expenditure Survey (HES),
The Chairman SWAC, Mr Eric Li, said the meeting generally endorsed the review methodology and the proposed enhancements to CSSA standard rates with effect from April 1 next year as announced by the Governor in his Policy Address yesterday. "SWAC will continue to look into other aspects of the comprehensive review of the CSSA scheme and looks forward to receiving the full results of HES and its analysis in early 1996," he said.
Mr Li also said the meeting had favoured the proposal of the Government to continue to expand the outreaching social work service at the pace of two teams per year from 1996-97 to 1998-99.
Members were also briefed that bids for the necessary resources for the two teams in the coming year had been made and that there would be another review on the service upon the smooth implementation of the expansion.
"Members shared the view that services for adolescents at risk should be of high priority," Mr Li added.
Members were briefed on the focus of the outreaching social work service which would provide counselling, guidance and other forms of service to help young people overcome their problems, develop their potential and become socially reintegrated.
As at December last year, a total of 30 outreaching social work service teams have been established.
End/Thursday, October 12, 1995