XN000022-1972-06-10 — Page 1

P.K.H. 7 (REVISED) 4000091

FONE KORE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES

DAILY

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Saturday, June 10, 1972

EXPANSION FOR ABERDEEN REHABILITATION CENTRE

Financial Commitment Approved

The Social Welfare Department is to expand the capacity in the

mentally-retarded children's section of its Aberdeen Rehabilitation Centre

to help cope with the waiting list.

The Centre presently houses 90 mentally-retarded children requiring

residential care, and 86 are on the waiting list,

The capacity in the Centre's children's section will be increased

by 50 places, which should be sufficient to cope with the waiting list, having

regard to the number of children who can be discharged in the foreseeable future.

The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council has approved the

financial commitment involved in the expansion, which will involve converting

some of the existing buildings into a training block, classrooms, and dormitories,

together with the provision of recreational space and additional staff.

The capital cost of the conversion has been estimated at $455,000, with

recurrent costs of $413,000 annually.

At the same time, the Finance Committee has accepted the financial

commitment of setting up a "Place of Refuge" in the Centre as a special small

unit.

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