XN000022-1974-09-28 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1974.

SURVEY ON CHILDREN IN WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT

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THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICE IN WONG TAI SIN ARE CONDUCTING A SURVEY ON CHILDREN, AGED BETWEEN 12 AND 14, IN THE AREA WHO ARE NEITHER WORKING NOR ATTENDING SCHOOL.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SURVEY ARE:

* TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF SUCH CHILDREN IN WONG TAI SIN * TO FIND OUT THE SOCIAL CAUSES OF THEIR PROBLEMS AND THE

SOCIAL NEEDS OF THESE CHILDREN, AND

* TO ASSESS THE OVERALL IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE CWONG TAI SIND SAID: THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT HAS ASSISTED IN THE PLANNING OF THIS SURVEY AND IN THE CHOICE OF THE SAMPLES.

+ THE RANDOM SAMPLING SURVEY COVERS ABOUT 16 PER CENT OF THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOUSING HOUSEHOLDS IN THE DISTRICT, OR 14,500 LIVING QUARTERS.+

THE SURVEY IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PHASES. HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED, PART-TIME STAFF OF THE CITY

IN PHASE 1, WHICH DISTRICT OFFICE CHONG TAI SIN) AND VOLUNTEERS MOBILISED BY THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICE COMBED THE AREA TO FIND OUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO ARE NEITHER AT WORK NOR IN SCHOOL.

THE CHILDREN LOCATED IN PHASE 1 OF THE SURVEY WILL BE RE-VISITED DURING THE SECOND PHASE FOR MORE DETAILS.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, A SIMILAR SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN MA CHA? HANG, A SQUATTER AREA, USING ABOUT 60 VOLUNTEERS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICE.

OUT OF THE 16 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION THERE VISITED, ABOUT 190 CHILDREN, WHO WERE NEITHER WORKING NOR ATTENDING SCHOOL, WERE LOCATED.

THESE CHILDREN WILL BE VISITED AGAIN IN PHASE 2 OF THE SURVEY WHICH HAS JUST BEGUN.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE SURVEY AND OTHER SOURCES WOULD BE CROSS-CHECKED AND ANALYSED.

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THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY, HE ADDED, WOULD BE VERY USEFUL IN THE PLANNING OF SERVICES FOR THESE UNFORTUNATE CHILDREN.

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