XN000022-1974-11-27 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1974

OPERATORS OF CHILD CARE CENTRES

GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLY WITH PROPOSED REQUIREMENTS

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OPERATORS OF CHILD CARE CENTRES WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPLY WITH THE PROPOSED REQUIREMENTS.FOR SUCH CENTRES IN STAGES SPREAD OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THIS PHASED IMPLEMENTATION, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICE, THE HON. F.K. LI TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON- +WILL NOT BE AN UNBEARABLE BURDEN FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO OPERATE CHILD CARE CENTRES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE ARE NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROGRAMME TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF SUBVENTED PLACES IN CHILD CARE CENTRES BY 1,000 A YEAR,+ HE SAID. +HOWEVER, THERE IS A DANGER THAT THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF THIS INCREASE WOULD BE LOST IF, AT THE SAME TIME, THE NUMBER OF PLACES IN THE PROFIT-MAKING CENTRES WERE TO DECLINE AS A RESULT OF LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS BEING SO. RESTRICTIVE AS TO FORCE MANY OPERATORS OUT OF BUSINESS.+

THEREFORE, MR. LI SAID, ALTHOUGH CERTAIN MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS WERE STIPULATED AND OFFENCES PROVIDED TO ELIMINATE THE WORST ABUSES, A CLAUSE OF THE BILL ALLOWED THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE DISCRETION IN ENFORCING THIS LEGISLATION BY

WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY REGULATIONS IN ANY PARTICULAR CASE.

+IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WEFLFARE WILL NORMALLY EXERCISE HIS AUTHORITY UNDER THIS SUBCLAUSE BY WAIVING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS TEMPORARILY,+ HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO THE PHASED IMPLEMENTATION, MR. LI SAID THE FIRST STAGE WOULD TAKE PLACE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF ENACTMENT OF THE LEGISLATION.

+THIS WILL INVOLVE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL STRUCTURAL, FIRE SAFETY AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS. DURING THE YEAR, SOME PROGRESS MUST ALSO BE MADE TOWARDS ADEQUATE TRAINING AND STAFFING OF THE CENTRES, AND A SATISFACTORY DIETARY SCALE AND PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES MUST BE INTRODUCED, MR. LI EXPLAINED.

+A YEAR LATER, THE RATIO OF STAFF TO CHILDREN AND THE FLOOR AREA ALLOTTED TO EACH CHILD MUST BE UP TO THE STANDARD PRESCRIBED AND FURTHER PROGRESS MUST BE MADE TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE TARGET OF TRAINED STAFF.

/+WITHIN THREE YEARS,