XN000022-1975-01-22 — Page 11

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1975

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ASSURANCE GIVEN TO UNOFFICIAL LEGCO MEMBERS

ON CHILD CARE CENTRES LEGISLATION

LEGISLATION GOVERNING CHILD CARE CENTRES WILL COME INTO OPERATION ONLY WHEN SUFFICIENT STAFF ARE AVAILABLE TO GUIDE THE SUPERVISORS OF THESE CENTRES TOWARDS THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS WAS THE ASSURANCE GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. LI FOOK-KOW, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY WHEN HE THANKED HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT GIVEN TO THE CHILD CARE CENTRES DILL 1974.

REFERRING TO THE POINT RAISED BY THE HON, MRS JOYCE SYMONS ON PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY, HE SAID HE DID NOT WISH TO DICTATE TO PARENTS ON HOW TO BRING UP THEIR CHILDREN,

MR. LI SAID HE FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE ECONOMIC PRESSURES TO WHICH THEY WERE SUBJECTED IN IMPROVING THEIR LIFE IN ORDER TO BRING TO THEIR FAMILIES A BETTER STANDARD OF LIVING WITHIN THIS COMPETITIVE SOCIETY.

HOWEVER, HE AGREED THAT IN THE SEARCH FOR MORE PROSPERITY PARENTS SHOULD NOT LIGHTLY REGARD RESIDENTIAL CENTRES AS MERELY A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE HOME ENVIRONMENT.

HE ALSO AGREED THAT PARENTS SHOULD NOT TRY TO ABSOLVE THEMSELVES OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOOKING AFTER THEIR CHILDREN.

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+SIMILARLY, MR. LI SAID, I AM AWARE OF THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN ARE CARED FOR AND NOT MERELY PARKED IN THESE CENTRES.+

HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE DAY TO DAY MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE CHILD CARE CENTRES AND THE WORDS OF GUIDANCE IN THE CODE OF PRACTICE WOULD ENSURE THAT THIS CARE IS PRACTISED AND IS EFFECTIVE.

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