XN000022-1975-03-05 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1975

ADVICE TO PARENTS ON NURSERY PLACEMENTS

PARENTS SHOULD EXERCISE CARE WHEN CHOOSING A NURSERY IN WHICH TO PLACE THEIR CHILDREN, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, ADVISED TODAY.

EVEN THOUGH THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE 1975 WHICH SPECIFIES THE MINIMUM STANDARDS OF SERVICE AND THE MINIMUM PROVISION OF EQUIPMENT REQUIRED IN A CHILD CARE CENTRE, HAD BEEN PASSED, HE SAID, IT HAD YET TO COME INTO EFFECT.

PARENTS SHOULD THEREFORE CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT, HYGIENIC CONDITIONS AND FIRE PRECAUTION MEASURES OF NURSERIES BEFORE DECIDING IN WHICH ONE TO PLACE THEIR CHILDREN. IT WAS ALSO ESSENTIAL, HE STRESSED, TO KNOW WHETHER THERE WERE SUFFICIENT STAFF TO CARE FOR THE CHILDREN,

MR. LEE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE PO LEUNG KUK'S NEW NURSERY ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF BLOCK 8 IN THE VALLEY ROAD HOUSING ESTATE IN KOWLOON. THIS NURSERY, WHICH HAS PLACES FOR &0

O CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF TWO AND SIX, WILL CATER TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN THE AREA.

WITH ITS OPENING, HE NOTED, THE KUK NOW HAD SEVEN NURSERIES AND A CRECHE WHICH TOGETHER CAN ́LOOK AFTER SOME 700 CHILDREN.

MR. LEE SAID THESE NON-PROFIT-MAKING NURSERIES HAD DEEN SET UP BY THE KUK IN RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR SUCH PLACES TO HELP PARENTS WHO BOTH HAVE TO WORK OR WHO HAVE TO RAISE TOO LARGE A FAMILY OF CHILDREN.

HE SAID THE KUK WAS WELL AWARE OF THE TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE THAT PRE-SCHOOL YEARS MAY HAVE ON THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL GROWTH OF THE YOUNG AND HAD DONE ITS BEST TO RECRUIT FULLY-TRAINED STAFF FOR ITS NURSERIES.

+ITS EFFORTS ARE REFLECTED IN THE RISING STANDARD OF THE SERVICE BEING PROVIDED. I AM SURE THAT IN FUTURE, WITH THE WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE GAINED OVER THE YEARS TO RELY ON AND THE PUBLIC MINDEDNESS AND DEDICATION OF THE DIRECTORS TO GIVE IT ENCOURAGEMENT AND DRIVE. THE PO LEUNG KUK WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND ITS CHILD CARE SERVICES.+

HOWEVER, MR. LEE POINTED OUT, CHILD CARE WAS ONLY ONE OF · THE AREAS IN WELFARE SERVICES IN WHICH THE KUK HAD BEEN ACTIVE IN THE 100 YEARS SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED.

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