XN000022-1975-07-01 — Page 3

TUESDAY, JULY 1, 1975

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+PARADOXICALLY, WE FIND THIS TO BE A HEALTHY SIGN BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GIVING UP THEIR TRADITIONAL ATTITUDE OF NOT WASHING ONE'S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC. THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BRINGING THEIR PROBLEMS TO US SHOWS THAT THE VALUE OF OUR SERVICES IS RECOGNISED, HE SAID.

*MOST OF THE COUPLES COMING TO US FOR ADVICE ARE WITHIN THE 25-30 AGE GROUP,+` HE ADDED, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS OPEN-MINDED TREND SPREADING TO OLDER COUPLES.+

MR. FUNG SAID THAT MARITAL PROBLEMS BROUGHT TO HIS DIVISION FOR MEDIATION COULD BE DIVIDED INTO TWO MAIN GROUPS THOSE IN WHICH BOTH PARTNERS RECOGNISED THAT PROBLEMS EXISTED AND TRIED TO REACH A SETTLEMENT AND THOSE WHICH INVOLVED COMPLAINTS FROM ONE PARTNER.

+AFTER AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM IS MADE, A CASE WORKER, WORKING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN EXPERIENCED SOCIAL WORKER, LOOKS INTO THE MATTER IN DEPTH,+ MR. FUNG SAID.

+HE USUALLY ARRANGES A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS WITH THE CLIENT, JOINT INTERVIEWS WITH ALL INVOLVED PARTIES PRESENT, AK. MAKE HOME VISITS TO GAIN A DEEPER INSIGHT INTO THE CLIENT'S PROBLEMS.

+IT OFTEN TURNS OUT THAT THE INITIAL COMPLAINT MA, NOT BE THE REAL PROBLEM THREATENING TO RUIN A MARRIAGE. + HE ADDED. +AFTER A SERIES OF COUNSELLINGS. A COUPLE MAY GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OWN PROBLEMS AND LOOK AT THEM FROM A TOTALLING DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT,+

MR. FUNG SAID THAT THE MAIN PROBLEM FACING A CASEWORKER WAS HOW TO GAIN THE RESPECT AND TRUST OF THE CLIENT. VERY OFTEN IT IS THE CASE OF A YOUNG, UNMARRIED CASE WORKER GIVING ADVICE ON COMPLICATED MARITAL PROBLEMS TO A MUCH OLDER AND EXPERIENCED COUPLE, + HE SAID.

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+THE CASE WORKER MUST FIRST CONVINCE HIS CLIENTS THAT HIS PROFESSIONAL TRAINING CAN HELP TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS, JUST AS A YOUNG DOCTOR CAN CURE AN OLD MAN BECAUSE OF HIS PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE.

+THE RATE OF AMICABLE SETTLEMENTS BEING REACHED AFTER THE DIVISION'S COUNSELLING SERVICE IS, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, HIGHLY SATISFACTORY,+ HE ADDED.

+HOPELESS CASES, WHERE COUNSELLING SERVICES ARE IN VAIN, ARE REFERRED TO THE MEDIATION UNIT OF THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT FOR EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO DIVORCE, HE SAID.

/OUR DIVISION

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