XN000022-1976-05-29 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1976

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK USEFULNESS BEYOND DOUBT

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THE USEFULNESS OF PREVENTIVE SOCIAL WORK FOR YOUTH SUCH AS SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK, OUT-REACH PROGRAMMES AND YOUTH GUIDANCE IS 'BEYOND DOUBT AND THESE SERVICES SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY AND EXPANDED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE SOCIETY.

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, EMPHASISED THIS IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS AT THE SEMINAR ON SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE THIS (SATURDAY)' MORNING.

MR. LEE DESCRIBED SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK AS A FORM OF PREVENTIVE AND POSITIVE SOCIAL WORK.

+ IF IT IS OUR AIM TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE SERVICES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS IN HELPING THEM SOLVE THEIR MANY SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND TO ENSURE THAT SCHOOL CHILDREN WILL NOT DEVELOP BAD HABITS, BAD BEHAVIOUR AND BECOME DELINQUENT, THEN SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK DEFINITELY HAS ITS VALUE AND CAN BE THE MOST PRACTICAL AND EFFECTIVE FORM OF FAMILY AND YOUTH SERVICE.+.

HE STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES CONCERNED SHOULD THEREFORE FURTHER EXAMINE THE APPROACHES AND METHODS WHICH THEY NOW EMPLOY, THE CLIENTELE THEY SERVE AND THE PROGRAMMES USED IN CARRYING OUT THE PRESENT WORK, AND MUST NOT JUST STICK TO THE CONVENTIONAL WAY OF DELIVERING THEIR FAMILY AND YOUTH SERVICES.

THE DIRECTOR NOTED THAT IT HAD BEEN AGREED IN A SIMILAR SEMINAR RECENTLY ORGANISED BY THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR MORE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK AND THAT THE PREVENTIVE ASPECT OF THE WORK SHOULD BE EMPHASISED.

+IN THIS WAY, WE CAN WORK WITH HEADMASTERS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS TO SOLVE THE MANY EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN SO THAT THEY CAN CONCENTRATE ON THEIR STUDIES AGAIN,+

THIS CHANGE OF EMPHASIS IS IN LINE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED REPORT ON THE SOCIAL CAUSES OF CRIME HE ADDED.

MR. LEE CONTINUED THAT THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS INCLUDED IN THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK PROJECT LAUNCHED IN LATE 1974 HAD INCREASED FROM FIVE TO TEN SECONDARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS, AND OVER 11,800 SCHOOL CHILDREN HAD BEEN ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THIS SERVICE. HE HOPED THAT, BY THE CLOSE OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, THE SERVICE WOULD BE EXTENDED TO MORE SCHOOLS.

+SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK IS ONE OF THE "RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FAMILY SERVICES DIVISION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT,+ HE SAID, +SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO ARE IN NEED OF THIS SERVICE ARE BEING REFERRED BY THE SCHOOLS TO THE DEPARTMENT'S DISTRICT OFFICE OR FAMILY SERVICE CENTRE IN THEIR DISTRICT FOR ASSISTANCE.+

FINALLY, MR. LEE STRESSED THAT SOCIAL WORKER, WHETHER IN A FAMILY AGENCY OR A YOUTH SERVING AGENCY COULD NOT WORK ALONE, +HE NEEDS THE CO-OPERATION FROM THE HEADMASTERS, TEACHERS, PARENTS AND SCHOOL CHILDREN THEMSELVES IF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK IS TO SUCCEED.+