XN000022-1976-07-06 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1976

CHILD CARE CENTRES APPLICATION FORMS

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ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN CHILD CARE CENTRES HAVE OBTAINED APPLICATION FORMS FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SINCE THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE CAME INTO OPERATION A MONTH AGO.

COMMENTING ON THE ENCOURAGING RESPONSE, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. JIMMY SWEETMAN SAID: +OF THESE, 19 HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THE FORMS AND FORWARDED THEM TO THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS OF THEIR PREMISES ARE NECESSARY FOR SAFETY, HEALTH AND SANITATION REASONS.+

HE URGED THOSE WHO HAD NOT YET TAKEN ANY STEPS TO REGISTER TO DO SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

+THIS WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED TO INSPECT THE PREMISES AT AN EARLIER DATE AND SO THE APPLICANTS WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO MAKE ANY NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO COMPLY WITH THE CODE OF PRACTICE, NOW THAT THE GRACE PERIOD HAS ONLY 11 MONTHS LEFT.+

MEANWHILE, A SET OF APPLICATION FORMS HAS BEEN SENT TO CENTRES WHOSE ADDRESSES ARE KNOWN TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TOGETHER WITH A LETTER ASKING THEM TO COMPLETE THE FORMS AND TO SEND THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES WITHOUT DELAY.

+IF AN OPERATOR FAILS TO REGISTER HIS CENTRE WITH US BY MAY 31, 1977, HE WILL BE OBLIGED TO CEASE OPERATION TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE CHILDREN ALREADY ENROLLED IN THE NURSERY. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION OF ALLOWING UN- REGISTERED CHILD CARE CENTRES TO CARRY ON AFTER THAT DATE,+ MR. SWEETMAN STRESSED.

FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN UNDERSTANDING THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THE LAW, HE NOTED THAT AN EXPLANATION OF THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS IN CHINESE WILL SOON BE READY,

+A COPY OF THIS PUBLICATION WILL BE OBTAINABLE AS FROM JULY 19 FROM THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ADVISORY INSPECTORATE AT 21 HOSPITAL ROAD, SAI YING PUN, HE ADDED.

MR. SWEETMAN SAID HE IS ORGANISING A SERIES OF TALKS BY SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FOR OPERATORS AND PARENTS TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE ORDINANCE, REGULATIONS AND THE CODE OF PRACTICE.

+THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE TALKS ARE ASKED TO CONTACT MR. CARLOS LEUNG AT THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE OR CALL 5-404736 OR 5-404669,+ HE ADDED.

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