XN000022-1976-12-10 — Page 5

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1976

IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION

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FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION IS AN IMPORTANT AND POSITIVE PROGRAMME WHICH CAN STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY IN COMBATING AND SOLVING MANY OF THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS IT HAS TO FACE.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATION THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON.

MR. LEE NOTED THAT THE AIMS OF FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION WERE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF FAMILY LIFE OF INDIVIDUALS, BY ENHANCING THE IR SELF-UNDERSTANDING AND TO FORESTALL FAMILY BREAKDOWN BY INSTITUTING KNOWLEDGE ON MARRIAGE AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTHOOD.

THE DIRECTOR AGREED THAT YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE ONE OF THE IMPORTANT GROUPS TO REACH IN THIS PROGRAMME AND THAT THOSE WHO HAD CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THEM SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION WORK.

HE NOTED THAT MORE ATTENTION HAD RECENTLY BEEN RE-FOCUSSED ON THE SUBJECT FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT ON THE 'SOCIAL CAUSES OF VIOLENT CRIMES AMONG YOUNG OFFENDERS IN HONG KONG' WHICH REGARDED FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PREVENTIVE MEASURE.

MOST YOUNG OFFENDERS, HE POINTED OUT, WERE FOUND TO HAVE COME FROM BROKEN HOMES OR HAD STRAINED RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.

HE CONTINUED THAT THIS SERVED TO RE-AFFIRM THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION TO THE PROPER DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

+FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION IS A WIDE RANGING CONCEPT WHICH EMBRACES MANY ASPECTS AND SUBJECTS, + MR. LEE SAID. IF IT IS TO HAVE ANY IMPACT AT ALL, IT MUST BE A COMMUNITY WIDE PROGRAMME WHICH WILL BE BEYOND THE CAPABILITY OF ANY ONE ORGANISATION OR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT TO TACKLE ON ITS OWN.+

TURNING TO THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS FIELD, HE SAID THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ALREADY CONDUCTED PERSONAL AND GROUP COUNSELLING FOR YOUNG PERSONS AND THE IR PARENTS, ARRANGED GROUP DISCUSSIONS IN THE FORM OF TALKS. DEBATES AND SEMINARS AND GAVE PUBLICITY TO SUCH SERVICES IN VARIOUS FORMS.

/+OUR PLAN