XN000022-1978-05-24 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1978

THE HON. WONG LAM ALSO THOUGHT THAT ONLY COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED PLANNING WOULD OBTAIN FRUITFUL RESULTS IN YOUTH GUIDANCE.

HE SAID PERSONAL PROBLEMS VERY OFTEN ARE BUT A REFLECTION OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE HCLE COMMUNITY, OR HAVE ARISEN FROM CERTAIN SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

IT IS INSUFFICIENT TO RELY SOLELY ON THE WORK OF SOCIAL WORKERS THE CO-OPERATION OF MANY OTHER SECTORS, SUCH AS THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND EDUCATIONISTS, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND THE MEDIA MUST ALSO BE ENLISTED IF WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE GOOD RESULTS.

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK

THE UNOFFICIALS COMMENTED ON PARTICULAR ASPECTS OF THE GREEN PAPER WHICH THEY THOUGHT SHOULD BE IMPROVED,

MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAN SAID THAT THE PROPOSED ASSIGNMENT CF ONE PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER TO FOUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS OR 4,000 PUPILS WAS INADEQUATE AS WELL AS ARBITRARY. IT WAS ALSO INFLEXIBLE BECAUSE IN PRACTICE NOT ALL SCHOOLS HAVE THE SAME NEED FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE.

AS AN ALTERNATIVE, SHE SUGGESTED A DISTRICT BASED SERVICE, +WITH THE SCHOOLS IN EACH DISTRICT SERVED BY A TEAM OF SOCIAL WORKERS WHO WOULD THEN WORK FLEXIBLY WITH THE SCHOOLS WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT. AND DETERMINE THE KIND OF CONTACT AND APPROACH THAT THEY SHOULD ESTABLISH WITH EACH SCHOOL.+

THE TEAM MAY ALSO BE ATTACHED TO A VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCY TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF AVAILABLE COMMUNITY SERVICES TO SUPPLEMENT THE IR WORK WITH THE STUDENTS.

MR. ALEX WU THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE OF THE INADEQUATE PROVISION OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS, +IT WOULD INEVITABLY BE A CASE OF REFERRING A STUDENT TO THE SOCIAL WORKER WHICH WOULD IN ITSELF BE A STIGMA.+ THE DISGRACE ITSELF COULD CREATE LONG LASTING ILL EFFECTS FOR THE STUDENT.

WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC GROUP, MR. WU FELT THERE WAS WITHOUT DOUBT A NEED FOR PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS TO ADVISE AND CONSULT, BUT NOT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF TEACHERS, ANY MORE THAN THEY SHOULD TAKE THE PLACE CF PARENTS,+

HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE CONSTRUCTIVE, AND MORE ECONOMICAL TO DEVOTE RESOURCES TO EQUIPPING SCHOOL TEACHERS WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE OF BEHAVIOURIAL PROBLEMS AND THE IR SCLUTION.

THE UMELCO AD HOC GROUP AGREED THAT TEACHERS WITH SUITABLE PERSONALITY, THE NECESSARY APTITUDES AND ADQUATE TRAINING COULD BE RECRUITED TO BE STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS.

MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH HOPED HOWEVER THAT IN FUTURE ONLY PERSONS WITH APPROPRIATE SOCIAL WORK TRAINING WOULD BE RECRUITED FOR THESE POSTS.

ISS BENNETT, ..