XN000022-1980-11-04 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1980

MORE NURSERY PLACES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS CREATED AN EXTRA 24 PLACES IN FOUR NORMAL DAY NURSERIES FOR MILD GRADE DISABLED CHILDREN TO INTEGRATE WITH NORMAL CHILDREN OF THEIR AGE.

THESE NURSERIES, RUN BY VOLUNTEER AGENCIES IN SHAM SHUI PO, WONG TAI SIN, SHA TIN AND KWAI CHUNG, HAVE STARTED ADMITTING DISABLED CHILDREN AGED TWO TO SIX YEARS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY ANOTHER 18 PLACES WOULD BE PROVIDED BEFORE NEXT APRIL UNDER THE INTEGRATED CHILD CARE SCHEME.

HE SAID THIS WOULD BRING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUCH PLACES TO 180 WHICH WOULD HAVE INVOLVED A TOTAL ANNUAL SUBVENTION OF OVER $640 000 TO MEET ADDITIONAL STAFF COSTS.

FROM NEXT YEAR ONWARDS, HE SAID, THE SCHEME WILL BE EXPANDED AT A FASTER INCREASE RATE OF 90 PLACES PER YEAR AS COMPARED WITH THE PRESENT ANNUAL INCREASE OF 60.

PARENTS WISHING TO FIND A PLACE FOR THEIR DISABLED CHILDREN MAY ENQUIRE FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S CHILD CARE CENTRES ADVISORY INSPECTORATE AT THE LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE AT 44 O! KWAN ROAD, WAN CHAI, OR TELEPHONE 5-754321.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE SCHEME HAD PROVED IT MET A NEED TO ENABLE DISABLED CHILDREN TO ENJOY CHILD CARE WITH NORMAL CHILDREN LEADING TO SOCIAL INTEGRATION.

SUBVENTED NURSERIES JOINING THE SCHEME ARE GIVEN EXTRA SUBVENTION TO MEET ADDITIONAL STAFF COSTS, OR GRANTS OR SPECIAL FACILITIES AND STAFF TRAINING.

EACH PARTICIPATING NURSERY TAKES IN SIX DISABLED CHILDREN WHO ARE MILD GRADE MENTALLY RETARDED, PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED OR SLIGHTLY IMPAIRED IN SPEECH, HEARING OR SIGHT,

ADMISSIONS ARE BY WAY OF DIRECT APPLICATIONS OR REFERRALS FROM WELFARE AGENCIES AND FROM THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

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