XN000022-1981-04-20 — Page 2

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 1981

DEMONSTRATION NURSERY TRAINS CHILD CARE WORKERS

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WHILE HONG KONG'S 208 REGISTERED NURSERIES AND CRECHES ARE ALL RUN EITHER PRIVATELY OR BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AT AN ANNUAL GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION OF $33 MILLION, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ITSELF OPERATES A NURSERY WITH A DIFFERENCE IN ITS TRAINING SECTION.

ITS DEMONSTRATION DAY NURSERY IN WAN CHAI, APART FROM LOOKING AFTER 100 CHILDREN OF WORKING PARENTS, IS THE IN-SERVICE TRAINING GROUND FOR HONG KONG'S CHILD CARE WORKERS AND AN OBSERVATION POST FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT STUDIES.

THE NURSERY OCCUPIES THE ENTIRE FIRST FLOOR OF THE FIVE-STOREY LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE, THE DONOR OF WHICH HAS EXPRESSEDLY WISHED THE BUILDING TO BE USED FOR CHILD CARE TRAINING.

THE CENTRE ALSO ACCOMMODATES THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ADVISORY INSPECTORATE AND SERVES AS THE SOCIAL WORK TRAINING BASE OF THE DEPARTMENT.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THE 744-SQUARE METRE DEMONSTRATION NURSERY OPERATES JUST LIKE ANY OTHER NURSERY, EXCEPT THAT IT HAS HELPED TRAIN 2 650 NURSERY AND CRECHE WORKERS THROUGH 100 COURSES,

THE IN-SERVICE DAY-RELEASE COURSES COMPRISE FIVE WEEKS' TRAINING SPREAD OVER THREE AND A HALF MONTHS AND ARE COMPULSORY FOR CHILD CARE STAFF WITH OVER ONE YEAR'S SERVICE, HE SAID.

AT THE MOMENT, HE SAID, THREE COURSES ARE RUNNING CONCURRENTLY, EACH FOR 25 TRAINEES WHO HAVE WORKED IN THE CHILD CARE FIELD FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS,

THE COURSES ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING ON CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT AND TO STIMULATE THEM TO IMPROVE STANDARD OF SERVICES FOR CHILDREN UNDER CARE, HE ADDED.

EACH COURSE BEGINS WITH TALKS AND DISCUSSIONS BY VETERAN SOCIAL WORKERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, NUTRITIONISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND ARTS AND CRAFTS EXPERTS ON NURSERY WORK, GENERAL PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN, AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS FORMS OF CHILD PLAY.

THESE ARE FOLLOWED BY OBSERVATION VISITS TO THE DEMONSTRATION NURSERY AND OTHER CHILD CARE CENTRES AND PRACTICE SESSIONS.

ON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, THEY ARE AWARDED A CERTIFICATE BY THE DEPARTMENT.

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