XN000022-1981-07-07 — Page 4

TUESDAY, JULY 7,

JULY 7, 1981

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MRS CHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD IN FUTURE, SUBJECT TO THE PROVISION OF NECESSARY FUNDS, BE PREPARED TO REIMBURSE RENTS INCURRED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES OPERATING WELFARE SERVICES IN PRIVATELY LEASED ACCOMMODATION.

HITHERTO, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ONLY REIMBURSED RENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES APART FROM A FEW EXCEPTIONS, SHE SAID.

SPEAKING OF FOSTERING AND SMALL GROUP HOMES, MRS CHAN SAID THAT BY LIMITING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN BEING CARED FOR, THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO PROVIDE A SUBSTITUTE HOME THROUGH A GREATER DEGREE OF INDIVIDUAL CARE AND ATTENTION.

SHE SAID EXPANSION IN THESE AREAS HAD BEEN SLOW AND A CONCERTED EFFORT WAS REQUIRED.

SHE POINTED OUT THERE MUST BE MANY MARRIED COUPLES ABLE AND WILLING TO GIVE DEPRIVED CHILDREN THE IR LOVE AND CARE, AND SHE APPEALED TO SUCH COUPLES TO STEP FORWARD.

SHE ALSO URGED VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO EXPAND THEIR ACTIVITIES IN THIS FIELD, PARTICULARLY THOSE ALREADY OPERATING RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN.

FOSTER CARE ENABLES A CHILD TO BE PLACED TEMPORARILY IN THE CARE OF MARRIED COUPLES AS FOSTER PARENTS WHO ARE AGED 25 TO 55 YEARS, AND JUDGED TO BE SUITABLE PARENTS,

APART FROM AN INCENTIVE ALLOWANCE OF $200, FOSTER PARENTS ARE GIVEN EACH MONTH A MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE WHICH IS BEING INCREASED TO $500 THIS MONTH.

AT THE END OF MARCH, THERE WERE 37 CHILDREN IN FOSTER HOMES IN HONG KONG.

REFERRING TO SMALL GROUP HOMES, MRS CHAN SAID THE FIRST WAS RUN IN 1975 AND A SECOND WOULD SOON BE OPERATING, WHILE THE DEPARTMENT WAS LIAISING WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR PREMISES FOR A THIRD ONE.

SMALL GROUP HOMES ARE SMALL, COMMUNITY-BASED LIVING UNITS OPERATED BY A WELFARE AGENCY IN FAMILY-TYPE DWELLINGS AS A FORM OF GROUP CARE FOR SEVEN TO 12 CHILDREN EACH.

ON ADOPTION, MRS CHAN SAID THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS CONTINUED TO OUTSTRIP THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, WITH A WAITING LIST OF 248 APPLICANTS AGAINST AN AVAILABILITY OF 132 CHILDREN.

GIVING SOME FACTS AND FIGURES AS INDICATED BY AN ANALYS IS MRS CHAN SAID APPLICANTS WERE NOW GENERALLY YOUNGER IN AGE WITH 67 PER CENT UNDER 40 YEARS, AND THAT MOST CHINESE APPLICANTS WERE MIDDLE-INCOME AND WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE WITH FEW PROFESSIONALS, WITH 37 PER CENT HAVING COMPLETED SECONDARY SCHOOLING AND 27 PER CENT HAVING A MONTHLY INCOME OF OVER $3 000.

/+AN INTERESTING