XN000022-1981-10-28 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1981

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+THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT IS DOING A FINE JO WITH YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.

+VISIT THE IR INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS AT TAI TAM GAP AFTER SEEING THE MA TAU WAI GIRLS' HOME AND YOU WILL BE IN NO DOUBT WHICH PLACE IS GIVING THE YOUNG OFFENDERS A SECOND CHANCE IN LIFE, A RESPECT FOR THEMSELVES AND SOUND TRAINING FOR THE IR FUTURE TO THE COMMUNITY. +

MISS BENNETT ALSO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION BY A UK ADVISER, MR R.M. JARMAN, WHO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SEPARATE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CASES REFERRED TO THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS RUN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

TO DEVELOP THIS THEME EVEN MORE CLEARLY, SHE CONTINUED, THE UNOFFICIALS OF THE AD HOC GROUP CONSIDERED THAT GIRLS ON REMAND FOR INVESTIGATION INTO SOME OFFENCE OR AWAITING SENTENCE IN THE COURTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM A DIFFERENT EXPERTISE THAN THAT AVAILABLE IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

+THE SOCIAL WORKER IN THAT DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TRAINED IN A CARING PROFESSION THAT IS ADMIRABLY SUITED TO THE HOME WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE COMMITTED FOR CARE AND PROTECTION.

+WE NEED TO REVIEW THE CARE AND PROTECTION ORDINANCE TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO CONFUSION BETWEEN CARING FOR THOSE CHILDREN, WHO COME FROM INADEQUATE HOMES, AND BRINGING DISCIPLINE INTO THE LIVES OF THOSE OTHER CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEGUN A LIFE OF CRIME.

+THESE OTHERS, DELINQUENTS, NEED DISCIPLINE BECAUSE THE IR OWN HOMES DO NOT PROVIDE THEM WITH SUFFICIENT CONTROL, SO THAT THEY HAVE NOT LEARNT THE ESSENCE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE,+SHE SAID.

SHE HOPED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THOSE IN THE SOCIAL WORK FIELD WOULD NOT BE HURT BY HER DESIRE TO TAKE FROM THEM THE PROBATION WORK AND THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

+1 THINK OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE DOING TREMENDOUSLY VALUABLE WORK IN PREVENTION AND IN OUTREACH WORK AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE.

+ I AM ALARMED TO HEAR THAT THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO CUT BACK ON THE LATTER. THEIR OUTREACH PROGRAMMES MUST SURELY BE DEVELOPED, AS ALSO THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMME,+ SHË NOTED.

ON THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SCHEME MISS BENNETT CONSIDERED IT TO BE HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO ALLOW SCHOOLS TO HAVE FREEDOM AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WISH TO USE IT.

WHILE APPRECIATING THAT THERE WAS AN INADEQUATE NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS, SHE SAID: WE MUST AIM TO ENSURE THAT NO CHILD IN NEED OF COUNSELLING AND THE CARE OF A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER FALLS THROUGH THE NET WHICH OUR SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMME IS MEANT TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE LEAST ABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES.

/+IT MUST