XN000022-1982-01-27 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1982

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THEY SERVE IN 98 NURSERIES OPERATED BY THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND IN 65 PRIVATELY-OWNED NURSERIES CATERING FOR CHILDREN FROM TWO TO SIX YEARS OF AGE 22 CRECHES RUN BY THE VOLUNTARY

AGENCIES AND 16 OTHER PROFIT-MAKING CRECHES FOR THOSE BELOW TWO YEARS OF AGE SEVEN SPECIAL CENTRES FOR THE HANDICAPPED AGED FROM TWO TO SIX AND THREE PRIVATELY-OPERATED CENTRES FOR MIXED CLIENTS OF THE SAME AGE GROUP.

OFFICIAL PROJECTIONS OF STAFF REQUIRED TO OPERATE CHILD-CARE CENTRES ARE THAT 1 710 ARE NEEDED IN 1982, 2 160 IN 1983, 2 660 IN 1984 AND 3 060 IN 1985. RECOGNISING THE NEED TO EXPAND CURRENT TRAINING FACILITIES, THE GOVERNMENT IS STUDYING THE POSSIBILITY OF OPENING A NEW TRAINING INSTITUTE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

MR LAU KAI CHUEN, SENIOR SOCIAL WORK OFFICER (DEVELOPMENT) OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, SAID THAT IN SPITE OF THE PRESENT LIMITATIONS, OUR FACILITIES AND THE STANDARDS THEY HAVE TO MEET AS SET OUT IN THE 1975 CHILD CARE CENTRE ORDINANCE AND THE WHITE PAPER, MAKE OUR CENTRES COMPARABLE WITH THOSE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.+

HE ADDED THAT THE ORDINANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE OF ITS TYPE.

TO MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROVISIONS STATED IN THE WHITE PAPER, A STANDING COMMITTEE WAS SET UP COMPRISING SENIOR MEMBERS FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS CHAIRED BY A SENIOR OFFICER OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.

CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT, INDEED, HAS BEEN MADE IN THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES IN HONG KONG. ORIGINALLY PROVIDING LITTLE MORE THAN +CHILD MINDING OR CHILD SITTING+ SERVICE, CHILD-CARE WORKERS TODAY ARE REQUIRED TO KNOW NOT ONLY ABOUT THE PHYSICAL CARE OF THEIR CHARGES, BUT ALSO HOW TO PROGRAMME A MYREAD OF ACTIVITIES TO STIMULATE A CHILD AND PROMOTE HIS INTELLECTUAL, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

IT IS NOW GENERALLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE FOREMOST AUTHORITIES THAT A CHILD'S PERSONALITY IS ALREADY DETERMINED TO A GREAT EXTENT BY THE TIME HE REACHES THE AGE OF SIX. A CHILD IN AN OFFICIALLY APPROVED CHILD-CARE CENTRE SPENDS ABOUT HALF OF HIS WAKING HOURS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A CHILD-CARE WORKER AND SO IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO EXAGGERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING CHILD-CARE WORKERS WITH PROPER TRAINING.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EARLY INFLUENCE ON A CHILD, HOWEVER, IS

FAR FROM BEING A RECENT DISCOVERY.

SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SAID IN THE 15TH CENTURY: +GIVE ME THE CHILDREN UNTIL THEY ARE SEVEN AND ANYONE MAY HAVE THEM AFTERWARDS.+

AS ONE CHILD-CARE WORKER SAID: IT IS REALLY MORE OF A CALLING THAN JUST ANOTHER JOB.+

/REMUNERATION POR