XN000022-1982-04-14 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1982

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ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEALING WITH CHILD ABUSE CASES WORKING WELL

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PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEALING WITH CHILD ABUSE CASES ARE CONSIDERED TO BE WORKING WELL ON A PRACTICAL BASIS AND THERE IS NO NEED FOR A CENTRAL REGISTRY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAT IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ALLEYNE SAID HIS DEPARTMENT WAS COLLECTING QUARTERLY STATISTICS OF ALL SUCH CASES WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THE INFORMATION REQUIRED.

+ IF HOSPITALISATION IS REQUIRED, AND THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT A CHILD HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF ABUSE, A CASE CONFERENCE WILL BE CALLED TO ENSURE A CO-ORDINATED TREATMENT PLAN FOR THE CHILD AND THE FAMILY, HE SAID.

THE CONFERENCE IS ATTENDED BY ALL THE RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL WORKERS - THE CASEWORKER, THE MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER, THE DOCTOR, THE POLICE AND A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST.

+WHERE THE PARENTS REFUSE TO CO-OPERATE, A CARE AND PROTECTION ORDER CAN BE OBTAINED, OR THE CHILD ADMITTED TO A PLACE OF REFUGE, HE ADDED.

HOWEVER, MR ALLEYNE STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO WATCH THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM TO SEE IF A FORMAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE WAS REQUIRED IN ADDITION TO THE CASE CONFERENCES.

HE NOTED THAT OF ABOUT 200 KNOWN CASES LAST YEAR 108 WERE HANDLED DIRECTLY BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THAT 36 OUT OF THESE WERE THE SUBJECT OF PROSECUTIONS, RESULTING IN 29 CONVICTIONS.

ON THE SHORTFALL IN TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS, MR ALLEYNE OUTLINED WAYS TO REMEDY THE SITUATION.

+TO MAXIMISE THE USE OF TRAINED PERSONNEL, HE SAID, +THE SWD HAS DEVOTED MUCH EFFORT DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS TO IDENTIFY JOBS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE SOCIAL WORK TRAINING.

+THERE MAY WELL BE STILL FURTHER SCOPE TO ENLARGE THE USE OF NON-SOCIAL WORK TRAINED PERSONNEL BOTH AT THE GRADUATE AND NON-GRADUATE LEVEL FOR CERTAIN JOBS WHERE SOCIAL WORK TRAINING IS NOT ESSENTIAL.

+ INDEED THE WORKING PARTY ON SOCIAL WELFARE MANPOWER HAS ALSO SO RECOMMENDED, AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS COMMENCED TO EXAMINE SOME OF ITS POSTS WITH THIS IN VIEW, HE SAID.

/ON THE NEED