XN000022-1985-09-04 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1985

THE ADVANTAGE OF SUCH A HOME OVER A LARGE INSTITUTION WAS THAT IT COULD PROVIDE A MORE HOME-LIKE ENVIRONMENT AND THEREBY BRING THE CHILDREN AND THEIR HOUSEPARENTS CLOSER TOGETHER.

IN HONG KONG, PO LEUNG KUK PIONEERED THIS SERVICE BY OPERATING THE FIRST SMALL GROUP HOME IN 1975.

+1 AM VERY PLEASED THAT THE KUK HAS AGREED TO OPERATE A FURTHER FIVE HOMES IN ADDITION TO ITS EXISTING FOUR, THE KUK WILL THEREFORE REMAIN THE MAJOR PROVIDER OF THIS SERVICE IN HONG KONG,+ SHE SAID.

A CENTRAL FOSTER CARE UNIT WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT IN 1983 TO PROMOTE AND CO-ORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOSTER CARE SERVICE SO FAR 135 CHILDREN HAD BEEN PLACED IN FOSTER HOMES.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD AN ENCOURAGING RESPONSE TO ITS APPEAL FOR INTERESTED FAMILIES TO COME FORWARD TO ACT AS FOSTER PARENTS, AND IT WAS HOPED TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES NEXT YEAR TO BUILD A POOL OF PROSPECTIVE FOSTER PARENTS TO FACILITATE PLACEMENTS.

A WORKING GROUP OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD BE CONDUCTING A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE EXISTING POLICIES ON RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR CHILDREN, INCLUDING A LOOK AT THE SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES IN NEED,

+THIS WORKING GROUP IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE WORK IN THE COMING MONTH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF CARE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES, MRS CHAN SAID.

CYC MEMBERS LEAVING FOR JAPAN TOMORROW

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FIFTEEN COMMUNITY YOUTH CLUB MEMBERS, WHO WON A TRIP TO JAPAN FOR THE IR EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE IN THE CYC MERIT AWARD SCHEME THIS YEAR, WILL BE LEAVING FOR TOKYO TOMORROW MORNING.

THE GROUP OF 10 GIRLS AND FIVE BOYS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE DISTRICT CHAIRMAN OF KOWLOON CITY CYC, MISS KWAN WEI-YIN, THE DISTRICT CHAIRMAN OF SHAM SHUI PO CYC, MISS LAU STU-MUT AND AN INSPECTOR OF CYC SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, MR CHAN KAR-TAI.

DURING THE SIX-DAY TOUR, THE PARTY WILL VISIT VARIOUS SCHOOLS, CHILDREN'S AND ELDERLY HOMES AND YOUTH ORGANISATIONS, BESIDES TOURING TOKYO DISNEYLAND AND THE TSUKUBA EXPO 185.