XN000022-1986-07-04 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, JULY 4, 1986

+ THERE ARE AT PRESENT 730 WORK ACTIVITY PLACES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.

+THIS FISCAL YEAR, 290 ADDITIONAL WORK ACTIVITY PLACES WILL BE PROVIDED. BY 1990-91, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WORK ACTIVITY PLACES WILL BE INCREASED TO 2 060, + SHE SAID.

HOWEVER, MRS CHAN ADDED THAT DISABLED PERSONS MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOME TIME BEFORE FINDING OPEN EMPLOYMENT OR GAINING ADMISSION TO SHELTERED WORKSHOPS AND WORK ACTIVITY CENTRES.

SHE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT APPRECIATED THE WORRIES OF PARENTS IN THIS RESPECT AND OF WAYS TO INCREASE EXISTING CAPACITIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY DID NOT LOSE THOSE SKILLS WHICH THEY HAD ACQUIRED AT SCHOOL.

MRS CHAN ALSO SUGGESTED THAT PARENTS SHOULD ENCOURAGE THEIR DISABLED CHILDREN TO MAKE USE OF ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES PROVIDED BY SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL CENTRES DESIGNED FOR DISABLED.

THERE WERE AT PRESENT 23 SUCH CENTRES OFFERING ORGANISED SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS SPORTS TRAINING.

MRS CHAN SAID THAT FOR THE DISABLED, THE TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO WORK WAS DIFFICULT AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED ASSISTANCE IF THEY WERE TO MOVE A LESS RESTRICTIVE AND MORE INDEPENDENT LIFE,

ONE IMPORTANT AVENUE OF ASSISTANCE WAS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION WHICH INCLUDED VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND ASSESSMENT, VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND PLACEMENT SERVICES.

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS WAS USUALLY CARRIED OUT BY SOCIAL WORKERS, WHILE VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT WAS PROVIDED AT THE KWUN TONG SKILLS CENTRE FOR THE DISABLED OPERATED BY THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT.

MRS CHAN URGED PARENTS WITH DISABLED CHILDREN TO ADOPT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE INSTEAD OF FEELING GRIEF OR GUILT.

+DO NOT DEPRIVE YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER OF THE JOYS OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIP -- LIKE A SIMPLE TRIP TO THE BEACH OR TO THE PARK BECAUSE OF THE IGNORANT PREJUDICE OF A FEW PEOPLE, SHE SAID.

PARENTS COULD APPROACH THE DEPARTMENT'S FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES FOR ADVICE AND INFORMATION. THERE WERE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES WHICH BEGAN TRAINING MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN FROM BIRTH, AND SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRES TO LOOK AFTER THE MORE SERIOUSLY PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.

MRS CHAN EXPRESSED HER GRATITUDE TO THE SPASTICS ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG FOR PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES FOR THE SEVERELY DISABLED INCLUDING RUNNING SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRES, SPECIAL SCHOOLS, SHELTERED WORKSHOPS AND RESIDENTIAL SERVICES.

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