XN000022-1986-07-30 — Page 63

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986

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IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED IN OUTREACH SOCIAL WORK

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PROPOSALS ARE BEING PREPARED FOR IMPROVING AND DEVELOPING THE OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK SERVICE, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON NIGEL SHIPMAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ROSANNA TAM, MR SHIPMAN SAID THAT IN SEPTEMBER 1985 THE CENTRE FOR HONG KONG STUDIES AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG COMPLETE A STUDY THAT EVALUATED THE PROGRAMME AND RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS IN ITS METHODS AND ADMINISTRATION.

+THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS DISCUSSED THE REPORT WITH THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND IS NOW PREPARING A SERIES OF PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVING AND DEVELOPING THE SERVICE, HE SAID.

+THE ADVICE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE SOUGHT ON THESE PROPOSALS IN DUE COURSE.+

MR SHIPMAN SAID THE OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK SERVICE WAS STARTED IN 1979 WITH 18 TEN-MAN TEAMS.

+ IN 1981, IN THE COURSE OF A REVIEW OF PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, IT WAS NOTED THAT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY. IN RECRUITING TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS, THESE TEAMS WERE OPERATING CONSISTENTLY AT WELL BELOW THEIR ESTABLISHED MANNING LEVELS.+

THE REVIEW RECOMMENDED THAT NO FURTHER EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE SHOULD BE CONTEMPLATED UNTIL 80 PER CENT OF THE EXISTING POSTS HAD BEEN FILLED BY STAFF OF AN APPROPRIATE RANK.

SINCE THEN THE AVERAGE STRENGTH OF THESE TEAMS HAD IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY AND IN MARCH THIS YEAR 89 PER CENT OF THE POSTS HAD BEEN FILLED, MR SHIPMAN SAID.

STEPS TAKEN TO IMPROVE LANGUAGE LEARNING

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACCEPTED ADDITIONAL MEASURES PROPOSED BY THE EDUCATION COMMISSION TO IMPROVE LANGUAGE LEARNING AND THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 1988. THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO PROFESSOR THE HON POON CHUNG-KWONG, MR HENDERSON SAID THESE MEASURES INCLUDED PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL TEACHERS OF ENGLISH, WITH FACILITIES FOR SMALL-GROUP TEACHING A SECOND WIRE-FREE LOOP INDUCTION SYSTEM; AND A ONE-OFF+ LIBRARY GRANT FOR ADDITIONAL READING MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AND OTHER TEACHING AIDS.

/OTHER MEASURES