XN000022-1987-02-22 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1987

COMPUTER AID IN ASSESSING SOCIAL WORKER MANPOWER SITUATION

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS INSTALLED A COMPUTER AND IS SETTING UP, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, A +SOCIAL WORK PERSONNEL INFORMATION SYSTEM, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ROSE GOODSTADT, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

SPEAKING AT A SEMINAR AT THE CITY POLYTECHNIC ON THE MANPOWER SITUATION OF THE WELFARE FIELD, SHE SAID: THE SYSTEM AIMS TO IMPROVE THE ASSESSMENT OF THE MANPOWER POLICY AND TO PRODUCE ACCURATE INFORMATION SPEEDILY SO THAT THE POLICY CAN BE MODIFIED TO MEET THE ACTUAL NEEDS.

+THIS COMPUTERISED SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO COME INTO OPERATION EARLY NEXT YEAR.+

MRS GOODSTADT NOTED THAT IN 1987-88 THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORK DEGREE GRADUATES WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 162 WHILE THE NUMBER OF NEW POSTS, IN THE DEPARTMENT AND IN THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, WOULD TOTAL AROUND 200.

THERE WERE ALSO A NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAT HAD TO BE FILLED, SHE SAID.

+IN THE DEPARTMENT ALONE, THERE ARE ABOUT 100 NEW POSTS AND SOME 50 VACANCIES ARISING FROM RETIREMENT/RESIGNATION AT THE ASSISTANT SOCIAL WORK OFFICER (ASWO) GRADE THAT HAVE TO BE FILLED.

+IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WILL BE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SUPPLY AND THE DEMAND LEAVING MORE THAT 100 POSTS UNFILLED, + SHE SAID.

+AS WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RECRUIT ENOUGH ASWO'S NEXT YEAR, WE MUST ADOPT SOME MAKESHIFT MEASURES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM SO AS NOT TO AFFECT THE SERVICES WE ARE PLANNING TO DEVELOP.

+WE ARE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE WITH THE PRACTICE WE IMPLEMENTED IN 1984 TO BRING DOWN THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES, WHICH IS TO RECRUIT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF NON-SOCIAL WORK GRADUATES TO FILL THESE ASWO POSTS.

+THESE NEW RECRUITS WILL BE ENROLLED IMMEDIATELY IN SPECIAL SOCIAL WORK COURSES ORGANISED FOR THEM BY THE TWO UNIVERSITIES, THUS SAFEGUARDING THE QUALITY OF SERVICE, SHE SAID.

JUDGING FROM THE EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST TWO TO THREE YEARS, THIS MEASURE HAD PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN SOLVING THE MANPOWER SHORTAGE, SHE SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, HAD AGREED THAT THIS FLEXIBLE MEASURE BE CONTINUED.

/+WE WILL