XN000022-1987-04-01 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1987

ON THE SUGGESTION THAT A SET OF CRITERIA BE FORMULATED FOR ASSESSING SUBVENTIONS TO MEET THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF AGENCIES, HE SAID IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH SUCH GUIDELINES OF CRITERIA BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY IN SIZE, HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, NATURE OF WORK AND TYPE OF OFFICE ACCOMMODATION OCCUPIED BY AGENCIES.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WAS PREPARED TO RE-EXAMINE THE QUESTION TO SEE WHETHER A MORE SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENT COULD BE ACHIEVED.

REFERRING TO A SUGGESTION THAT $2.8 MILLION FROM THE SURPLUS WHICH WAS AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO ENABLE THE NEW RATIO OF ONE SOCIAL WORKER FOR 3,000 STUDENTS BE IMPLEMENTED FROM SEPTEMBER, MR CHAMBER SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE DISCUSSED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHORTLY.

HE ADDED THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD AGREED THAT THE CRITERIA FOR THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE OUTREACHING SOCIAL SERVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE DEMAND FOR THIS SERVICE IN NEW TOWNS SUCH AS SHA TIN AND YUEN LONG SHOULD BE EXAMINED.

TURNING TO SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT VIEW WAS THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY WAS BEST PROVIDED THROUGH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND OLD AGE ALLOWANCES RATHER THAN BY SUBSIDIES TO PUBLIC UTILITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO INTRODUCE CONCESSIONARY RATES.

CARE FOR THE ELDERLY WAS ONE OF THE TWO AREAS OF WELFARE SERVICES WHICH CALLED FOR HIGH PRIORITY, HE SAID.

+NOT ONLY ARE THE NUMBERS OF THE ELDERLY STEADILY INCREASING, BUT WITH CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY THE NEED FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF SERVICES IS BECOMING MORE PRESSING.

+PERHAPS THE MOST ACUTE SHORTAGE IS IN CARE-AND-ATTENTION PLACES, BUT ALMOST EQUALLY IMPORTANT ARE THE SERVICES WHICH ENABLE ELDERLY PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS HOME HELP COMMUNITY NURSING AND DAY CARE CENTRES.+

+THE OTHER PRIORITY AREA IS PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, SUCH AS OUTREACH AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK, HE SAID.

+WE SHOULD RECONDS IDER OUR PRIORITIES AS BETWEEN THESE SERVICES AND THE PROGRAMME FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES, UNIFORMED ORGANISATIONS AND GROUP ACTIVITIES, WHICH AT PRESENT RECEIVES ALMOST THREE TIMES AS MUCH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AS THE PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK ACTIVITIES.+

/HE ADDED