XN000022-1989-01-21 — Page 3

2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 1989

MANPOWER SURVEY TO INCLUDE WASTAGE, RETENTION SITUATION

* * * * *

MANPOWER WASTAGE AND THE RETENTION SITUATION OF WELFARE WORKERS WILL BE AMONG THE NEW ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FORTHCOMING WELFARE MANPOWER SURVEY WHICH WILL BE COMMENCED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR STEPHEN LAW, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT A

SEMINAR ON THE CAREER PROSPECTS OF WELFARE WORKERS, MR LAW NOTED THAT OF THE

1,834 INCUMBENT WELFARE WORKERS,

134 WERE HOLDING SENIOR WELFARE WORKER POSTS.

MR LAW POINTED OUT THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE WELFARE GROUP OF OMELCO, HAD DECIDED TO INCLUDE NEW QUESTIONNAIRES IN THE SURVEY ΤΟ IDENTIFY WHETHER THERE WERE WASTAGE AND RETENTION PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE RANK.

"THESE QUESTIONNAIRES WILL BE SENT ΤΟ VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AT THE END OF THIS MONTH AND THE RELEVANT DATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE THE END OF MAY.

BY

"IT IS HOPED THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THE WASTAGE AND RETENTION SITUATION BY THEN,

CAUSE FOR IN ACCORDANCE

IF THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT IS FOUND TO BE A MAJOR STAFF WASTAGE, INCREMENTAL CREDITS FOR WELFARE WORKERS WITH THE GOVERNMENT POLICY WILL BE CONSIDERED, HE SAID.

EXTENDED TO

MR LAW EXPLAINED THAT INCREMENTAL CREDITS WERE ASSISTANT SOCIAL WORK OFFICER AND SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANT GRADES AS THESE GRADES REQUIRED THE OFFICERS TO HAVE SPECIALISED TRAINING IN SOCIAL WORK, AND WERE FACED WITH STAFF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROBLEMS.

11

'UNDER THE CURRENT CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITMENT POLICY, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT GROUNDS TO PROVIDE INCREMENTAL CREDITS TO WELFARE WORKERS UPON APPOINTMENT AS WE DO NOT HAVE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROBLEMS OVER THE PAST FOUR-AND-A-HALF YEARS.

"AS FOR THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, THERE WAS NO DIFFICULTIES OVER RECRUITMENT OF SUCH RANK. THE RETENTION SITUATION, WHICH WE HAVE INSUFFICIENT DATA, IS THEREFORE THE ONLY AREA THAT WE SHOULD EXPLORE, HE SAID.

OF

AGE.

I

ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS OF THE WELFARE WORKER RANK ONLY REQUIRE THE APPLICANTS TO HAVE COMPLETED FORM 5 AND BE OVER 21 YEARS PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IS NOT A PREREQUISITE.

/MR LAW