XN000022-1989-06-21 — Page 47

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21. 1989

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ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD CONCEPT

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DEPARTMENT

WILL LAUNCH A

OF

THE SOCIAL WELFARE

SERIES TERRITORY-WIDE ACTIVITIES ΤΟ PROMOTE THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD LATER THIS YEAR, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE. MR STEPHEN LAW, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON WEST, MR LAW NOTED THAT APART FROM MEETING THE PHYSICAL NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN, PARENTS SHOULD ALSO SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS, AND SHOULD AVOID UNNECESSARY PUNISHMENT IN ORDER ΤΟ ACHIEVE A MORE HARMONIOUS FAMILY LIFE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAD BEEN SYSTEMATICALLY PROVIDING FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION SINCE 1979 TO AROUSE THE COMMUNITY'S AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY LIFE.

"ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION 18 то HELP INCREASE THE INDIVIDUAL'S UNDERSTANDING AND CARE OF OTHER MEMBERS IN THE FAMILY SO THAT THE QUALITY

OF FAMILY LIFE WILL BE IMPROVED, MR LAW SAID.

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"ANOTHER OBJECTIVE IS TO HELP PREVENT FAMILY BREAK-UPS WHICH IN TURN MAY LEAD TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. GIRLS RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME AND CHILD ABUSE.

"FURTHERMORE, FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION CAN HELP FOSTER HARMONIOUS INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND AROUSE SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A MORE CARING ONE," HE ADDED.

TO COMMEMORATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR FOR THE CHILD, MR LAW SAID HIS DEPARTMENT'S COMMITTEE ON FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN WOULD LAUNCH A SERIES

OF TERRITORY-WIDE ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD LATER THIS YEAR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT (ISD) AND RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG (RTHK).

THE ACTIVITIES, AIMED AT ENHANCING PARENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING PROPER CARE AND GUIDANCE ΤΟ THEIR CHILDREN AND PREVENTING THE OCCURRENCE OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, WOULD BE CONDUCTED AT TWO LEVELS, MR LAW SAID.

"AT ONE LEVEL, PUBLICITY WORK THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA AS WELL AS TERRITORY-WIDE ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS EXHIBITIONS AND SEMINARS, WILL BE ORGANISED TO ENHANCE THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING OF PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF FAMILY LIFE.

"AT ANOTHER LEVEL. EDUCATION ON THE PRACTICAL TECHNIQUES AND PROPER ATTITUDE IN CHILD REARING WILL BE STRENGTHENED THROUGH DISTRICT PROGRAMMES SUCH AS TALKS AND GROUP DISCUSSIONS то ENABLE PARENTS TO BETTER HANDLE VARIOUS FAMILY PROBLEMS," HE SAID.

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