XN000022-1989-07-16 — Page 18

SUNDAY, JULY 16, 1989

17

ALERT SOCIAL WORKER PREVENTS POSSIBLE TRAGEDY

* * *

THE QUICK RESPONSE AND) DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE HAVE RECENTLY PREVENTED A DESPAIRING WOMAN FROM POSSIBLY KILLING HERSELF.

THE ALERTNESS OF A SOCIAL WORKER AND CO-OPERATION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE

ΤΟ A SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT THE SOCIAL WORKER, ATTACHED

WHEN A DISTRESSED INSTITUTION, WAS ALERTED TO THE THREAT OF TRAGEDY WOMAN TELEPHONED HER CHILD WHO WAS LIVING IN THE INSTITUTION.

WITH

THE WOMAN HAD FINANCIAL IT WAS KNOWN THAT

AND MATRIMONIAL TROUBLES, AND WHEN SHE INDICATED SHE WANTED TO "HAVE LAST WORDS" HER CHILD, THE SOCIAL WORKER SENSED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

AND ENDING

GESTURES OF THE CHILD, THE THEN, FROM THE CONVERSATION AND SOCIAL WORKER REALISED THAT SHE WAS DEALING WITH A MATTER OF LIFE DEATH, THAT THE MOTHER WAS CONTEMPLATING KILLING HERSELF AFTER THE TELEPHONE CALL.

ASKED

THERE WAS NO TIME TO LOSE. THE SOCIAL WORKER' IMMEDIATELY

AND THE CALL,

TO SEEK POLICE URGENTLY TO TRACE HER COLLEAGUES

TO CONTINUED

GIVE THE WOMAN ASSISTANCE, WHILE SHE AND THE CHILD EMOTIONAL SUPPORT OVER THE PHONE.

OF THE BOTH THE POLICE AND SOCIAL WORKERS

WOMAN. AFTER 30 AGAINST THE CLOCK TO TRACE THE

WAS EFFORT, THE MOTHER WAS LOCATED IN A FLAT. SHE THE PHONE, AND SOBBING.

DEPARTMENT WORKED

MINUTES

JOINT OF STILL TALKING ON

SOCIAL WORKERS WHO WENT TO THE FLAT COUNSELLED THE SHE EVENTUALLY CALMED DOWN.

WOMAN,

AND

COMMENTING

ON

THE CASE,

AN

ASSISTANT

OF DIRECTOR

SOCIAL

WELFARE, MR KWOK KA-CHI, SAID THE DEPARTMENT'S STAFF HAD DEMONSTRATED THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF PROFESSIONALISM IN HANDLING THE CASE.

"THEIR PERFORMANCE HAS SET AN EXAMPLE. THE QUICK

ALSO CONCERNED CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS THE SUCCESS IN SAVING THE DESPERATE MOTHER,

HE SAID.

"FOLLOW-UP COUNSELLING HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ADOPT A MORE POSITIVE OUTLOOK IN LIFE."

THE WOMAN HAD ALSO BEEN GIVEN FINANCIAL INCIDENT IN MAY, MR KWOK ADDED.

RESPONSE AND CONTRIBUTED

то

HELP THE MOTHER ΤΟ

ASSISTANCE SINCE THE

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