XN000022-1990-01-31 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1990

"THE AIM OF THE $3 MILLION PILOT SCHEME IS TO TEST THE DEMAND FROM THESE FAMILIES AS WELL AS SETTING UP A MORE SYSTEMATIC AND STANDARDISED OPERATIONAL MODEL, HE SAID.

"THE SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED AT A SELECTED CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRE IN ONE OF THE DISTRICTS OF EACH SWD ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.

"THE FIVE DISTRICTS ARE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIVELY HIGHER NUMBER OF KNOWN CASES OF SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES AND OF CHILDREN LIVING IN FOUR-PERSON HOUSEHOLDS WITH A MONTHLY INCOME BELOW $4,000.

"

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT CHILDREN BETWEEN SIX AND 12 YEARS OLD FROM THE FOLLOWING FAMILY BACKGROUND ARE CLASSIFIED AS HAVING SOCIAL NEEDS:

*

PARENTS WITH

ILL

HEALTH,

HOSPITALISATION;

*

SINGLE WORKING PARENTS;

半 PARENTS SERVING PRISON SENTENCES;

*

PARENTS WITH DRUG ABUSE PROBLEMS;

DISABILITY,

LONG

TERM

* NEW IMMIGRANTS WITH ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS;

CHILDREN WHO ARE VICTIMS IN REPORTED CHILD ABUSE CASES.

AS TO FINANCIAL NEEDS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THESE WERE DEFINED ACCORDING TO THE EXISTING SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME.

HE NOTED THAT EACH CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRE WOULD HAVE THE CAPACITY OF 30 CHILDREN FOR EACH HALF-DAY SESSION, BENEFITTING A TOTAL OF 60 CHILDREN A DAY.

"IT WILL BE OPERATED FIVE TO SIX DAYS PER WEEK, FIVE HOURS PER SESSION.

"NORMALLY THE MORNING SESSION WILL BE FROM 8 AM THE AFTERNOON SESSION FROM 1 PM TO 6 PM, HE SAID.

..

WITH FOUR ΤΟ

TO 1 PM AND

THE PROGRAMME FOR EACH HALF-DAY SESSION WOULD INCLUDE HOME WORK GUIDANCE, MEAL. AND PLAY, GROUP ACTIVITIES, INDIVIDUAL

COUNSELLING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

"THE EXPERIMENT WILL BE TRIED OUT FOR 20 MONTHS, AND A REVIEW WILL BE CONDUCTED AFTER 12 MONTHS OF OPERATION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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INFORMATION SHEETS ON THE SERVICES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED ΤΟ DISTRICT OFFICES, PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WITHIN THE FIVE TARGET DISTRICTS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MAKE USE OF THE SERVICE," HE ADDED.

ENQUIRIES CAN BE MADE ON THE SWD HOTLINE, 3432255.

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