XN000022-1990-09-18 — Page 11

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1990

IN OUTLINING THE MAIN POINTS CONTAINED IN THE DRAFT WHITE THE VARIOUS PAPER, MRS WONG SAID THE WORKING PARTY HAD INDICATED HOW

DECADE AND SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN THE COMING BEYOND TO MEET THE

NEEDS AND RISING ASPIRATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

CHANGING

"IT ADVOCATED A MORE FLEXIBLE AND IMAGINATIVE APPROACH TO PROVISION OF SERVICES.

THE

"IT ALSO ENVISAGED THAT SERVICES WOULD BENEFIT FROM A HIGHER DEGREE OF INTEGRATION BETWEEN SERVICE AREAS. FOR EXAMPLE, ΤΟ PROMOTE A RANGE OF DIFFERENT SERVICES FOR DIFFERENT TARGET GROUPS AT A SINGLE LOCATION BY THE MOST APPROPRIATE ORGANISATION.

"THIS COULD ALLOW FOR THE BETTER UTILISATION OF RESOURCES AND GREATER CONVENIENCE TO CLIENTS," SHE CONTINUED.

SHE FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT THE WORKING PARTY HAD RECOGNISED THE NEED FOR GREATER CO-ORDINATION AMONG THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS PROVIDING SOCIAL SERVICES AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE FEASIBILITY OF MULTI-DISCIPLINARY FACILITIES SHOULD BE FURTHER EXAMINED AND, IF

VIABLE, DEVELOPED.

"THE WORKING PARTY ALSO

ADVOCATES THE PROMOTION OF GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WELFARE SERVICES THROUGH MORE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION, MRS WONG NOTED.

ON THE SUBJECT OF MANPOWER, MRS WONG SAID THE WORKING PARTY FELT THAT THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WAS DEPENDENT UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF ADEQUATE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND FURTHER EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO ADDRESS THE EXISTING AND ANTICIPATED MANPOWER SHORTAGE.

THE NEED TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF EXISTING STAFF WAS ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED.

AS REGARDS SERVICES FOR THE FAMILY AND CHILD CARE, POINTED OUT THAT THE WORKING PARTY RECOMMENDED THAT THE SERVICE SHOULD EXPAND AS WELL AS SERVICES то ASSIST THE NUMBER OF SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES.

MRS WONG HOME HELP

INCREASING

THE WORKING PARTY ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT CHILD DAY CARE FACILITIES SHOULD BE INCREASED AND MORE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO FAMILIES IN SOCIAL NEED.

"FOSTER HOMES AND SMALL GROUP HOMES OUGHT TO BE DEVELOPED IN PREFERENCE TO INSTITUTIONS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED OF RESIDENTIAL CARE.

"GREATER EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO PROTECT

AND NEGLECT, SHE SAID.

"I

CHILDREN

TURNING TO

FROM ABUSE