XN000022-1991-07-17 — Page 7

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SHW ON CHILD CARE

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1991

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON CHILD CARE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (WEDNESDAY) TONIGHT:

SIR,

TODAY'S MOTION DEBATE STARTED WITH THE REFERENCE TO THE HO MAN TIN TRAGEDY. THE SAD AND SHOCKING TRAGEDY OF THE MAK FAMILY IN JANUARY THIS YEAR FILLED US ALL WITH A TREMENDOUS FEELING OF LOSS, OF OUTRAGE AND A WHOLE MYRIAD OF EMOTIONS. TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS AND OTHERS AS MENTIONED SO LURIDLY BY SOME MEMBERS HAVE UNFORTUNATELY HAPPENED ALL TOO OFTEN BUT ONCE IS ONCE TOO MANY!

WHILST ONE'S REACTION TO ANY HORRENDOUS ACCIDENT IS ALWAYS INSTINCTIVE AND EMOTIONAL, THIS REACTION NEVERTHELESS IMPLIES A JUDGMENT AND A SENSIBILITY. TODAY'S DEBATE GIVES US A CHANCE TO CHECK OUR JUDGMENT AGAINST THAT OF OTHERS AND PROVIDES SAFEGUARD TO A REASONED VIEW. HOWEVER, OUR CAPACITY TO RECOGNISE THE PROBLEM, AND FIND SOLUTIONS TO RESOLVE IT WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY IMPAIRED WOULD IT NOT IF WE WERE TO LOSE SIGHT OF OUR OBJECTIVES ON CHILD CARE.

Ι WOULD LIKE THEREFORE TO EVINCE SOME FACTS AND FIGURES; ΤΟ EXPLAIN POLICY DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE, AND TO SHARE WITH THIS COUNCIL WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING AND PLANS TO DO; SO THAT WE CAN ALL BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

THE

THE

WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE INTO THE 1990S AND BEYOND, TABLED IN THIS COUNCIL ON 13 MARCHI THIS YEAR, CLEARLY CONFIRMS GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND CHILD CARE SERVICES TO ADOPT NEW APPROACHES TO MEET CHANGING NEEDS.

AND

THAT

HEAR

SO

THE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO PARENTS TO PROVIDE A SUITABLE HOME ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD UNDERLINES OUR SOCIAL WELFARE CHILD CARE POLICY. WE BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN ARE BEST CARED FOR AT HOME BY THEIR PARENTS. MY FIRM BELIEF IS THAT STEREOTYPES ARE BEST AVOIDED AND PARENTHOOD SHOULD INVOLVE BOTH THE FATHER AND THE MOTHER. AND I NOTHING BUT WOMEN SHOULD GO OUT TO WORK WHILE MEN STAY AT HOME. THERE IS A STEREOTYPING PROBLEM HERE WHICH NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME. FAMILY COULD BECOME TOTALLY DYSFUNCTIONAL IF CHILDREN WERE NEGLECTED WHILE PARENTS WERE OUT THERE C'HASING THE BUCK OR PASSING IT, OR BOTH. PARENTING IS A 24 HOUR RESPONSIBILITY. HERE I MUST ECHO AGREEMENT WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY MANY MEMBERS BEFORE ME ON THE OF PARENTAL CARE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

A

IMPORTANCE

/THE CURRENT