XN000022-1992-04-08 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1992

MORE PROTECTION AGAINST CHILD ABUSE

* * * * *

CHILDREN AND A CHILD MAY BE THE INtroduced TO

A BILL WHICH SEEKS TO GIVE BETTER PROTECTION TO BY WIDENING THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH JUVENILES CONSIDERED TO BE IN NEED OF CARE OR PROTECTION WAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE

SECOND

READING OF THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE,

ABUSE AND SAID THE EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ELIZABETH WONG,

ΤΟ NEGLECT WOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED AS GROUNDS FOR CONSIDERING A CHILD BE IN NEED OF CARE OR PROTECTION.

MRS

"THIS APPROACH IS IN LINE WITH THE GROWING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE," SHE SAID.

UNDER THE PROPOSED BILL, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WILL BE WITHOUT GIVEN MORE FLEXIBLE POWERS OF INTERVENTION AND INVESTIGATION ALWAYS HAVING FIRST TO REMOVE A CHILD FROM HOME.

THE DIRECTOR WILL ALSO BE EMPOWERED TO ISSUE A CHILD ASSESSMENT ·

CHILD NOTICE TO THE CHILD'S PARENT, REQUIRING HIM OR HER TO BRING THE

CLINICAL FOR A MEDICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT BY A PSYCHOLOGIST.

DOCTOR OR

'IN THE CASE OF ANY REMOVAL OR DETENTION OF A CHILD OR UNDER THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE, MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT THE WAS REQUIRED TO MAKE APPLICATION TO A COURT WITHIN 48 HOURS, OF EIGHT DAYS.

JUVENILE DIRECTOR INSTEAD

THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR ALL REMAINING REFERENCES TO PROTECTION FOR WOMEN TO BE REMOVED, SO THAT THE ORDINANCE WILL EQUALLY TO MALE AS WELL AS FEMALE CHILDREN AND JUVENILES.

THIS

RESULT WILL

IN THE RETITLING OF THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND JUVENILES ORDINANCE.

THE

SPECIAL APPLY

ORDINANCE

AS THE

LEVEL

FINES

FOR

OF BILL

SEEKS TO REVISE THE OFFENCES UNDER THE ORDINANCE IN LINE WITH PRESENT-DAY VALUES.

FURTHER

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

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