XN000022-1992-09-21 — Page 7

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1992

COMMITTEE CONSIDERS LEGISLATIVE CONTROL ON CHILD MINDERS

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AT

THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE DISCUSSED

ITS MEETING TODAY (MONDAY) A PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE A BILL TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN PERSONS FROM ACTING AS CHILD MINDERS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE RISK OF PLACING YOUNG CHILDREN UNDER THE CARE OF UNSUITABLE PERSONS.

UNSUITABLE PERSONS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF SUCH OFFENCES AS ILL-TREATING A CHILD AND INDECENT ASSAULT ON AND UNLAWFUL SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH A GIRL.

THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WILL EMPOWER THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE TO INFORM THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WHO HAVE APPLIED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER A PROSPECTIVE CHILD MINDER IS A PROHIBITED PERSON, SUBJECT TO THE CHILD MINDER'S CONSENT.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WERE ALSO BRIEFED ON DATA AND STATISTICS RELATED TO THE PROJECTION ON THE EMPLOYMENT POSITION OF SOCIAL WORK GRADUATES THIS YEAR.

THEY WERE TOLD THAT MOST SOCIAL WORK GRADUATES SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID THERE WERE 74 VACANCIES IN THE DEPARTMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AS REPORTED BY THE AGENCIES AND NEW POSTS FOR WHICH MONEY HAD ALREADY BEEN EARMARKED.

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THE ESTIMATED WASTAGE OF 165 WAS BASED ON LAST YEAR'S RATES ABOUT 60 IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT

105 IN NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS.

AND

ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, THERE WERE 260 GRADUATES FROM FULL-TIME DEGREE COURSES THIS SUMMER AND 164 FROM PART-TIME COURSES.

"SINCE MOST GRADUATES IN THE LATTER GROUP ARE ALREADY IN EMPLOYMENT IN SOCIAL WORK FIELD, THEIR NEED FOR JOBS IS NOT PRESSING AS FRESH GRADUATES FROM FULL-TIME COURSES," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

AS

HE ADDED THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 310 SOCIAL WORK GRADUATES TO MEET THE DEMAND ARISING FROM NEW SERVICES AND ΤΟ REPLACE WASTAGE OF STAFF DURING THE YEAR 1992-93.

"THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ITSELF WILL NEED ABOUT 100 ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE SOCIAL WORK GRADE DURING THE YEAR 1992-93. AS AT EARLY SEPTEMBER 1992, THE DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED APPOINTMENTS TO 58 DEGREE GRADUATES, 35 OF THEM HAVE NOW ASSUMED DUTY," HE NOTED.

SOCIAL WORK

PUBLICATION

"MORE DETAILED STATISTICS AND PROJECTIONS OF MANPOWER FOR THE FUTURE YEARS WILL BE AVAILABLE UPON THE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE MANPOWER PLANNING SYSTEM NO. 5 REPORT IN OCTOBER," HE ADDED.

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