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MUTUAL HELP GROUPS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1993.

ENOUGH.

SOCIAL OPERATE IN

FAMILIES FAMILY

OUR

THE PROVISION OF SERVICES BY GOVERNMENT ALONE IS NEVER A COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DEVELOP NEIGHBOURLINESS AND MUTUAL HELP.

THEY SHOULD ARE PART OF CHINESE CULTURE AND NETWORKS

MUTUAL HELP THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS DIFFERENT STRATA OF OUR SOCIETY.

OF TYPES IS A

IMPORTANT FORM OF ASSISTANCE TO MANY VERY INCLUDING SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES WHOSE SUPPORT FROM WITHIN THE MAY BE LACKING AND SOME SORT OF IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED. POLICY THEREFORE IS TO ENCOURAGE FORMATION OF MUTUAL HELP GROUPS. FAR, ABOUT 100 MUTUAL HELP GROUP ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED IN THE PAST YEAR AT DISTRICT LEVEL TO PROVIDE A NETWORK OF CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AND SHARING FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, MANY OF THESE GROUP ACTIVITIES HAVE DEVELOPED INTO INFORMAL MUTUAL HELP GROUPS WHICH OFFER ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF TEMPORARY CHILD CARE AND HOME HELP TO EACH OTHER IN OF EMERGENCIES,

SO

CASES

AS

HONOURABLE MEMBERS ARE AWARE THAT 1994 HAS BEEN BY THE UNITED NATIONS AS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE

EDUCATION WILL STEP UP PUBLICITY AND THE FAMILY LIFE

DESIGNATED

FAMILY. PROGRAMME то

WE

FAMILIES AND

PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS ON THE NEEDS OF SINGLE PARENT ACCEPTANCE OF THESE FAMILIES. WE NEED COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO AMELIORATE THE PROBLEMS FACING SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES.

FAMILY WELFARE POLICY

IN CLOSING, I MUST REITERATE THAT WE HAVE A WELL-DEFINED FAMILY PARENT FAMILIES. WELFARE POLICY WHICH EMBRACES THE NEEDS OF SINGLE

OF SERVICES AND THIS POLICY IS IMPLEMENTED THROUGH A WIDE NETWORK

NON- ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND

THEY WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER IN THE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS. COORDINATION

FOR AND

THE IN REVIEWING

ADEQUACY OF SERVICES FAMILIES. I DO

WORKING GROUP NOT SEE THE NEED FOR A SEPARATE REVIEW AND LOOK INTO THE MEASURES AND SERVICES NEEDED BY SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES. WHERE THERE ARE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS, THEY CAN BE TACKLED UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM.

OF

FURTHERMORE, IT

IS INAPPROPRIATE TO SEGREGATE FAMILIES FROM OTHER TYPES OF FAMILIES IN OUR PROVISION

SO, WE WILL UNDULY LABEL SINGLE IN DOING

PARENT SHOULD ASSISTANCE

BE PROBLEMATIC.

BASED ON NEEDS DETERMINED BY THE COMPOSITION OR STRUCTURE OF A FAMILY.

SINGLE

ΤΟ

PARENT

OF SERVICES. FAMILIES AS RATHER THAN

CONSTANTLY SINGLE

TO KEEP PARENT FAMILIES.

OUR FAMILY WELFARE SERVICES ARE REVIEWED

UP WITH CHANGING NEEDS WHICH

IMPROVEMENT TO OUR FAMILY

AND INCLUDE

DEVELOPED

THOSE OF

WELFARE

WILL BENEFIT ALL FAMILIES. WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF A CARING TO DEVELOP THEM.

SERVICES COMMUNITY

THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT.

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