XN000022-1994-11-19 — Page 9

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1994

THE

INCREASING DEMAND FOR CHILD CARE FACILITIES

**

THERE IS AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR CHILD CARE FACILITIES WITH PREVALENCE OF NUCLEAR FAMILIES AND INCREASING NUMBER OF WORKING THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR IAN STRACHAN, SAID TODAY

MOTHERS,

(SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF TSUNG TSIN MISSION OF HONG KONG ON KEI CHILD CARE CENTRE, MR STRACHAN SAID CHILD CARE CENTRES ALSO PROVIDED OTHER INNOVATIVE SERVICES, SUCH AS OCCASIONAL CHILD CARE SERVICE, INTEGRATED PROGRAMME FOR DISABLED CHILDREN AND EXTENDED HOURS SERVICE.

то "OCCASIONAL CHILD CARE SERVICE PROVIDES SUPPORTING SERVICES

AT HOME FAMILJES SO THAT YOUNG CHILDREN WILL NOT BE LEFT UNATTENDED WHEN THE CARERS HAVE TO BE AWAY FROM HOME DUE TO VARIOUS SHORT-TERM ENGAGEMENTS OR SUDDEN COMMITMENTS.

"THE SERVICE HAS BECOME A SUBVENTED ONE SINCE SEPTEMBER 1993. AT PRESENT THERE ARE 135 SUBVENTED OCCASIONAL CHILD CARE UNITS, PROVIDING 405 PLACES IN 120 DAY NURSERIES AND 12 DAY HE SAID.

SERVICE CRECHES,

71

ON INTEGRATED PROGRAMME FOR DISABLED CHILDREN, MR STRACHAN SAID IT ENABLED CHILDREN WITH MINOR DISABILITIES ΤΟ BE

INTO ADMITTED

CARE THEY COULD BENEFIT FROM PRE-SCHOOL NURSERIES SO COMPANY OF NORMAL CHILDREN.

THAT

IN THE

HE SAID 134 DAY NURSERIES HAD PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAMME AT PRESENT, PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 874 PLACES.

PARENTS,

"TO PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO MEET THE DEMAND EXTENDED HOUR SERVICE IN CHILD CARE CENTRES

OF WORKING

BECOME HAS

A

SUBVENTED SERVICE FROM OCTOBER 1 THIS YEAR.

DAY

"THE SERVICE CATERS FOR CHILDREN ALREADY ENROLLED IN AIDED NURSERIES. AT PRESENT THERE ARE THREE AIDED DAY NURSERIES PROVIDING SUCH SERVICE WITH 42 PLACES."

THE

HAD A EARLY OF HIGH

THE

AND

COMMUNITY

AT

POINTING OUT THAT SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES MAJOR

LASTING IMPACT ON A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT DURING AND FORMATIVE YEARS, MR

DEVELOPMENT STRACHAN SAID THE FUTURE QUALITY CHILD CARE SERVICE IN HONG KONG WAS NOT ONLY A MATTER FOR PARTICIPATION BUT ALSO DEPENDED VERY MUCH ON ACTIVE GOVERNMENT, SUPPORT OF PARENTS, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND LARGE.

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