XN000022-1995-12-13 — Page 7

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In order to improve existing rehabilitation programmes for young offenders provided by the Social Welfare and the Correctional Services Departments, Mr Chan said the Standing Committee on Young Offenders (SCOYO) would commission a research to assess their effectiveness and to identify areas for improvements.

"It is hoped that the study would be completed by March 1997," he said.

"The SCOYO will also commission a smaller scale research, probably on the topic of 'youth gangs and runaway youths'."

The other new initiatives include:

* to set up a district-level School Resource File, jointly developed by the Education and the Social Welfare Departments, to provide information on alternative schooling opportunities and support services for youth under the guidance of social workers. The target date for the first set of these files is mid-1996;

* to set up a permanent Curriculum Support Team for Schools in 1996-97, by the Education Department. to provide expert support to schools with a high proportion of academically low achievers;

* to set up a Student Discipline Team in 1996-97, by the Education Department, to provide expert support and guidance to schools with serious discipline problems; and

to provide services for new immigrant children from China, by the Education Department, to cater to their specific needs in view of their higher risk of becoming delinquents due to difficulties in assimilation and lack of adequate guidance from schools and parents.

On the last initiative, Mr Chan pointed out that with the assistance of voluntary agencies, the Education Department had launched a new induction programme in April this year to help new immigrant children to adapt to life in Hong Kong.

"To meet the expected increase in demand for school places by the new arrivals, five more primary schools will be built by 1997-98," he said.

Apart from the new initiatives, existing education and social work services programmes would be boosted in order to provide better assistance and support to marginal youths. Mr Chan said.