TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 108

2.4

2.

CONFIDENTIAL

The Government has decided in response to these views that

pre-primary services could most effectively be divided at the age

corresponding to two years before entry to primary school, with children

below that age attending child care centres or any institution registered

under the Child Care Centres Ordinance, and pre-primary children above

that age attending kindergartens which would be registered under a suitably

amended Education Ordinance.

2.5

In order to coordinate the work of the Social Welfare Department

and the Education Department in supervising and servicing pre-primary education

ucatio

and care, a Standing Committee has been set up comprising senior members of

both departments and chaired by a senior officer of the Government Secretariat.

2.6

It is recognised that some children in the kindergarten age range

may require full day supervision and for this purpose some full day kindergartens

will be permitted to operate subject to their providing acceptable facilities.

2.7

The proposals in respect of residential child care centres

set out in the Green Paper did not meet with much specific comment and it

is intended that in general where children require care outside the normal

home environment foster care rather than institutional care should be encouraged.

It is recognised that suitable foster parents may not be easy to find in Hong

Kong and that while the Government will continue to encourage foster care, it

is inevitable that some residential care will still be required. The Government

will therefore continue to encourage voluntary agencies to provide residential

care where necessary. The institution should have a home-like atmosphere where

the children are catered for in small groups of not more than ten. The aim

should be to provide for the children's physical and emotional needs and to

encourage a sense of belonging and personal identity.

CONFIDENTIAL

}