Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1954-1955 — Page 10

welfare centres and three relief camps will undertake a new specialized service for the care of the disabled when the Welfare Centre for the Physically Handicapped at Shap Long, Lantao, opens in April 1955. The Community Development Section consisting mainly of former Relief Section staff was set up in 1952 to stimulate and guide the community welfare work of the Kaifongs or Neighbourhood Associations and now has 22 recognized Kaifongs with a total membership of 277,760 under its wing. The Child Welfare and Moral Welfare Sections which also came into being in 1952 when the Women & Children's Section was split into two are responsible for exercising statutory functions under the Protection of Women & Juveniles Ordinance 1951 and though they do not themselves administer any institu- tions, are required to keep in close touch with the voluntary agencies and homes concerned with the care of children and of young girls who have gone astray. The Child Welfare Section now has 4,285 cases to handle and the Moral Welfare Section, 740. The Probation Section, so far concerned with juvenile probationers only, has plans in hand to extend probation to the adult courts. The Youth Welfare Section runs 17 youth clubs with a membership of 500 whilst the Principal Youth Welfare Officer also serves on the Management Committee of the Silvermine Bay Holiday Camp. The General Duties Section, which was created in 1954, is responsible for services not catered for by the other Sections, such as the screening of women and children emigrants to prevent trafficking, under provisions, administered on behalf of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, of the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance No. 30 of 1915, the repatriation from Hong Kong of distressed persons, (mainly British subjects) and the running of a library with over 3,000 publications on social welfare, some of which were the gift of the United Nations Technical Assistance Administration. It has also carried out case work on behalf of blind persons and advised the Courts on payments of compensation to the dependents of deceased work-

men.

Staff Welfare.

10. In keeping with the needs of an expanding organization, additional office accommodation with suitable amenities should

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