Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1972-1973 — Page 13

engaged in day care and residential work with children, family welfare services, probation and aftercare services for young people and re- habilitation of the disabled. The basic courses generally last for five months (on a week per month basis). Refresher courses are compara- tively shorter. Administrators and supervisors from voluntary agencies continued to give their support in the joint planning and evaluation of the programmes and in providing speakers on special subjects.

TRAINING FOR DEPARTMENTAL STAFF

29. During the year, six orientation courses were provided for 104 newly employed staff. These courses are of one week's duration and are intended to familiarize the staff with the work of the Department. Three special courses were provided for 62 staff members responsible for implementing the revised public assistance scheme. A new social work in-service training course was also initiated during the year to provide residential care training for staff in institutional settings. 12 officers attended this course.

30. As it is now the policy of the Department to restrict entry to the Assistant Social Welfare Officer cadre to those with acceptable professional social work qualifications only, it is envisaged that the need for basic in-service training for non-social-work-trained' staff in this cadre will gradually decrease.

31. The Department continued to provide opportunities for a number of selected officers to pursue formal professional training both locally and overseas. During the year, ten officers were sent to the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States for social work train- ing. The University of Hong Kong accepted four officers for training in social work. Six officers who went on study leave in the previous year returned to work in the Department.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL WORK TRAINING

32. The composition and current terms of reference of the Advisory Committee on Social Work Training are set out at Appendix 1.2. During a very active year with 8 full committee meetings and numerous sub-committees, detailed consideration was given especially to the establishment of the Institute for Social Work Training, and to strengthening and updating the Committee's membership and functions.

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