ENG-1971 — Page 190

9

Social Welfare

THROUGHOUT the world, governments are faced with the increasing task of providing welfare services for those people who are not capable, without special consideration, of being fully independent and contributing members of the community. In Hong Kong the Government, principally through its Social Welfare Department, is endeavouring to solve the problem through an expanding services programme that aims at bringing the less fortunate people into the mainstream of life.

Social welfare activities may be divided into six groups:

(i) services for the family including family and individual counselling, child welfare services, such as day care, residen- tial homes, adoption of children both locally and overseas, counselling service for unwed mothers, and services for the aged;

= (ii) services to deal with material needs which aim at helping people by providing financial assistance, compassionate resettlement in public housing, school meals programmes and assistance with school fees;

(iii) services for the physically and mentally disabled to assist them in making full use of their residual abilities in gaining employment and social adjustment through rehabilitation; (iv) probation services for offenders and residential treatment

programmes for delinquents up to the age of 18;

(v) community services to foster neighbourliness and encourage co-operative effort and self-help programmes, provided by neighbourhood associations and councils, district community officers and community centres, particularly for those in the newer housing schemes;

(vi) services for groups which provide holiday camps, youth clubs and centres for recreational, social and cultural activi- ties to develop civic consciousness and individual poten- tialities.

The Social Welfare Department maintains close contact and co-operation with many voluntary organisations, which generally