ENG-1974 — Page 149

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SOCIAL WELFARE

concerning proposed marriage of minors, non-attendance at primary schools, and workmen's compensation. Although cases are normally dealt with on an individual basis, increasing use has been made of group methods. During 1974, family services. were rendered to 23,806 families and individuals through a network of regional offices.

The family services division of the Social Welfare Department exercises the department's statutory responsibilities in connection with the Protection of Women and Juveniles Ordinance and the Adoption Ordinance. Children and women in moral danger are assisted through counselling and guidance, and unmarried mothers are placed in special institutions run by voluntary organisations. The department runs a centre for the temporary care of children found abandoned or wandering, and two centres for girls with behaviour problems. It also advises the Supreme Court on the suitability of adoptive parents in accordance with the provisions of the Adoption Ordinance. A total of 633 adoption cases were completed during the year.

Another aspect of family work is compassionate rehousing, whereby room alloca- tion is processed on the basis of recommendations made by the Medical and Health Department, certain voluntary agencies, and the Social Welfare Department.

Family social work has also been extended into schools during the year in an attempt to gain a better understanding, and to assist in the solution of problems experienced by school children and their families.

An important development for child care services during the year was the intro- duction of legislation to control the operation of child care centres. Both this legislation and the subvention policy are aimed at ensuring adequate standards. At December 31, 1974 there were 8,535 places available in 88 non-profit-making nurseries and creches. The majority of these places are heavily subsidised by the government and are reserved for low income families.

Services rendered by voluntary agencies are equally varied. They include family counselling, marriage counselling, social work in schools, child care centres, residential institutions or homes for children and young persons with special needs. In some fields the voluntary agencies are pioneering new services such as the home-help service and the foster care service.

Rehabilitation

To provide social and vocational training to the handicapped the Social Welfare Department runs 18 centres and institutions, the newest additions during the year being a prevocational training centre for 60 mentally retarded children, and a place of refuge for the special care of certain mentally retarded children who cannot be accommodated in ordinary centres. On the average some 1,400 physically and mentally disabled people daily make use of these services which are designed to help them func- tion to the best of their ability, exercise their residual skills and learn a trade or craft so that they can be placed into employment. To facilitate further development a government planning team has been set up to prepare a programme plan for services to the disabled.

Some 43 voluntary agencies also work in this field which comprises five main areas-blindness, deafness, mental illness, mental retardation and physical disability.