ENG-1983 — Page 166

SOCIAL WELFARE

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disabled who are unable to compete in the open job market and, at the end of 1983, the department and voluntary agencies operated 1 865 places in sheltered workshops and a further 160 places will become available in 1984.

A working party, consisting of representatives from the government, voluntary and commercial sectors, completed a comprehensive review of policy on the provision of sheltered workshops for disabled persons. The report's recommendations covered the role and objectives of sheltered workshops, the setting up of pilot workshops for more highly-skilled workers and new staffing provisions for sheltered workshops. Following careful examination, the report was endorsed by the Rehabilitation Development Co- ordination Committee and the government. Another joint government voluntary agency working party met regularly in 1983 to review the policy and services relating to the care, training and education of disabled children up to primary school age. This should be completed in mid-1984.

Training

The Training Section of the Social Welfare Department is responsible for providing training programmes to meet the training needs of departmental staff and, as far as possible, those of staff working in voluntary agencies. Operating from the Lady Trench Training Centre, the section runs basic training courses in social work for untrained social work staff, staff development programmes for trained social work staff, and in-service training courses for social security workers and child care centre workers. A total of 82 courses, seminars and workshops was organised during the year. The section also operates a demonstration nursery for three purposes: to provide day-care for 100 children aged two to six; to serve as a training ground for child care centre workers; and to provide a centre for observation by people in related fields.

The department contributed to social work training through the provision of field work placement and supervision for social work students from the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic, the Hong Kong Baptist College and the Shue Yan College. A total of 181 students were placed in the department during the year: 106 were supervised by the section's staff, and the remainder by staff of the training institutions.

Being responsible for the co-ordination and planning of all welfare facilities, the department keeps up-to-date with new concepts and practices used in other countries. by offering experienced officers periods of training or attachment overseas to learn more about specialised areas of service, or by participation in international courses and conferences. In 1983, 21 officers attended 16 such conferences and courses. To promote social work training, grants and scholarships are available from the Social Work Training Fund, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the government and private donations.

Research and Evaluation

The department's Research and Statistics Section conducts studies for planning and monitoring services offered by the department. Of the 17 research projects conducted in 1983, two were carried out through the General Household Survey, monitored by the Census and Statistics Department, to study the awareness and participation of the public in community services and rehabilitation services for the disabled. The remainder were geared to obtaining statistical information for the planning, monitoring and evaluation of various services, particularly in the social security field.