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SOCIAL WELFARE

undertake the fitting out and operating of such facilities located in public housing estates. However, to ensure that the housing needs of the elderly continue to be viewed in the context of their welfare as a whole, the Social Welfare Department has been made responsible for planning group accommodation for the elderly and ensuring that a proper integration of services is provided. Planning for a project with combined care-and-attention home and infirmary facilities for the elderly has continued, and the project has been included in the Public Works Programme.

In the rehabilitation field, much attention was again devoted to the improved provision of services for ex-mental patients in line with the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Ex-Mental Patients with a History of Criminal Violence or Assessed Disposition to Violence. A central aspect of provision of such services is the establishment of halfway houses to help ex-mental patients to make a full return to the community and lead independent and useful lives. Unfortunately, there has been a certain amount of opposition from residents to the establishment of such facilities in public housing estates. The Social Welfare Department, the Commissioner for Rehabilitation and the City and New Territories Administration have made great efforts to allay the fears of the public and, it is hoped, the combination of public education and experience of halfway houses in operation will lead to a wider acceptance of the right of ex-mental patients to rehabilitation within the community.

In November, the Working Party on the Transport Needs of the Disabled made comprehensive recommendations to improve transport services for the disabled.

Expansion of direct welfare services continued in line with approved policies. During the year, 12 day nurseries with 2 098 places, three homes with 345 places and three care-and- attention homes for the elderly with 480 places were opened. Community services for the disabled were improved with the provision of 2 520 places in sheltered workshops and 725 places in day work activity centres for the disabled. For the elderly, two multi-service centres, and eight social centres were established.

The provision of these additional services was reflected in increased recurrent expendi- ture. Total estimated expenditure on social welfare (social security and Social Welfare Department recurrent expenditure) in the 1985-6 financial year is $1,796.6 million, an increase of $98.6 million over the previous year.

A total of $487.6 million for recurrent and capital subventions is estimated for 1985–6, a rise of $66.3 million.

The Community Chest, which organises and co-ordinates fund raising activities for its member agencies, raised $30.4 million in 1984–5, compared with $27 million in 1983–4.

A major constraint to the improvement of the quality of services in past years has been a persistent shortage of trained staff in the social work field. In April, the Report on the Social Manpower Survey 1984, jointly conducted by the Social Welfare Department and the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, was published, identifying requirements and shortfalls in graduate and non-graduate grades of social workers up to 1989-90.

The 1984 modification of recruitment criteria for the rank of Assistant Social Welfare Officer made possible the recruitment of graduates who do not possess a qualification in social work, provided they attend part-time post-graduate courses leading to a professional social work qualification.

This measure, coupled with a large increase in the number of places on social work courses in post-secondary institutions (notably through the opening of the City Polytechnic of Hong Kong), should help to improve the situation in future years.