ENG-1987 — Page 191

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SOCIAL WELFARE

The special working group which was set up under the auspices of the Health and Welfare Branch to examine policies on the provision of residential services for children in need of care and protection completed its task during the year. While it considered the existing range of residential child care services to be broadly satisfactory, it proposed improvement in the depth and quality of services.

Child care centres are established for children aged under six. Such centres must comply with the standards laid down in the Child Care Centres Ordinance and are subject to registration and inspection. At the end of the year, there were 27 695 places in day child care centres and 798 places in residential child care centres. Families with a low income and a social need for children to attend a child care centre may apply to the Social Welfare Department for assistance in meeting fees charged. A total of 9 402 children were receiving fee assistance at the end of the year.

A hotline service is operated to deal with enquiries from the public concerning the services of the department and to provide immediate telephone counselling or advice where

necessary.

Social work services are also provided by medical social workers stationed in 101 medical social service units in government hospitals and clinics. These medical social work units together with family service centres form a network of services to families in need.

Family life education programmes have been provided for all age groups in the community to improve the quality of family life through the promotion of interpersonal relationships and social consciousness which may help to prevent family breakdowns and social problems. The 1987 theme of the annual publicity campaign 'Love and Care Help Build Up a Happy Family', was aimed at encouraging people to express truthfully their feelings and concerns towards one another. In response to the central publicity campaign, promotional and educational activities have also been organised by social workers at the district level through 12 district committees and 56 family life education workers from 14 subvented welfare agencies. A central resource centre provides the necessary audio- visual equipment and resource materials in support of the service. All these activities are co-ordinated by the Social Welfare Department.

Care of the Elderly

'Care in the Community' remains the guiding principle in the implementation and planning of services for the elderly in Hong Kong. Subvented welfare agencies are the main provider of a wide range of community support services for the elderly which aim at encouraging families to look after their elderly members at home and enabling old people to live independently. The community support services include counselling, home help, canteen, laundry, bathing services, community education, day care and social and recreational activities. At the end of the year, there were three outdoor recreational pool buses, 46 home help teams, 90 social centres for the elderly, 12 multi-service centres for the elderly and four day care centres. Priority allocation of public housing is available for elderly people and families with elderly members or relations.

Residential facilities are also provided for those elderly people, who, for health or other reasons, can no longer live alone or with their families. At the end of the year, there were 7 553 places in homes/hostels for the elderly and 1 570 places in care and attention homes. Future provision of residential places will be significantly expedited by the decision of the Housing Authority to equip and operate sheltered housing schemes for the able-bodied elderly and to make premises available for old people's homes and care and attention