ENG-1990 — Page 221

SOCIAL WELFARE

and recreational activities. At the end of 1990, there were 60 home help teams, 124 social centres, 17 multi-service centres and nine day care centres. Thirty-seven respite care places for the elderly were also available in homes for the elderly. Housing assistance, including compassionate rehousing and priority allocation of public housing, continues to be available for those eligible.

Additional residential facilities were provided for those who, for health or other reasons, are unable to look after themselves and who have no relatives or friends to assist them. At the end of the year, there were 6 828 places in hostels/homes for the elderly and 3 163 places in care and attention homes.

In addition, sheltered housing is provided in private housing flats as well as in public housing estates for 3 485 elderly people who are capable of living independently.

To make the maximum use of places available in these homes and sheltered housing, new admission arrangements including the establishment of a Central Pool system and a Placement Office of the Elderly, were introduced during the year.

In order to encourage and assist private homes for the elderly to reach the standards required for registration under the Voluntary Registration Scheme, the Registration Office of Private Homes for the Elderly continued to give advice and assistance to these homes, including an offer to buy places from registered homes under the experimental Bought Place Scheme.

Services for Young People

Helping young people to become mature and responsible members of society is the main objective of this programme. A wide range of services is designed for young people aged from six to 24 to foster the development of their personality, character, social aptitude, sense of civic responsibility, ability to use their leisure time constructively and to enable those with adjustment problems to direct their energies towards positive goals in society.

At district level, apart from providing group work activities in community centres, the department promotes and co-ordinates youth programmes and encourages the establish- ment of self-programming and volunteer groups through its youth offices. Since 1974, the department has been running the Opportunity for Youth Scheme. Every year, young people are helped with funds to implement a variety of community service projects to meet specific social needs. Awards are given for outstanding projects to recognise the contributions of the participants.

Children and youth centres, operated mainly by subvented welfare agencies, serve as focal points for a variety of programmes and activities for the personal growth and social development of young people. In 1990, one children centre, one youth centre and 11 combined children and youth centres were opened, making a total of 199 units of children centres and 203 units of youth centres.

Outreaching social work attempts to cater to groups of young people at risk who do not normally participate in organised youth activities. With the addition of two new teams in 1990, there are totally 24 outreaching social work teams serving in priority areas with large youth populations, high population density and high juvenile crime rates. The review completed in the year has recommended further improvements and expansion of the service.

School social work service is provided by social workers in secondary schools while a guidance service for primary school students is provided by student guidance officers.

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