ENG-1991 — Page 216

SOCIAL WELFARE

Welfare Department is responsible for the planning and development of a wide range of social rehabilitation needs, either through direct service provision or subvention to non-governmental organisations. The Education Department is responsible for all aspects of the education and training of disabled children of school age and for boarding care and transport services in special schools. The Labour Department is responsible for job placements for the hearing and visually impaired, the physically and mentally handicapped and for discharged mental patients. The Transport Department subvents a Rehabus service for disabled persons who cannot use public transport. The Vocational Training Council is responsible for co-ordinating vocational training for disabled young people and adults.

By the end of the year, the Social Welfare Department and non-governmental or- ganisations provided a total of 670 integrated programme places, 987 special child care centre places (including 54 residential places) and 845 early education and training centre places for pre-school disabled children. For disabled adults, there were 1 698 day activity centre places which provide day care, daily living skills and work training for the mentally handicapped, 3 983 sheltered workshop places to provide employment for disabled persons who were unable to compete in the open job market, and 1957 hostel places for those disabled persons who can neither live independently nor be adequately cared for by their families, or who live in areas too remote from their places of training or employment. In addition, 200 long stay care home places, 797 halfway house places and 110 activity centre places were provided for discharged mental patients and 21 social and recreational centres were provided for all categories of disabled persons.

The supported employment scheme introduced by the Social Welfare Department will continue to provide employment opportunities for disabled persons. The pilot mobile cleansing services crew, first set up by the Social Welfare Department, was transferred to St James' Settlement in December for further development. Other service models are being developed by the department.

To improve the quality of services, two central support services operate to provide all rehabilitation day centres and hostels with professional back-up from clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Other new services introduced include the respite service which provides short-term relief to families with mentally handicapped persons, and the fifth home-based training team which was an interim measure to help train mentally handicapped persons awaiting placement.

The Queen Elizabeth Foundation for the Mentally Handicapped was set up in August 1988. Its purpose is to further the welfare, education and training of the mentally handicapped and to promote their employment prospects. The management and use of the foundation's funds are determined by a council consisting of prominent members of the community appointed by the Governor. During the year, the foundation allocated $3.9 million in the form of grants or sponsorships to 30 non-governmental organisations and four government departments, enabling them to undertake projects for the benefit of mentally handicapped persons. The fund stood at $102 million on March 31, 1991.

Hong Kong hosted the 3rd International Abilympics from August 10 to 14, 1991. More than 2 000 participants from over 80 countries and territories took part in a wide range of activities, skill contests, performances and exhibitions which were designed to achieve 'Equality through Participation' by bringing together people with and without disabilities from all walks of life. This major event, which marked the closing of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons was a resounding success.

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