ENG-1994 — Page 241

SOCIAL WELFARE

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whom 39 were allocated to schools with more serious student problems. Overall, there are 227 school social workers serving a student population of 448 000.

Uniformed organisations offer young people opportunities to join organised activities with progressive training programmes for the development of character and leadership, to help them become responsible, self-reliant and caring members of the community. There are eight subvented welfare organisations, with 91 945 members, operating a wide range of activities for different groups of young people. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme has attracted a membership of 39 782 through its 19 operating authorities.

Rehabilitation of People with a Disability

The objective of Hong Kong's rehabilitation services is to integrate people with a disability into the community. It is estimated that the territory has 264 000 individuals with some form of disability. Services provided by government departments and non-governmental organisations help people with a disability to fully develop their physical, mental and social capabilities. These services are co-ordinated by the Commissioner for Rehabilitation, who also conducts regular reviews of the Rehabilitation Programme Plan. The plan projects the requirement for, and identifies shortfalls and overprovision in, rehabilitation services for the following 10 years. The future development of rehabilitation services was examined in the Green Paper on Rehabilitation published in 1992. It is expected that the White Paper will be published in spring 1995.

The Green Paper comprehensively reviewed the entire spectrum of rehabilitation services and identified significant shortfalls, particularly in services for mentally handicapped persons. In response, the Governor pledged in his 1992 policy address that necessary funds would be made available to implement the key targets of the Green Paper in full. These relate to the provision of 3 930 additional residential places for people with various disabilities and 3 760 additional day services places for mentally handicapped persons by 1996–97.

In 1994, to demonstrate the government's commitment to integrating people with a disability into the community and to tackle the problems of discrimination and harass- ment, the Secretary for Health and Welfare decided to introduce comprehensive anti- discrimination legislation into the Legislative Council. This legislation, when passed, will give people with a disability the legal weapons to fight for equal opportunities, and for access to and involvement in the community to the fullest extent possible. Public education plays an equally important role in changing people's perception of those with a disability and changing their attitudes towards them. That is why the government is spending $32 million between 1993 and 1997 on strengthening public education on integration.

The Department of Health is responsible for providing immunisation programmes against various communicable diseases and for promoting health education to prevent disabi- lities. It also provides screening services for the early detection and identification of disabilities. The Hospital Authority is responsible for providing medical rehabilitation services. The Social Welfare Department is responsible for the planning and development of a wide range of social rehabilitation services, either through direct service provision or subvention to non-governmental organisations. The Education Department is responsible for the planning and development of education and related supportive services for school- aged children with a disability. The Labour Department is responsible for job placements