ENG-1997 — Page 231

SOCIAL WELFARE

places, 19 independent social centres, four multi-service centres and one day-care centre were set up. A two-year experimental project on Social Networking for the Elderly was launched in October 1996 to establish a network and provide support to vulnerable elderly persons.

For people with a disability, the department further established 540 places in sheltered workshops, 528 places in day activity centres, and 1 132 places in hostels and care-and-attention homes, plus 530 additional places in homes and care-and- attention homes for aged blind persons. As recommended by the Working Party on Training and Employment for People with Disabilities, the Marketing Consultancy Office was set up in January 1997 to enhance the productivity of sheltered workshops and the income of people with a disability.

The Working Group on Battered Spouses, convened by the SWD, launched a series of publicity measures in 1997 with a view to enhancing the public's awareness of the adverse effects of spouse-battering on the family and to encourage the victims of domestic violence to seek help as early as possible.

During the year, the Working Group on Child Abuse continued to co-ordinate multi-disciplinary efforts in strengthening support to child abuse victims giving evidence in court, revising procedural guidelines on handling child abuse cases, launching publicity and public education campaigns to prevent child abuse, combating child abuse at district level through the 13 District Committees on Child Abuse, and strengthening the joint training of professionals in handling child abuse

cases.

Having completed the deliberations on the major youth issues identified according to its terms of reference, the Working Group on Services for Youth at Risk continued its work in the year on the implementation of its recommendations. These included the development of a screening tool for early identification of youth-at-risk, examining ways to improve services for juvenile gangs and runaway youth, strengthening inter-departmental efforts in tackling the issue and promoting greater co-ordination and collaboration at the district level. Programmes of Family Life Education and other related services units were mobilised to relate positive message and to educate parents in offering support to young people. Training for related helping professionals was also organised to strengthen the quality of supportive services.

The Subvention Consultancy Review was at an advanced stage in 1997. Its major recommendation was to shift the focus of service monitoring from 'input' to 'output' to ensure delivery of quality services, while providing subvented non-governmental organisations greater flexibility to make best use of the available resources. The SWD is examining the way forward in enhancing the system.

The Social Workers Registration Ordinance came into operation on June 6, 1997, to provide for the registration of social workers and disciplinary control of their professional activities. The objective is to ensure a high professional standard of practice in the best interest of the public. At the end of 1997, 3 658 social workers had been registered.

Social Security

Social security aims at meeting the basic and special needs of the people in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region who are in need of financial or material

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