ENG-1997 — Page 238

SOCIAL WELFARE

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For people with different categories of disability and their family members, 22 social and recreational centres and six parents/relatives resource centres were provided.

Professional backup and support services

Professional backup from clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists was provided in rehabilitation day centres and hostels. Support services such as the respite service (short-term relief to families with mentally handicapped persons), occasional child-care service for children with a disability, home-based training (for mentally handicapped persons awaiting placement), after- care service for dischargees of half-way houses, domiciliary occupational therapy service, and community rehabilitation network service for persons with visceral disability or chronic illness were also provided.

Staff Training and Development

The department's Training Section at the Lady Trench Training Centre organises about 500 in-service training programmes for 17 000 social welfare personnel working in the department and in non-governmental sectors. Special emphasis was put on advanced management development for senior officers of the department in 1997.

The Advisory Committee on Social Work Training and Manpower Planning, which advises the government through the Social Welfare Advisory Committee on all matters relating to social work training and manpower planning, has entrusted the Hong Kong Council of Social Service to conduct a survey to obtain employers' feedback on the performance of social work graduates. A report on the survey's findings was completed in December.

Research and Statistics

The department conducts surveys and research studies, develops and maintains data systems and undertakes statistical compilation and estimation for the monitoring, planning, development and review of social welfare services. The data systems provide management information over a wide range of areas including planned welfare projects, social welfare manpower and customers awaiting and receiving various social welfare services.

Subvention and Evaluation

Recurrent subvention and capital grants were given to 175 non-governmental organisations for the provision of social welfare services in accordance with government policies. Funding allocation was administered by the department on the advice of the Subventions and Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee.

Based on the statistics supplied by service units on a quarterly basis, the department's Evaluation Unit monitored the effectiveness of services delivered by subvented non-governmental organisations. District staff also made regular liaison visits to the subvented service units for assessment of their operation on the ground.

In March 1995, the government commissioned consultants to conduct a review of the existing subvention system with a view to improving the administration of social welfare subventions so that subvented non-governmental organisations will be given