ENG-2001 — Page 252

SOCIAL WELFARE

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Seven residential homes, with a total capacity of 440 places, provide educational, prevocational and character training for children and juveniles with behavioural or family problems and young offenders.

The Young Offender Assessment Panel, jointly operated by the SWD and the Correctional Services Department (CSD), provides the courts with co-ordinated professional views on sentencing options for young offenders aged 14 to under 25.

The Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners Scheme, another joint service of the SWD and the CSD, assists discharged prisoners in their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. During the year, 416 ex-prisoners were placed under supervision. One subvented NGO provides hostel and supportive services for ex-prisoners.

Services for Young People

The overall objective of welfare services for young people is to help those aged between six and 24 to develop themselves into mature, responsible and contributing members of society.

To enhance co-operation among relevant youth services, 19 Local Committees on Services for Young People, chaired by the District Social Welfare Officers, co-ordinate the provision of youth services at district level.

At the end of the year, subvented NGOs ran 120 children and youth centres providing a variety of programmes and activities for young people's personal and social development. All secondary schools are provided with one full-time school- based school social worker who identifies and helps students whose academic, social and emotional development is at risk.

The outreaching social work service seeks to reach out and provide counselling and guidance to young people who do not normally participate in conventional social or youth activities and who are vulnerable to undesirable influences. In December, there were 34 teams serving priority areas with a higher youth population and a higher juvenile crime rate.

Integrated teams for young people provide children and youth centre service, outreaching social work service, school social work service and, where possible, family life education under one management structure. At the end of the year, 64 teams were operating.

The Community Support Service Scheme (CSSS) assists those young people who have broken the law or are at risk. In addition to one team operated by the SWD, the number of CSSS projects operated by NGOs increased from two to five during the year, achieving full coverage of service throughout Hong Kong. At the end of the year, 1 450 young people were served by the CSSS.

The Against Substance Abuse Scheme provides prevention programmes to occasional substance-abusers under the age of 21 with the ultimate goal of helping them develop healthy lifestyles and discouraging them from resorting to drugs. By the end of the year, 1 321 young people had benefited. A youth hotline subvented by the SWD also helps young people at risk by offering timely intervention through counselling. In 2001, the hotline handled 43 250 calls.

The Committee on Services for Youth at Risk has implemented a series of measures to address issues concerning juvenile gangs. To help young people build up their