ENG-2005 — Page 250

208 Social Welfare

With a view to strengthening the services for youths at risk and those who have committed crimes, $23 million was allocated to the 18 integrated children and youth services centres with extended services for young night drifters and five CSSS teams operated by NGOs. The additional resources will enable further development of these services to respond to the changing needs of young people at risk.

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During the year, the department and the Police Force completed a review of the family conference mechanism for juveniles cautioned under the Police Superintendent's Discretion Scheme. Family conferences where social workers, police officers, teachers and the parents of the juveniles discuss and agree on treatment plans will continue to be used as a measure to meet the needs of youths at risk and will be extended to serve those aged below 10.

The department has adopted a varied approach to providing drug treatment and rehabilitation services for young drug abusers. At year-end, the department was subventing 14 voluntary drug treatment and rehabilitation centres/halfway houses, five counselling centres for psychotropic substance abusers and two social clubs for ex-drug abusers. Under the requirements of the Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres (Licensing) Ordinance, 31 certificates of exemption and nine licences valid for drug dependence treatment centres had been issued or renewed by year-end.

To enhance cooperation among youth services, 17 Local Committees on Services for Young People, chaired by the District Social Welfare Officers, coordinate the provision of youth services at district level.

Clinical Psychological Services

The department and NGOs employ 68 clinical psychologists who provide a range of services to family casework, rehabilitation and correctional units in the welfare sector. These services include psychological assessment, treatment, consultation, staff training and public education services. During the year, 4 053 cases were treated, and 2 678 assessments and 17 637 treatment sessions conducted.

Voluntary Work

The Steering Committee on Promotion of Volunteer Service held a series of promotional and publicity programmes during the year to promote voluntary work among students and young people, corporations and community organisations. The programmes also aimed to encourage cross-sector cooperation in organising volunteer services in order to enhance social capital, foster harmony in the community and develop a tri-partite partnership between the private sector, the third sector and the Government. By the end of the year, 1 465 organisations and 527 777 individuals had registered for voluntary service.

Subventions and Service Monitoring

By year-end, recurrent subvention and capital grants had been given to 177 NGOs to provide social welfare services in accordance with government policies.