ENG-2006 — Page 239

Social Welfare 195

treatment services for this sector, additional resources were allocated for a two-year pilot project, the Batterer Intervention Programme (BIP), which was launched by the SWD and an NGO in January. Under the project, group intervention is provided to batterers to control violent behaviour so as to reduce recurrence of violence and to safeguard the victims. Through service re-engineering as well as allocation of new resources, the SWD had increased the manpower provision for the Family and Child Protective Services Units (FCPSUs). The number of teams was increased from six to eight in April. Eight additional psychologists were employed to strengthen the service. Additional funding was also allocated to strengthen public education, training and district liaison work to deal with increasing domestic violence. Support services particularly at night rendered by the Family Crisis Support Centre was enhanced and the number of residential places of the four Refuge Centres for Women were also increased from 162 to 172.

Employment Assistance for Single Parents and Child Carers

The SWD launched an employment assistance scheme called the New Dawn (ND) Project in April to help single parents and child carers on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), whose youngest child is aged between 12 and 14. The project offers employment assistance to this group so that they may become self- reliant. In addition to the employment assistance services provided by the SWD, NGOs were commissioned to run 20 ND Intensive Employment Assistance Projects which provide no fewer than 4 000 recipients with intensive employment assistance. At year-end, a total of 6 947 participants had received help under the project.

Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged

A Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD) was set up in March 2005 to promote a tripartite partnership comprising the Government, the business sector and welfare NGOs to help disadvantaged people. Administered by the SWD, the fund provides grants to match donations in cash or kind made by the business sector, to help NGOs conduct social welfare projects. There were two rounds of applications and 43 projects were approved. Some $13 million granted by the PFD were matched by $16 million worth of donations from the business sector. About 120 000 disadvantaged people benefitted from the projects. Applications from a third round of submissions are being processed.

Enrolled Nurse Training Programme for the Welfare Sector

As an interim measure to address the shortage of nurses in the welfare sector, particularly where services are provided for the elderly and for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, the SWD, assisted by the Hospital Authority, launched a two- year training programme for full-time Enrolled Nurse (General)/Enrolled Nurse (Psychiatric). The first was launched in March and the other in November. The two programmes provided a total of 220 training places, with priority given to those currently working in the sector. Tuition fees are paid by the SWD, but graduates would have to work in the welfare sector for at least two years after graduation.