ENG-2006 — Page 244

200 Social Welfare

plans to increase the manpower of the Social Work Inspectorate Team in the coming year. To enhance RCHEs' drug management capability, the SWD and the Department of Health produced a manual on drug management.

Rehabilitation Services

With the objective of integrating people with disabilities into society and helping them to develop fully their capabilities, government departments and NGOs provide a variety of rehabilitation services to meet their different needs. These services are coordinated by the Commissioner for Rehabilitation on the advice of the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee.

Services for Children with Disabilities

At year's end, there were 1 860 integrated programme places in ordinary kindergarten-cum-child care centres, 1 371 special child care centre places, including 110 residential places, and 1 957 early education and training centre places for these children before they enter school. In addition, 56 places in small group homes were also provided for mildly mentally handicapped children who cannot be adequately cared for by their families.

Services for Adults with Disabilities

In 2006, 1 655 'supported employment' places were provided for people with disabilities to work in open settings with support and assistance. In addition, 432 places under the On-the-Job Training Programme for People with Disabilities and 311 places for young people with disabilities or early signs of mental illness under the Sunnyway programme were made available to handicapped people looking for jobs. Those not yet ready to compete for jobs in the open market were given accommodation in sheltered workshop where 5 258 places are provided.

The 453 places in integrated vocational training centres and 3 146 places in integrated vocational rehabilitation services centres, were set up to provide a spectrum of integrated and seamless vocational training and rehabilitation services. Funding was approved for 20 NGOs under the 'Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprises' project to set up small businesses that can employ people with disabilities. Forty such businesses were created which provided jobs for about 500 people with disabilities and those who would have difficulty competing for jobs in the open market. The Marketing Consultancy Office (Rehabilitation) assists vocational rehabilitation services units to develop their marketing and business strategies and employment-aided services.

In 2006, there were 4319 places in day activity centres where mentally handicapped people were taught how to live their lives more independently. There were also 230 places in training and activity centres to help former mental patients readjust to normal daily life.

In 2006, there were 6 269 places in hostel and care home, and 289 places in public-funded hostels for people with disabilities who lack adequate skills to live independently in the community or whose families cannot care for them adequately. Elderly blind people were provided with 825 places in care-and-attention homes. For