ENG-2008 — Page 250

194 | Social Welfare

The Government is committed to enhancing the quality of RCHES. The Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation regulate these homes through a licensing system. The SWD also helps RCHEs to improve their capability, ensuring that elderly residents will receive proper care. In a continuing effort to improve drug management in residential homes, the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority and the SWD jointly organised a series of talks in 2008 to enhance the drug management skills and knowledge of staff in the homes.

Rehabilitation Services

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

Services for Children with Disabilities

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At year-end, there were 1860 integrated programme places in ordinary kindergarten-cum-child care centres, 1 544 special child care centre places (including 110 residential places), and 2 186 early education and training centre places for children with disabilities. In addition, 56 places in small group homes were provided for mildly mentally handicapped children who could not be adequately cared for by their families.

Services for Adults with Disabilities

Persons with disabilities were provided with 1655 supported employment places to work in open settings with support and assistance. In addition, 432 places created under the 'On the Job Training Programme for People with Disabilities' and 311 places for young persons with disabilities or showing early signs of mental illness created under the 'Sunnyway - On the Job Training Programme for Young People with Disabilities' were made available to persons with disabilities looking for jobs. Those not yet ready to compete for work in the open market were accommodated in sheltered workshops where 5 113 places were provided.

A total of 453 places in integrated vocational training centres and 3 419 places in integrated vocational rehabilitation services centres were created. Funding was approved enabling 23 NGOs to set up small businesses that could employ persons. with disabilities. Fifty businesses were created, providing jobs for about 440 persons with disabilities. The Marketing Consultancy Office (Rehabilitation) assisted vocational rehabilitation services units to develop their marketing and business strategies and employment-aided services.

Day activity centres provided 4370 places where persons with intellectual disability were taught how to live more independently. A total of 230 places were set up in training and activity centres to help ex-mentally ill patients adjust to normal daily life.

There were 6 840 places in hostels and care homes for persons with disabilities who were unable to live independently in the community, or whose families could