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The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited several welfare services units this afternoon (December 10) to further update himself at close quarters on the operation of these centres.
The first stop was Tseung Kwan O Po Ning Road Maternal and Child Health Centre, where he was briefed by medical staff from the Hospital Authority (HA) and Department of Health (DH) on the operation of the Comprehensive Child Development Service (CCDS). The CCDS aims to reduce inter-generation poverty by supporting the early development of needy children from a disadvantaged background.
As a joint initiative of the Labour and Welfare Bureau, Department of Health, Social Welfare Department (SWD), Hospital Authority and Education Bureau the CCDS makes use of Maternal and Child Health Centres and other service units to identify at-risk pregnant women, mothers with postnatal depression, families with psychosocical needs as well as pre-primary children with development problems and intervene at an early stage.
The CCDS was first implemented in Sham Shui Po, Tin Shui Wai, Tseung Kwan O and Tuen Mun, in July, 2005, and was subsequently extended to Tung Chung, Yuen Long, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing, covering 50% of the target clientele.
Mr Cheung then toured the Tseung Kwan O (East) and Tseung Kwan O (North) Integrated Family Service Centres and had a chat with frontline workers and service users. Two volunteer groups in the district treated him to home-made refreshments and a musical performance.
There are 61 Integrated Family Service Centres (IFSC) in Hong Kong, 40 of which are operated by SWD and the rest by nine non-government organisations.
Mr Cheung said, "IFSC forms the backbone of the family welfare services provided by SWD to assist families in need through a wide range of preventive, developmental, educational, support and remedial services."
The last leg of the visit was the Jockey Club Tseung Kwan O Children and Youth Integrated Services Centre operated by the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong. The centre had a modernisation facelift through funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Lotteries Fund in 2007.
Mr Cheung said the Government had allocated more than $300 million from the Lotteries Fund last July for 74 core youth services units and community centres to undertake modernisation works. The SWD has completed vetting of all applications and informed relevant units of the funds to be allocated for renovation.
He said, "I hope that the facelift would attract more youths to make use of the centres' services and facilities. At the same time, more job opportunities will be created in the modernisation process to benefit the construction industry."
Ends/Thursday, December 10, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:41
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