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The Government will continue to allocate additional resources to offer more rehabilitation places for better care for persons with disabilities as well as more employment support and opportunities to help develop their potential to the fullest and promote social inclusion, the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Patrick Nip, said today (October 14).
Speaking at the 55th Anniversary Celebration Open Days Kick-off Ceremony of the Hong Kong Society for the Blind, Mr Nip said, "Social welfare is one of the focuses of this year's Policy Address. The Government will implement a series of new measures to support people of Hong Kong, ranging from children to the elderly and from families to individuals in need, including persons with disabilities."
Mr Nip added, "For persons with disabilities, we will continue to provide additional places for pre-school and day and residential rehabilitation services. But enhancement can be seen not only in terms of quantity but also quality, such as the introduction of the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance and the Pilot Bought Place Scheme for Private Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities. We also propose to provide a supplement for Comprehensive Social Security Allowance recipients with disabilities living in non-subsidised residential homes with a view to easing their financial burden.
"On the front of community care, we have launched the Pilot Scheme on Home Care Service for Persons with Severe Disabilities. Given the success of a trial scheme on the Transitional Care and Support Centre for Tetraplegic Patients introduced in 2008, we will make the scheme permanent to provide tetraplegic patients with transitional residential and day training services. It can also lessen the pressure of their carers.
"Also of great importance is the provision of more opportunities for development to persons with disabilities. We will inject $100 million into the 'Enhancing Employment of Persons with Disabilities through Small Enterprise' Project to strengthen the funding support for non-governmental organisations to set up small enterprises with a view to employing persons with disabilities and creating more jobs for them. We also plan to provide a subsidy from next year onwards for employers of persons with disabilities to purchase technical aids and modify work areas for such employees."
Mr Nip said he hoped that the multi-pronged support and services could help persons with disabilities develop their potential to the fullest, integrate into the community and enjoy the same rights as others.
Following the Open Days Kick-off Ceremony, Mr Nip toured a number of service units of the Hong Kong Society for the Blind including the Empower Shop, which provides training opportunities for the visually impaired.
Ends/Friday, October 14, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:48
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