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CS visits single parents (with photos/video)
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     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited the Hong Kong Single Parents Association in Shek Kip Mei this afternoon (August 27).

     During the visit, Mrs Lam was given a briefing on the scope of services provided by the association. She was also shown various services run by the association such as the Integrated Employment Assistance Scheme subvented by the Social Welfare Department as well as the vocational training and parenting activities run by the association's self-financed Single Parent Career Development Centre.

     Mrs Lam chatted with five single parents to learn more about their experiences in facing psychological pressure and mental distress after becoming widowed, divorced or separated, and difficulties brought about by parenting. She listened as they recounted how their attitude toward life had changed for the better after counselling and how they provided support and encouragement to other single parents, and found out more about how they adapted when integrating into the job market.

     "As the Chief Executive stated in his election platform that the family bonds of single-parent families can be weak, single parents in low-income families and their children need special care. At present, there are 32,000 households of single-parent families receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, accounting for 11 per cent of the total caseload. Apart from financial assistance, support services to single parents are of utmost importance. We will be more alert and sensitive to the needs of such families in the course of formulating measures for alleviating poverty and providing social welfare," Mrs Lam said.

     The Hong Kong Single Parents Association, which was transformed from the Concern Group on Single Parents set up in 1991, has operated under its current name since 1996. The association's motto is "Strengthen ourselves, help ourselves, then help others". The association is tasked with uniting and supporting local single parents, arousing public concern for their plights and needs, and advocating the setting up and improvement of relevant policies.

Ends/Monday, August 27, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:28

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