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LCQ15: Employment services for autistic persons
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     Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Kwok-che and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in the Legislative Council today (March 26):

Question:

     According to the information of the Central Registry for Rehabilitation of the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the number of autistic persons has been increasing in the past 10-odd years. Some members of the public have relayed to me that the employment support received by autistic persons upon graduation is grossly inadequate, and the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department (LD) has failed to provide them with suitable employment services. Besides, quite a number of employers lack the knowledge about autistic employees and how to manage these employees. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of autistic adults in Hong Kong in each of the past three years, together with a breakdown by age group and education level;

(2) of the respective numbers of autistic persons who (i) took the courses provided by the Skills Centres of the Vocational Training Council, (ii) received the vocational rehabilitation services of the Social Welfare Department, and (iii) received employment support services of LD, in each of the past three years;

(3) of the respective numbers of (i) job vacancies provided, (ii) autistic persons seeking employment, (iii) autistic persons who succeeded in securing employment, (iv) employers who recruited persons with disabilities, and (v) days on average for which autistic persons were employed, through the Work Orientation and Placement Scheme of LD in each of the past three years;

(4) of the respective vocational training and related services currently provided by the relevant government departments and statutory organisations to (i) autistic persons and (ii) those without other disabilities; whether it will review the effectiveness of these services; and

(5) whether it will introduce new support services to assist autistic adults in securing employment; whether it will consider, by drawing reference from the relevant practices of the United Kingdom, formulating and issuing guidelines requesting front-line and management staff in public and private organisations to enhance their knowledge about autism and the support needed by autistic employees; if it will, of the details and implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Cheung Kwok-che is as follows:

(1) Based on the findings of the Survey on Persons with Disabilities and Chronic Diseases conducted by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) during 2006 and 2007, the estimated number of autistic persons was 3 800. Among them, 900 and 300 belonged to the age groups of 15-29 and 30 or above respectively. C&SD has not kept a breakdown of the number of autistic persons by the age of 18, nor the education level attained as broken down by age. C&SD is now conducting a new round of survey. The findings will be announced in the last quarter of 2014.

(2) and (3) In the past three years, the Selective Placement Division (SPD) of the Labour Department (LD) received 7 436, 9 369 and 9 616 job vacancies respectively. In the same period, 32, 65 and 86 autistic persons were registered for employment services in SPD; among them, there were 22, 67 and 84 placements respectively.

     In the said period, there were respectively 300, 366 and 396 participating organisations which had employed job seekers with disabilities through the "Work Orientation and Placement Scheme" (WOPS). Among the abovementioned placements, there were 8, 17 and 26 placements secured under WOPS.

     LD has not kept data on the employment period of autistic persons.

     As for the Vocational Training Council (VTC), there were respectively 51, 61 and 85 autistic persons enrolled to its three Shine Skills Centres in the past three academic years.

     According to the data captured by the Central Referral System for Rehabilitation Services of the Social Welfare Department (SWD), there were respectively 233, 258 and 285 autistic service users in Sheltered Workshops as at the end of the past three years. SWD does not have comprehensive statistics on the number of autistics users in its other vocational rehabilitation services which may admit service users directly or by referral.

(4) SPD of LD provides personalised employment services to job seekers with disabilities (including those with autism) fit for open employment. Placement Officers of LD provide job seekers with disabilities with employment counselling, conduct job matching and referrals, and provide follow-up service upon placement of the job seekers in employment.

     As mentioned in part (2) and (3) of the reply, LD also implements WOPS which provides pre-employment training to persons with disabilities to enhance their employability, and encourages employers to provide job vacancies as well as coaching and support to job seekers with disabilities through the provision of an allowance, with a view to promoting employment of persons with disabilities. Since June 1, 2013, the allowance payable to employers under WOPS has been further increased. An eligible employer who employs persons with disabilities having employment difficulties is entitled to an allowance equivalent to the amount of actual salary paid to an employee with disabilities less $500 per month during the first two months of employment, subject to a ceiling of $5,500. After the first two months, the employer is entitled to an allowance equivalent to two-thirds of the actual salary paid to the employee concerned, subject to a ceiling of $4,000 per month, and for a maximum payment period of six months.

     SWD also provides persons with disabilities (including autistic persons) with a range of day training and vocational rehabilitation services. These services include Integrated Vocational Training Centres, Sheltered Workshops, Supported Employment, Integrated Vocational Rehabilitation Services Centres, On the Job Training Programme for People with Disabilities and Sunnyway - On the Job Training Programme for Young People with Disabilities, and Day Activity Centres.

     Furthermore, the Government, through subventing the Shine Skills Centres of VTC, provides a range of market-driven vocational training courses and services to persons with disabilities (including those with autism) to enhance their employment prospects and prepare them for open employment. In addition to the provision of vocational training services, the Shine Skills Centres also provide trainees with counselling, independent living skills training and occupational therapy services, with a view to enhancing the trainees' behaviours. The Shine Skills Centres also assist trainees who have completed vocational training in job searching.

     The Government will continue to monitor the service demand and outcome, and enhance relevant services and measures when appropriate, with a view to meeting the needs of service users.

(5) In 2014-15, LD will, through newsletters, newspaper supplements and videos, introduce to the public the successful cases of employment of persons with disabilities (including autistic persons) to enhance employers' understanding of the characteristics and working capabilities of autistic persons so as to enhance their employment opportunities. To enhance the understanding of SPD placement officers of the special needs of autistic persons so as to provide appropriate employment services to them, LD will invite professionals with the relevant expertise to conduct workshops and briefings, and enhance exchanges with relevant parents' groups and non-government organisations.

     In addition, SWD is considering the implementation of a pilot programme to strengthen the support for autistic persons, which will include enhancing the social and employment adaptation skills of high-functioning autistic persons, with a view to facilitating their employment and integration into society. The programme is expected to be rolled out by end-2014 or early 2015.

Ends/Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Issued at HKT 14:15

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