The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, today (April 30) visited Wan Chai District, where he took a closer look at pre-school rehabilitation and elderly services and met with District Council members.
 
     Accompanied by the Chairman of the Wan Chai District Council (WCDC), Mr Stephen Ng; the Vice-chairman of WCDC, Dr Jennifer Chow; the District Officer (Wan Chai), Mr Rick Chan; and the District Social Welfare Officer (Eastern and Wan Chai), Miss Hannah Yip, he first went to Hong Kong Christian Service Morrison Hill Child Development Centre to visit children with special needs. The centre is both a special child care centre and an early education and training centre. It also provides occasional child care services with extended hours for parents in need.
 
     The Government has regularised on-site pre-school rehabilitation services (OPRS) to provide training for children with special needs at about 710 kindergartens (KGs) or KG-cum-child care centres by inter-disciplinary teams co-ordinated by non-governmental organisations. Dr Law pointed out that the number of service places has increased from about 3 000 under the Pilot Scheme to about 5 000 at present, and this will be further increased to about 7 000 in the 2019/20 school year. In addition, the Government will launch a pilot project later through the Lotteries Fund to provide support for children in KGs or KG-cum-child care centres who show signs of special needs and are waiting for assessment.
 
     He then proceeded to Po Leung Kuk Wan Chai Home for the Elderly cum Day Care Centre for the Elderly to better understand the operation of the Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher for the Elderly. The Pilot Scheme provides an additional choice for elderly persons in need by allowing them to choose the services provided by eligible residential care homes for the elderly under the Pilot Scheme according to their needs.
 
     Dr Law also went to the WCDC to exchange views with WCDC members on labour and welfare issues as well as to discuss matters of local concern.

Ends/Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Issued at HKT 19:00

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