SSC Paper No. 50 /2013 For information on 12 Nov 2013

Report of District Social Welfare Office Social Welfare Department

(A) Family and Child Welfare Services

1. “好家庭學苑” Project

Tuen Mun District Social Welfare Office had launched the “好家庭學苑” Project since October 2010. By collaborative efforts of the participating departmental and non-governmental organization (NGO) service units, the Project organized year-round family activities (including parenting groups and talks, family programs and workshops etc.) in order to promote and strengthen the family relationship and enhance the parental responsibilities and family functioning.

The Project had its school opening ceremony cum family day camp in “Our Hands Farm” in , on 20.10.2013. Over 200 people attended this program. Presently, a total of 17 service units has participated the Project and it is expected that over 200 activities would be organized in the year.

(B) Youth Services

2. Child Development Fund

The Child Development Fund (CDF) was set up in April 2008. CDF aimed at promoting the longer-term development of children from a disadvantaged background through collaboration of the family, the private sector, the community and the Government, thereby reducing inter-generational poverty. CDF encouraged participating children to plan for the future, develop an asset-building habit as well as accumulate savings and intangible assets (such as positive attitudes, personal resilience and capacities, social networks, etc.). All these attributes were useful for their future development. CDF allocated funds to operating organizations to run projects throughout the territory. Each project lasted for three years.

SWD had invited interested NGOs to submit proposals for operating the fourth batch of CDF projects. Finally, SWD selected 15 NGOs to operate 21 projects. In , 2 NGOs operated two projects and they were : Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Tuen Mun Integrated Services Centre - “Dream High” Mentorship Project and The Urban Peacemaker Evangelistic Fellowship Ltd. - “Peacemaker – I can Fly”.

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(C) Volunteer Services

3. Tuen Mun Outstanding Volunteers Award Scheme 2014

Tuen Mun District Coordinating Committee on Promotion of Volunteer Service of SWD is now organizing “Tuen Mun Outstanding Volunteers Award Scheme 2014”. The Scheme aims to award and recognize the outstanding volunteers and encourage the community to have continual support to the volunteer development in Tuen Mun. The Scheme will select several prizes including “Award of Outstanding Volunteer”, “Award of Outstanding Novice Volunteer”, and “Award of Outstanding Volunteer Groups”...etc. A total of 60 volunteers / groups participated in this Scheme. The selection panel would be held soon while the presentation ceremony would be held in May 2014 tentatively.

4. “Let’s Brighten the Volunteer Spirit” Volunteer Service Project Scheme 2013-2015

Tuen Mun District Coordinating Committee on Promotion of Volunteer Service of SWD is now organizing “Let’s Brighten the Volunteer Spirit” Volunteer Service Project Scheme 2013-2015. The Scheme encourages the volunteers to serve the community on one hand; and develop their own potentials on the other. The Scheme also promotes the core message of caring the community with the mutual effort by mobilizing the families of Tuen Mun to serve the needy. The Scheme consists of two major parts. The first one is the ‘Basic Project’ in which the volunteer services could be conducted either this year or next year. The second one is the ‘Advanced Project’ in which the volunteer services can be lasted for 2 years in order to strengthen the impact of the services to the community and the volunteers.

5. Promotion of Volunteer Services

Tuen Mun District Coordinating Committee on Promotion of Volunteer Service launches a series of promotion programmes of volunteer service in the community. The Committee collaborates with the , NGOs and secondary schools in order to further strengthen the hit rate of the Committee’s website for promoting volunteer service. Moreover, the Committee will produce souvenirs; organize volunteer talks and volunteer service expo in order to encourage more people to be the volunteers.

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(D) Rehabilitation Services

6. Planned Services at Ex-Kei Leung Primary School

At the 11th meeting of Tuen Mun District Council Social Services Committee for the year held on 10.9.2013, a Paper entitled “社會福利署計劃於屯門良景邨設立 安老及康復服務設施” was presented [SSC Paper no. 39/2013] to Members on our plan to use the former site of Kei Leung Primary School of Leung King Estate to set up elderly and rehabilitation services facilities. The District Office has carried out on-going local consultation and promotion, including meeting with the members of the Incorporated Owners’ of San Wai Court on 26.9.2013 and attending North West Area Committee meeting on 11.10.2013 to brief the service contents of the proposed facilities.

Promotional posters have been distributed to offices of District Councilors, Estate Offices, mutual aid committees, owners committees, peripheral Non-Governmental Organizations, secondary , primary schools and kindergartens. To explain the details of the service and to collect opinions from the residents, a booth will also be set up in Leung King Estate on 21.11.2013.

7. Joint Tuen Mun Rehabilitation Units Open Day 2013

To promote rehabilitation services and the corresponding facilities in the district to the community and to enhance public understanding of persons with disabilities, the District Coordinating Committee on Rehabilitation Services is going to hold a Joint Open Day on 15.11.2013 and 16.11.2013. Besides, this programme, through a joint participation, has been elected as a “, Our Home” event under the “Caring HK” category, promoting community integration and injecting positive energy into society.

(E) Social Security

8. Students on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) to receive additional one-off grant

A one-off additional payment of $1,000 was issued by SWD on 25.10.2013 to each eligible primary and secondary student on CSSA in this school year. The grant aims to enhance support for the parents of needy primary and secondary students and help meet their various school-related expenses. The grant was paid through the existing CSSA payment method, (i.e. through bank payment credited to the designated bank accounts of the recipients).

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9. Guangdong Scheme

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) had launched the Guangdong Scheme on 1.10.2013 and started receiving applications from 1.8.2013 onwards. As of 18.10.2013, SWD has received around 14,400 applications in total, among which more than 13,300 were submitted before 1.10.2013. Arrangements for interviews with the applicants are now under process.

The SWD has already referred particulars of over 300 physical immobile applicants to International Social Service (Hong Kong Branch), whose officers have paid visits to assist suitable applicants residing in various parts of Guangdong, including , and some remote areas like .

(F) Community Care Fund

10. The Community Care Fund (CCF) announced in September the arrangements for the implementation of three assistance programmes. Details are as follows : i. "Subsidy for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Recipients Living in Rented Private Housing"

The programme is now relaunched. Each eligible one-person or two-or-more-person CSSA household will be provided with a one-off subsidy of $2,000 or $4,000 respectively in order to further alleviate the financial burden of the households concerned. The CSSA recipients concerned are not required to submit applications. SWD will identify eligible CSSA households according to the rental information previously reported by them. The subsidy will be deposited directly into the eligible CSSA recipients' bank accounts for CSSA payment from late November 2013 onwards.

ii. "Special Subsidy to Persons with Severe Physical Disabilities for Purchasing Medical Consumables Related to Respiratory Support Medical Equipment"

The new assistance programme aims at providing a special subsidy for a maximum of 12 months for purchasing medical consumables related to respiratory support medical equipment to persons with severe physical disabilities who are living in the community and are not receiving CSSA with household income not exceeding

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iii. "Special Subsidy to Persons with Severe Physical Disabilities for Renting Respiratory Support Medical Equipment"

This programme provides a special subsidy for a maximum of 12 months for renting respiratory support medical equipment to persons who are aged below 60 with severe physical disabilities and living in the community and are not receiving CSSA with household income not exceeding the prescribed limit. The application period of this programme is now extended till December 31, 2013.

The rate of subsidy an eligible individual is entitled to for the whole period (maximum is 12 months) will be calculated based on the monthly household income and the annual household disposable financial resources at the time of application. The levels of subsidy range from $1,000 to $2,500.

Except the first programme, SWD, starting from October 2013, issued letters to invite applications from persons with severe physical disabilities who may be eligible for programmes (2) and (3) above. After completion of the required procedures, notification of application results will be issued to the applicants and the subsidy is expected to be disbursed to eligible persons starting from the end of 2013.

(G) Planned Social Welfare Services in Tuen Mun

Address Service Type Unit/ Date of Remarks Agency Capacity Commencement G/F., District Support HK Sheng Kung Leung Yin Centre for Hui Welfare 1 House Persons with Service Council 2013-2014 Leung Disabilities Removal King Community The HK Society 1 Estate Support Service for the Deaf G/F., Wu Integrated New Life Tsui Community Service Psychiatric 1 2013-2014 House Centre on has started Rehabilitation Wu King Mental Wellness Association

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Address Service Type Unit/ Date of Remarks Agency Capacity Commencement Estate Neighbourhood Yan Chai Elderly Centre Existing area Hospital Mrs is not up to Tsang Wing 1 the required Neighbourhood standard Elderly Centre

G/F., Special Child To be Wing A, Care Centre cum Confirmed King Lok Early Education 24 and 60 2013-2014 New Service House and Training places Shan King Centre Estate Block 7, Hostel for The Ex- Staff Moderately Neighbourhood Quarters Mental First Quarter of Rennovation Advice- 70 places of Castle Handicapped 2014 work in Action Council Peak Persons progress Hospital

Tuen Mun District Social Welfare Office Social Welfare Department October 2013

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Annex

Statistical Information of Social Welfare Services in Tuen Mun (up until end of August 2013)

Active Cases

(1) Integrated Family Service 1,746

(2) Medical Social Service 3,887

(3) Probation Service 636

(4) Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA)/ Existing Caseload Social Security Allowance (SSA) (i) CSSA 20,248 (ii) SSA ---Disability Allowance 9,071 (iii) SSA---Old Age Allowance 6,842 (iv) SSA---Old Age Living Allowance 22,443

Bar Chart : Statistical Data of CSSA and SSA in Tuen Mun District (October 2012 – August 2013)

30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 Oct Dec Feb-13 April June Aug

CSSA 20701 20544 20425 20414 20212 20248 DA 10121 10100 10197 9795 9118 9071 OAA 25849 26207 26717 9325 7238 6842 OALA 17214 20251 22443

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