Introduction of New Comers’ Ward
Introduction
New Comers’ Ward (Headquarters) is a gazetted place of refuge which provides emergency and short-term residential care for children who are under family crisis. The capacity was expanded from 20 to 50 from 1 June, 2003 due to the closing down of Chuk Yuen Children Reception Centre of Social Welfare Department in July 2003. Owing to the upsurge of service demand, the capacity has been increased twice in August 2004 and November 2005 respectively to 75. An extended unit of New Comers’ Ward with 20 emergency residential places, namely New Comers’ Ward (Chun Shek), commenced service on 8 December 2008 to further meet the service needs.
Objectives
- To provide urgent and short-term residential care for children who are under family crisis such as sudden hospitalisation/imprisonment/desertion of parents/guardians, abused children, etc.
- To provide daily care, education, medical attention and various activities to enhance children’s development and growth.
- To re-build parent-child relationship and formulate children’s welfare plan through counseling and casework services.
Service
| |
Headquarters |
Chun Shek |
| Service Nature |
- Place of refuge (Children are detained in accordance with the statutory requirements as stipulated in The Protection of Children and Juveniles Ordinance, Chapter213, 34(E))
- Provide urgent residential placement
|
- Provide urgent residential placement
|
| Capacity |
75 |
20 |
| Target Group |
- Girls: new-born to under 18
- Boys: new-born to under 12
- Mentally and/or physically disabled boys and girls under the age of 8.
|
- Girls: 6 to under 18
- Boys: 6 to under 12
|
|
* May consider stretching age limit for admission under special circumstances..
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- Children with no or mild behavioural or emotional problems
- Physical health is medically assessed as fit for institutional care
- No serious epidemic disease
|
| Admission Time |
Round the year 24-hour |
Monday to Friday 9:00am-6:00pm
Saturday 9:00am-1:00pm |
| Duration of Placement |
Maximum 6 months |
| Service Content |
- Daily care
Provision of lodging, clothing, sufficient and varied food appropriate to the age and need of the children. At least 3 meals a day with sufficient and varied food to ensure well-balanced diet.
|
|
- Education
Children will continue their schooling after admission, subject to the agreement of the referring social worker and their guardians with due consideration of the case nature.
For those not to continue schooling in New Comers’ Ward (Headquarters) and have been waitlisted for our Kuk’s long-term residential services, such as Kinder Section or Children Section, they may be arranged to study at the kindergartens and primary school at the Kuk’s headquarters. In case schooling cannot be arranged, tuition will be provided by the Ward. |
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- Counselling
To counsel children on their emotional and behavioural difficulties |
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- Programs/ Activities
A variety of age-appropriate programmes or activities to be arranged to meet children’s developmental needs. |
- -Medical consultation to be provided by Visiting Medical Officer regularly or to consult withnearby governmentor private medical practitioners; round-the-clock attendance of nursing staff at the sick bay.
- Dental service to be provided by volunteer dentists
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- Medical consultation withnearby government clinics or private practitioners
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Charges
- Free meals and lodging.
- All parents/guardians to be responsible for their children's clothings, school fees and/or schooling expenses, *medical fee and pocketmoney according to actual expenditure.
* Refers mainly to consultation fee for private medical practitioner
Application of Service
- Apart from referring through social workers from the Social Welfare Department (SWD) or non-governmental organisations, New Comers’ Ward (Headquarters) also accepts referrals from other law enforcing government departments, such as Police.
- All referrals must firstly be made directly by phone (Referring hotline: 2882 8787) to New Comers’ Ward (Headquarters).
Termination of Service
- Except cases bounded by court orders, termination of service can be initiated by New Comers’ Ward or service users.
- There should be prior discussions with referring worker on discharge plan. All parties are required to complete necessary formalities for formal discharge.