MR Ian Strachan has made a very good start as Director of Social Welfare.
Earlier this year, he issued what amounted to a policy statement announcing that the needs of the family were paramount.
I am extremely pleased by this change of focus from institutional and professional priorities, to those of the family. In this context I would like to draw Mr Strachan's attention to an area where government policies are not helping families.
Families who have a child with severe or profound handicaps soon find that any realistic attempt at home care, stimulation and development training is a full-time job.
Families in this situation are eligible for an allow-ance of approximately HK$1,500.
As the cheapest form of full-time domestic help costs more than double this amount, it is clear that many low-income families can neither afford the time nor the money to look after the child.
If there is no available and willing relative to help out there is only one option - to place the child into full-time residential care.