Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ15: Support for single parent families
Following is a question by the Hon Wong Kwok-hing and a written reply by the
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council
today (July 6):
Question:
Regarding financial support for single parent families, will the Government
inform this Council:
(a) of the number of single parent families in Hong Kong and the number of
children in these families in each of the past three years;
(b) of the number of single parent families receiving Comprehensive Social
Security Assistance (CSSA) in each of the past three years (as at May 31, of
each year), together with a breakdown by gender of the single parent (i.e.
father or mother), number of children and area of residence;
(c) among the single parent families receiving CSSA in each of the past three
years (as at May 31 of each year), of the number of those in which the children
are eligible for CSSA but their fathers or mothers are not because they have
resided in Hong Kong for less than seven years, together with a breakdown by
gender of the parents (i.e. father or mother), number of children and area of
residence; and
(d) whether the authorities have any plans to offer assistance in such areas as
finance, employment, housing, after school care services for children, etc, to
those single parent families in which the fathers or mothers have resided in
Hong Kong for less than seven years and are therefore not eligible for CSSA; if
so, of the details?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The yearly number of single parent families in Hong Kong and the number of
children aged below 18 in these families can be retrieved from the General
Household Survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department. The figures
between 2002 and 2004 are listed in Table 1.
(b) Single parent cases are defined as those cases where the single parent is
living with at least one child, and all members are eligible for CSSA. Relevant
statistics in respect of single parent CSSA cases in the past three years are
listed in Table 2, 3, 4 and 5.
(c) As for the number of CSSA cases in which the children are eligible for CSSA
but their single fathers or mothers are not because they have resided in Hong
Kong for less than seven years, since single parent CSSA cases are defined as
cases where the single parent is already eligible for CSSA, such cases would not
be classified as single parent CSSA cases. As the Social Welfare Department does
not have information on family members who are not eligible for CSSA, there is
insufficient information to compile the relevant figures requested.
(d) The Administration has always attached importance to the service needs of
the disadvantaged groups, including the single parents who have resided in Hong
Kong for less than seven years. For those who do not meet the seven years
residence requirement but demonstrating real financial difficulty, the Director
of Social Welfare could exercise his discretion to waive the residence
requirement under CSSA scheme in granting financial assistance. There are also a
wide range of services and programmes to cater for their needs, which are
categorised as follows-
Financial Support
For single parents who are in need of assistance, they may apply to SWD for
charitable trust funds through the service units of SWD or the non-government
organisations to help tide over their short-term financial difficulties.
Employment Assistance and Support
There is no residence requirement for the various employment services provided
by the Labour Department. The vocational training and re-training programmes
subsidised by the Government or statutory levy (e.g. Vocational Training
Council, Construction Industry Training Authority, Clothing Industry Training
Authority and Employees Retraining Board), Skills Upgrading Schemes and
Continuing Education Fund do not have any residence requirement.
Housing Need
For single parents who have resided in Hong Kong for less than seven years but
are unable to meet their urgent need of long-term housing due to exceptional
difficulties or health problems, they may seek for compassionate rehousing by
Housing Department upon SWD's recommendation for immediate allocation of public
housing flats that suit their needs. On the other hand, single parents who are
public housing tenants with short-term financial difficulties but are not
receiving CSSA may apply for a 50 per cent rental reduction.
Care Services for Children
Any families in need, including single parents who have resided in Hong Kong for
less than seven years, may use the services of the full-time day child care
centres/kindergartens for their children aged zero to six. In addition, fee
assistance/remission schemes are available. Some child care centres/kindergartens
also offer extended hours service and/or occasional child care services.
Moreover, the single parents in need may arrange their children aged 6 to 12 to
attend the after school care programme.
Other Services
On top of the services and support mentioned above, it should be noted that
there is in general no residence requirement for the social services provided by
SWD and NGOs.
Ends/Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Issued at HKT 14:15
NNNN
Table 1
|
|
Year |
||
|
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
|
|
Number of single parents |
65 900 |
68 900 |
74 200 |
|
Number of children aged below 18 who live with their single parents |
90 700 |
91 900 |
96 100 |
Note: The above figures are compiled on the basis of the data of the quarterly General Household Surveys for the corresponding quarters of the year and the data for 2005 is not yet available.