The department provides services to families and children, the elderly, recovering criminal offenders, drug abusers, street sleepers, persons with disabilities, the mentally ill, and the community at large.

[4] Several prominent current and former officials, including Anson Chan , Carrie Lam and Patrick Nip , had formerly served as Director of Social Welfare.

At various times, the department has been headquartered in Lee Gardens, the World Trade Centre (19th and 20th floors), and Wu Chung House in Wan Chai.

[7] SWD provides services to families and children, the elderly, recovering criminal offenders, drug abusers, street sleepers, persons with disabilities, the mentally ill, and the community at large.

[13] Applicants are required to attend an interview at the CLEIC Section to provide relevant information and documentary proof.

[14] Applicants are required to attend an interview at the TAVA Section to provide relevant information and documentary proof.

ER Services provide good, or cash-in-lieu of food and relief articles to victims of natural or other disasters such as fire, typhoon, flood, rainstorm, landslide and house collapse, and also for evacuees of buildings and premises considered to be dangerous under Closure Orders.

[16] Besides, operated by Caritas Hong Kong, a Family Crisis Support Centre (FCSC) is established to tackle family crises at an early stage by providing a package of services including a 24-hour hotline, emergency intervention with short-term accommodation and other support services.

As at 31 March 2021, 88.5% of the service users indicated a positive response in overcoming their immediate family crises upon leaving the support centre.

[25] Apart from creating psychotherapy booklets and audios for people in need, the team would follow up on cases that require treatments and attention by professional clinical psychologists.

[30] (4) Medical Social Services In order to assist patients who suffer from trauma or illness to re-integrate into the society, SWD sends medical social workers to stations at public hospitals, child assessment centres, psychiatric hospitals etc to provide tangible and psychological support to those in need.

[31] For example, medical social workers may decide to provide counselling service to patients and their families on a case-by-case basis, or may provide financial support to them by waiving their medical charges in public hospitals and referring them to receive social security benefits.

In recent years, SWD introduced a Community Care Fund Medical Assistance Programme, in which patients with financial need would be sponsored for expensive self-financed drug items that doctors deem necessary.

[35] Four outreaching teams were further set up in 2018-19 to provide professional consultation, training and support service to residents living in private RCHDs and their family members.

[39] These centres provide services and assistance to and organise activities for elderly persons to keep them involved in the community.

[66] SWD also subvents The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong (SRACP) as a major provider of support services for ex-offenders and discharged prisoners, ranging from hostel, employment development, pre-release preparation, court social work, community education and crime prevention services, to short-term rental assistance.

YOAP coordinates interviews with individual young offenders, facilitates medical, mental and/or psychological assessment, and provides professional recommendation on the most appropriate rehabilitation programme in the sentencing, with reference to SWD and CSD suitability reports and relevant materials.

[74] The number of NLDCP teams has decreased from 52 to 17 in 1995 and the Social Welfare Department has distributed the thus saved resources to other community projects.

(11) Control of Charitable Fund-raising Activities The Social Welfare Department is empowered under section 4(17)(i) of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap.

[77] Currently, a Chief Executive Officer of the Lotteries Fund Projects Section under the Subventions Branch of the Social Welfare Department is responsible for issuing the permits.

[78] (a) Flag Days Invitation for application is conducted annually in April or May each year via the Social Welfare Department or newspaper advertisement.

In allowing the application, the Department will strike a balance between the smooth execution of the activities and ensuring that only an acceptable and reasonable inconvenience is caused to the public .

[83] The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged - Dedicated Portion for After-school Learning and Support programme facilitates the provision of more after-school learning and support programmes for students from grassroot families by non-governmental welfare organisations and primary and secondary schools, using funds donated by businesses.

[84] Control of Charitable Fund-raising Activities The Audit Commission highlighted the issues of transparency and accountability of the fund-raising activities control system, and recommended that the Director of Social Welfare shall review the effectiveness of the Reference Guide, and to update the Reference Guide and Guidance Note.

The Audit considers that the SWD has not taken sufficient measures to facilitate the good practice in the use of reserves for improving service delivery and managing and supporting staff.

In light of the concerns about proper use of public resources and the smooth provision of services, the current measures are considered insufficient in (1) keeping the NGOs with persistent LSG operating deficits under check, (2) requiring the disclosure of remuneration to NGOs' senior staff, and (3) ensuring that the LSG subventions are not used to subsidise non-FSA activities.

It is discovered that some accounting inspections have not been performed as scheduled, and that the Director of Social Welfare could have taken further steps to address the irregularities and lack of improvement on the part of the NGOs.

However, although ASUs have to submit an action plan for improvements upon failure to meet performance standards, their underperformance persisted.

Governance and management matters SWD had not ensured that NGOs disclose their annual financial reports for public scrutiny in accordance with the LSG Manual.

[90] Review of lump sum grant subvention system Implementing the recommendations by the LSG Independent Review Committee in 2008, the SWD has set up the Social Welfare Development Fund and encouraged NGOs to voluntarily apply for funding actuarial studies to enhance their salary structure and financial projection.