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Licensing Scheme for Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities
Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance (Chapter 613, Laws of Hong Kong)
The Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance (the Ordinance) was enacted in June 2011, and commenced operation on 18 November 2011 (except Part 2 on sanctions for operating a residential care home without a licence or certificate of exemption). The Ordinance provides for the control of residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) through a licensing system administered by the Director of Social Welfare (DSW), to ensure that residents of RCHDs receive services of acceptable standards physically, emotionally and socially.
Licence/Certificate of Exemption (CoE)
For RCHDs that exist immediately before commencement of the Ordinance (i.e. 18 of November 2011) yet are unable to comply fully with the legislative requirements, the operators may apply for a Certificate of Exemption (CoE) in order to allow time for existing RCHDs to make improvements for meeting the licensing requirements and standards. All RCHDs that are established and operated on or after that date should be subject to regulatory control by way of the issue of a licence rather than CoE, so as to ensure the services of RCHDs meet the statutory standards and to protect the interests of persons with disabilities more effectively.
The Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance and the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance (Cap. 459) are mutually exclusive. Under the principle of mutual exclusion, any home which fits into the definitions of a residential care home under the above Ordinances is only required to hold one valid licence under either of the Ordinances, and should not apply for licence under both Ordinances simultaneously.
RCHDs issued with Licence/CoE
| LORCHD No. |
Name of RCHDs |
| D0001 |
The Hong Kong Society for the Blind
Bradbury Care and Attention Home for the Aged Blind |
| D0003 |
Ebenezer Care and Attention Home |
| D0004 |
Eminent Rehabilitation Center Company Limited |
| D0005 |
The Hong Kong Society for the Blind
Kowloon Home for the Aged Blind |
Grace Period
To allow time for individual RCHDs to put in place suitable arrangements for application for a new licence/CoE, there is a grace period of 18 months starting from the commencement of the Ordinance (i.e. 18 November 2011). During the grace period, no sanction will be imposed on the operation of RCHD without a licence/CoE.
Briefing Sessions on the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance
Briefing sessions were held by the Social Welfare Department on the licensing scheme on 28 November 2011, 30 November 2011 and 7 December 2011. Another briefing session on Financial Assistance Scheme was held on 29 December 2011 for private RCHDs.
The powerpoints of the briefing sessions can be browsed here:
 Briefing Session on Licensing Scheme (Private RCHDs) (Chinese version only)
Briefing Session on Licensing Scheme (Subvented and Self-financing RCHDs) (Chinese version only)
The Q & A of the briefing sessions can be browsed here: acrobat.gif?0.337085930204752) Briefing Sessions on Licensing Scheme and Financial Assistance Scheme (Private RCHDs) (Chinese version only)
Briefing Session on Licensing Scheme (Subvented and Self-financing RCHDs) (Chinese version only)
You may click the following items for browsing or downloading relevant information:
The Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance
The Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Regulation
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| Code of Practice for Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) (Nov 2011) |
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| Pamphlet on How to Apply for a licence under the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance |
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| Service Brief for Licensing Office of Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities |
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| Procedural Guide on Application for a Certificate of Exemption/Licence |
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| Documents and Plans Required for the Application for a Certificate of Exemption/Licence |
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| Certificate of Accepted Building Materials and Products |
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| Guidance Notes on Submission of Floor Plans for RCHDs |
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| Sample of the Floor Plans |
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| Choosing Suitable Premises for Operating an RCHD |
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| Guidelines on Fire Safety Plan for an RCHD |
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| Evacuation Route Plan |
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| Location of the 'Designated Assembly Point' for Fire/Emergency Evacuation |
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| Application for a Certificate of Exemption/Licence |
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| Staff Employment Record of RCHD |
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| Medical Examination Form for Residents in RCHDs |
Download |
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| A List of Notifiable Scheduled Infectious Diseases (as at 10 June 2011) |
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| Notification Form for Suspected Outbreak of Infectious Disease in RCHDs |
Download |
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Special Incident Report (Chinese version only) |
Download |
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Health Worker Training Course
According to section 4 of the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Regulation, a person who has completed a course of training approved by the Director of Social Welfare in writing is qualified to be registered as a health worker for the purposes of employment at a residential care home for persons with disabilities.
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MS Word |
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Health Worker Training Courses for Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities Approved by the Director of Social Welfare (as at 30 April 2012) |
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| (A) |
Bridging Course for Health Workers of Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities (Course A)
[for health workers registered under the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Regulation who are not working in RCHDs] |
Download |
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| (B) |
Bridging Course for Health Workers of Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities (Course B)
[for health workers registered under the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Regulation who are working in RCHDs] |
Download |
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| (C) |
Combined Health Worker Training Course
[for persons who would like to work as health workers in RCHDs and/or RCHEs] |
Download |
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| (D) |
Health Worker Training Course for Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities
[for persons who would like to work as health workers in RCHDs] |
in progress |
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| Information Brief on Registration as a Health Worker of Residential Care Home for Persons with Disabilities |
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| Application Form - Application for Registration as a Health Worker of Residential Care Home for Persons with Disabilities |
Download |
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| Notes for Applicants - Registration as a Health Worker of Residential Care Home for Persons with Disabilities (Chinese version only) |
Download |
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| Application for Registration as a Health Worker of Residential Care Home for Persons with Disabilities (to be completed by training institutes/organisations)(Chinese version only) |
Download |
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'Tips for Selecting a Suitable Residential Care Home for Persons with Disabilities'
The 'Tips for Selecting a Suitable Residential Care Home for Persons with Disabilities' provides basic reference information and guidelines for persons with disabilities who require residential care service and their family members to select a suitable RCHD by viewing the service provided by RCHDs from different perspectives in order to meet their needs.
The booklet can be browsed here  Acrobat Document (Chinese version only)
Licensing Office of Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities (LORCHD)
For any enquiry, suggestion or complaint about the service of RCHDs, please contact LORCHD at the following office hours:
Office Hour : 8:45 am to 6:00 pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays)
Address : Room 1508, 15/F, 248 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel. No. : 2891 6379
Fax. No. : 2153 0071
Email : lorchdenq@swd.gov.hk
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