Overview

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) commissioned The University of Hong Kong (HKU) to conduct the Review on the Implementation of the Integrated Family Service Centre (IFSC) Service Mode (the Review) in October 2008.  Upon completion of the Review, a report entitled ''Building Effective Family Services: Review on the Implementation of the IFSC Service Mode'' was released in May 2010.

Following the comprehensive and thorough review, the HKU Consultant Team concludes that the IFSC service mode has received general support from IFSC management and frontline workers, stakeholders and service users as meaningful and appropriate in directing and delivering family services in contemporary Hong Kong and recommends that the IFSC service mode should continue to be adopted for publicly-funded family services in Hong Kong.  In addressing the needs of specific target groups like single parents, new arrivals, ethnic minorities and deprived families, the Consultant Team finds IFSCs in their places of residence give them the natural platform to integrate into the community and recommends that the existing practice of IFSCs in identifying specific target groups in the communities they serve and providing appropriate services for such groups should continue to be encouraged and supported.

While endorsing the IFSC service mode as the right approach in addressing the changing needs of families in Hong Kong, the Consultant Team also identifies a number of issues relating to the implementation of the IFSC service mode and has made 26 recommendations on the continuous enhancement of IFSC services in the Review report.  SWD has been taking forward all the 26 recommendations in collaboration with administrators, supervisors and frontline staff of IFSCs and other relevant stakeholders, including the setting up of various committee and liaison / working groups to follow up on the different issues and concerns.  Details of the various committee and liaison / working groups can be found below.

Review Report

The Review report ''Building Effective Family Services: Review on the Implementation of the IFSC Service Mode'' can be downloaded here.

PDF Document  Review Report

Committee on Integrated Family Service Centres

Among the 26 recommendations in the Review report, the HKU Consultant Team recommends that the Task Group on the Implementation of IFSCs (Task Group) should be continued and empowered with a properly devised terms of reference to give it the necessary mandate to identify and follow up on issues of concern and to bring major issues to the attention of SWD senior management for timely management.  To take forward the recommendation and upon deliberation by members of the Task Group, the Committee on IFSCs was set up in September 2010 to replace the Task Group.

The Committee on IFSCs is set up to identify and prioritise common issues of concern of IFSCs for follow up and to monitor the progress of the follow-up actions on the recommendations of the Review. 

The Committee is composed of representatives from the headquarters and 11 District Social Welfare Offices (DSWOs) of SWD, the ten NGOs operating IFSCs, the two NGOs operating Integrated Services Centres (ISCs) and the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS).

If you are interested in knowing more about the work of the Committee on IFSCs, please click here to go to the webpage of the Committee.

Liaison Group / Local Liaison Groups on Issues Relating to Housing Assistance Cases

SWD has set up mechanisms to enhance collaboration and communication with the Housing Department (HD) at both headquarters and district levels to address issues relating to the handling of  housing assistance cases, including reviewing and streamlining existing policy and work procedures on handling housing assistance cases.  The Liaison Group at headquarters level and five Local Liaison Groups at district level were set up in April and August 2010 respectively.

The Liaison Group at headquarters level is composed of representatives from headquarters of SWD and HD, SWD's DSWOs, NGOs operating IFSCs / ISCs and HKCSS.  The Local Liaison Groups, on the other hand, are composed of representatives from HD's Estate Management Division and Applications Sub-section, SWD's DSWOs, officers-in-charge of relevant SWD service units and service co-ordinators / officers-in-charge of relevant NGO IFSCs.

Terms of Reference and Membership of the Liaison Groups at headquarters and district levels can be downloaded here.

PDF Document Terms of Reference of the Liaison Group on Issues relating to Housing Assistance Cases 

PDF Document Membership of the Liaison Group on Issues relating to Housing Assistance Cases

PDF Document Terms of Reference of the Local Liaison Group on Issues relating to Housing Assistance Cases

PDF Document Membership of the Local Liaison Group on Issues relating to Housing Assistance  Cases

Working Group on Review on the Operation of Integrated Family Service Centre Services

The Working Group on Review on the Operation of IFSC Services (the Working Group) was formed in October 2010 to review existing practices and forms / tools relating to the operation of IFSC services and propose ways to optimise efficiency in service operation.  The Working Group is composed of representatives of administrators, supervisors and frontline social workers of IFSCs operated by both SWD and NGOs as well as HKCSS.


Terms of Reference and Membership of the Working Group can be downloaded here.

Acrobat Terms of Reference of the WG on Review on Operation of IFSC Services

PDF Document Membership of the WG on Review on Operation of IFSC Services