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After School Care Programme (ASCP)
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Introduction |
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After School Care Programmme (ASCP) aims at providing care services for children whose parents are unable to give proper care to them during after-school hours because of work, job search or other reasons. ASCP is operated by non-governmental organisations on a self-financing and fee-charging basis, offering support services for the primary school students (including those being diagnosed with or having suspected special educational needs and waitlisted for medical assessment), who are Hong Kong residents. Services provided under ASCP include homework guidance, parental guidance and education, skill learning as well as social activities.
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Enhanced ASCP |
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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has implemented the Enhanced ASCP by extending the service hours on weekday evenings, Saturdays, Sundays and school holidays in some ASCP centres and providing additional fee-waiving/reduction quotas. The service provision includes homework guidance, parental education, social and developmental programmes/activities, group activities, community services or visits.
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Objectives |
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To enhance self-reliance through employment for parents who will otherwise fail to seek open employment or attend employment retraining/job attachment owing to child care duties;
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To strengthen supporting services for families with child care problem and/or social needs such as single-parent families, new arrival families,families with children having SEN; and
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To prevent children from being left unattended or falling prey to undesirable gangs after school.
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Fee-waiving Subsidy Scheme under ASCP |
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Under the Fee-waiving Subsidy Scheme (FWSS), SWD provides full fee-waiving, half fee-reduction or one-third fee-reduction subsidies for children of low income families to attend ASCP.
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Eligibility for Fee-waiving Subsidy |
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- The applicant children whose parents are attending work, searching jobs or with other reasons so that they are unabel to give proper care to the applicant children during after-school hours, are in the following disadvantaged circumstances-
(a)
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Beneficiaries of ;
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(1)
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Financial Assistance Schemes of the Student Finance Office (i.e. Student Textbook Assistance Scheme/ Student Travel Subsidy Scheme/ Subsidy Scheme for Internet Access Charges); |
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(2)
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Working Family Allowance Scheme of the Working Family Allowance Office; and/ or |
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(3)
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Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme
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(b)
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Families with monthly household income not exceeding 100% of Median Monthly Domestic Household Income (MMDHI) |
- The following is a summary of ASCP fee-waiving categories -
| FWSS |
Families with monthly income of MMDHI |
Financial Assistance Schemes |
Working Family allowance Scheme |
CSSA Scheme |
| Full fee-waiving |
£ 55% |
Full level |
Full rate |
Full rate |
| Half fee-reduction |
> 55% but £ 75% |
Half level |
3/4 rate and half-rate |
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| One-third fee-reduction |
> 75% but £ 100% |
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- The latest Median Monthly Domestic Household Income can be downloaded here:
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Parents who would like to apply for full fee-waiving, half fee-reduction or one-third fee-reduction should declare their financial condition with supporting documents. Those without the proof required have to make declaration about their updated financial condition.
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Ways of application for Fee-waiving Subsidy |
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Applicants can direct approach ASCP/Enhanced ASCP centres which provide and approve fee-waiving/ subsidies according to the applicant children's after-school care need and their financial situation.
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Operating Hours of ASCP/Enhanced ASCP Centre |
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after-school hours to 7:00 p.m./ 7:30 p.m. each day in ASCP from Monday to Friday (3.5 hours of service on each day is provided);
Under Enhanced ASCP, the service hours from Monday to Friday are normally from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. For Saturday and Sunday, 8 hours of service on each day is provided. For school holiday, 10 hours of service on each day is provided;
The actual operating hours may vary in different centres.
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List of Service Units Providing Fee-waiving Subsidies under ASCP |
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The name, address and telephone number of service units providing fee-waiving subsidies under ASCP can be downloaded here:
The name, address and telephone number of service units providing Enhanced ASCP can be downloaded here:
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