Latest News of May 2024

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (May 2) that two additional residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) located in Foshan and Shenzhen respectively will newly become Recognised Service Providers under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong (Scheme) starting from May 6. These two RCHEs are operated under partnerships formed by Hong Kong private organisations with experiences and satisfactory track records in providing subsidised residential care services in Hong Kong, and the Mainland elderly service operators.

The information of the two RCHEs is as follows-

Taking into account of the two original RCHEs of the Scheme in Shenzhen and Zhaoqing operated by non-governmental organisations of Hong Kong, the total number of RCHEs registered under the Scheme will increase to four to provide more options for elderly persons waitlisted under the Central Waiting List for Subsidised Long Term Care Services (CWL) and intending to retire in the cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Elderly persons who are waitlisted for subsidised residential care services in the CWL and would like to apply for the Scheme may contact their responsible workers to file an application.

In addition, the SWD is exploring expansion of the Scheme to include RCHEs solely operated by Mainland entities this year. Liaison with relevant departments in the GBA cities is in progress. On-site inspections were arranged to jointly select Mainland RCHEs which are rated 4 stars or above on the “List of Star-rated Senior Care Organisations” by the Department of Civil Affairs of Guangdong Province based on the standards of “Classification and Accreditation for Senior Care Organisation of China” with a minimum of two years of operational records to join the Scheme as Registered Service Providers.

Details of the Scheme is available at SWD’s website (https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/pubsvc/elderly/cat_residentcare/subrcheplace/guangdong/index.html). 

• Starting from 28 July 2023, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) expands the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong. The expansion measures include to invite applications from operators of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) with experience and satisfactory track records in providing subsidised elderly residential care services in Hong Kong and are operating RCHE(s) in Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to register their RCHE(s) in GBA cities as the Recognised Service Provider (RSP) under the GDRCS Scheme.

• For the details of the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong, you may click here. 
• Joining the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong as Recognised Service Providers, please click here to download the Invitation for Proposal and annexes. (Chinese version only)
• For enquiries, you may contact the Residential Care Services Section of Elderly Branch.

• Starting from 28 July 2023, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) expands the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong. The expansion measures include to cover elderly persons waitlisting under the Central Waiting List for subsidised nursing home places.
• Currently, nursing home places are provided at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Shenzhen Society for Rehabilitation Yee Hong Heights and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Helping Hand Zhaoqing Home for the Elderly only.

Eligibility Criteria
The elderly persons who have been assessed and matched for residential care services under the Standardised Care Need Assessment Mechanism for Elderly Services and are waitlisted for subsidised care and attention places or nursing home places on the Central Waiting List (CWL) for Subsidised Long Term Care (LTC) Services.

How to Apply

1. Elderly persons who are waitlisted for subsidised residential care services in the CWL and would like to apply for the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong may contact their responsible workers to file an application for GDRCS Scheme.
2. New applicants of LTC services may approach Medical Social Services Units, Integrated Family Service Centres or elderly centres to make an application and request for referral for subsidised LTC services.  Through initial screening and assessment as appropriate, they may apply for LTC service, including GDRCS Scheme, in accordance with their assessment results after their care needs have been ascertained in the Standardised Care Needs Assessment.

• For the details of the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong, you may click here.
• For enquiries, you may contact the Residential Care Services Section of Elderly Branch.

The Social Welfare Department is inviting operators of private residential care homes for persons with disabilities and self-financing residential care homes for persons with disabilities operated by non-governmental organisations to submit applications for joining the Bought Place Scheme for Private Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities.  For details, please click here.

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has earlier invited non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to submit proposals on implementing Social Work Service for Pre-primary Institutions (SWSPPI) in seven SWD districts.  A Vetting Committee (VC) was set up to assess all the proposals received.  Upon the recommendations of the VC, SWD has selected 19 NGOs to operate 34 district-based social work teams (SWTs) as listed below –

Flag days in 2025-26 are open for application from 17 April 2024.  The deadline for application is 6:00pm on 16 May 2024.

Enquiries can be made by telephone to 2832 4318 or 2832 4301; by fax to 2838 0441; or by email to eolf5@swd.gov.hk.

Starting from 28 March 2024, the Social Welfare Department has implemented a 12-month "District Services and Community Care Teams - Pilot Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers" (the Pilot Scheme).  Taking Tsuen Wan and Southern District as pilot points, District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) are engaged to help identify households of singleton / doubleton elderly and carers of elderly persons / persons with disabilities in need through visits or contacts, and refer these cases to social welfare service units for follow-up.  The Care Teams will also assist in referring elderly and persons with disabilities in need to install and use the emergency alarm system (EAS).

For other information about the Pilot Scheme, please refer to Districts Services and Information – Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing  / Central Western, Southern and Islands . 

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) accepts applications from primary schools and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for operating the tenth batch of Child Development Fund (CDF) projects from today (March 27). CDF projects aim at providing children from disadvantaged backgrounds with more personal development opportunities, thereby reducing intergenerational poverty.

Upon the completion of the overall review of the CDF Programme by SWD in late 2023, a series of enhancement measures will be implemented, including positioning the target participants at Primary Three to Primary Six students so that underprivileged children could benefit from CDF Programme at the early stage of development; and participating children may use the funds of the targeted savings programme at the 13th month of the Programme at the earliest for implementation of personal development plans under the supervision of NGO/school operators and their mentors.  In addition, to provide greater flexibility for NGOs/schools in implementing the projects, NGO/school applicants may apply for a three-year project or two consecutive three-year projects under the “one-plus-one-approach”.  The threshold of the target number of participants for each project has also been relaxed to the effect that the minimum number of participants is lowered to 25 while the maximum is 100 for all.  Around 2 500 and 500 places will be provided for the tenth batch of NGO-led and school-based projects respectively.

Details of the CDF enhancement measures have been uploaded to the CDF website (www.cdf.gov.hk/) earlier. An online briefing session will be held at 2:30pm on April 16 (Tuesday) for primary schools and NGOs interested in operating the projects.  All the duly signed application forms, together with the required document(s) should be submitted via email (scdf@swd.gov.hk) or by hand (Room 942, 9/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong), on or before 5pm on May 21 (Tuesday).  Application by post will not be accepted.  After vetting of applications, awarded NGOs/schools may recruit participating children around late July and commence the programmes and activities at the fourth quarter of this year.  

Founded in 2008, CDF is a tripartite, cross-sector collaboration among the community and family, the business sector and the Government, aiming at supporting longer-term development of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.  Through the three key components, namely personal development plan, mentorship programme and targeted savings, participating children may develop savings habits, good characters and positive values, etc. from an early age.  So far, 200 CDF projects in nine batches operated by NGOs as well as 112 school-based projects in nine batches operated by schools have been rolled out, benefiting over 26 000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Guide on Application Procedures and Application Form

A Guide on Application Procedures, comprising “How to Apply”, “Service Specifications”, “Assessment Mechanism” and “Application Form” can be downloaded here:

*On top of the application form [Part One to Part Three], interested NGO which submits applications for more than one district should also complete application form [Part Two] for each additional district.

Joint Online Briefing Session
A joint online briefing session on the tenth batch of CDF Projects will be held at 2:30 p.m. on 16 April 2024 (Tuesday).  Each NGO or school is welcome to nominate two representatives to attend.

Reply Slip on Online Briefing Session on the Tenth Batch of CDF Projects:
- Reply Slip for NGO (PDF document) (Word document) 
- Reply Slip for School (PDF document)  (Word document) 

For enquiries, please contact the Child Development Fund Office at 2892 5540.
 

The Tranche 10 of the Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care (I&T Fund) is open for application on 28 Mar 2024.  

For application details, please click here.

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has earlier invited eligible non-governmental organisations to submit proposals to operate a new Supported Hostel for Mentally/Physically Handicapped Persons [SHOS(MPH)] at LOHAS Park, No. 1 Lohas Park Road, Tseung Kwan O and a Vetting Committee (VC) was set up to conduct assessment of all the proposals received.  Upon the recommendations of the VC, SWD has selected Christian Family Service Centre to operate the SHOS(MPH).  

The Street Counter Pass System of Lands Department's (LandsD’s) website has been launched on 1 March 2024.  Applicant organisations of Public Subscription Permit (General Charitable Fund-raising Activities) in need of one-stop service for application of setting up non-profit street counters on government land are required to submit soft copy of latest version of proforma (in MS Excel format) to LandsD via Social Welfare Department with immediate effect.  Download here. 

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has completed the overall review of the Child Development Fund (CDF) Programme. The findings of the review have been endorsed by the Steering Committee on the Child Development Fund. The recommendations and enhancement measures are as follows:

1. Target Participants
   1. Positioning the target participants of CDF Programme to Primary 3 to Primary 6 students to enable the underprivileged children to benefit from the Programme, including character building and development of positive attributes, values and saving habits, at an early developmental stage. 

2. Three Key Components

Target Savings

1. Maintaining the current requirement of target savings for mentees of $200 per month and up to $4,800 for two years; 
2. Imposing additional requirements for participants as a pre-requisite for release of the Government’s matching fund, such as satisfactory attendance in core programmes and activities organised by operators, and formulation of a preliminary Personal Development Plans (PDPs) under the guidance of the mentor, in order to strengthen mentees’ learning motivation. 

PDP 

1. Advancing the disbursement of the mentees’ target savings (including monthly savings, matching contribution and Government financial incentive) of the first year to the 13th month of the project at the earliest to allow sufficient time for the mentees to implement the PDPs progressively under the supervision of mentors. 

Mentorship

1. Strengthening support and training for mentors through enhancing the train-the-trainer programmes for CDF operators to address the needs of mentors; 
2. Advancing the training for mentors and parents/guardians to complete three out of five core training programmes in the first year of the project so that the parents/guardians and mentors could better support the mentees to implement their PDPs. 

3. Project Duration 

1. Maintaining the project duration of three years; 

4. “One-plus-one-approach” and Target Number of Participants of each Project

1. The operators of both NGO-led and school-based projects are allowed to apply for either a single three-year project or two consecutive three-year projects under the “one-plus-one-approach” in each application; and 
2. Relaxing the threshold of the target number of participants for both the NGO-led and school-based projects to allow more flexibility to the operators in planning and implementation of the Programme. The minimum number of participants is 25 while the maximum is 100 (with a flexibility of maximum 15% upward adjustment) 

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has adopted the above recommendations and enhancement measures and is preparing to launch the 10th batch of school-based projects and NGO-led projects in the first quarter of 2024. Interested primary schools and non-governmental organisations will be invited to submit proposals by then. For enquiries, please contact the CDF Office at 2892 5540.

The Social Welfare Department held the above sharing session on 12 January 2024 to introduce, among others, the quality-based selection mechanism, general requirements of preparation and submission of service proposals as well as new measures on Invitation for Proposals.  For the PowerPoint slides and summary of Q & A sessions, please click here (Chinese version only) for further details from now to 10 May 2024. 

1. a local non-governmental organisation (NGO)/social enterprise (SE) [being a bona fide non-governmental and non-profit-making organisation, charitable institution, or trust of a public character that is exempt from tax under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112)] or a local private organisation with proven experience of directly providing elderly care services, either CCS or residential care services (RCS), for a continuous period of at least six months immediately preceding the submission date of application; or
2. a local licensed private hospital.

For details of the SPED and application eligibility, please click here.

https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/pubsvc/rehab/cat_fundtrustfinaid/sped/