Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services Branch Social Welfare Department 23 July 2014

1. Invitation for Application to be a Recognised Service Provider of the Training Subsidy Programme for Children on the Waiting List for Subvented Pre-school Rehabilitation Services Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services Branch Social Welfare Department 23 July 2014

2. Background and Objectives • As a stop-gap measure, the Community Care Fund (CCF) launched a training subsidy programme (CCF Programme) in December 2011 with a view to enabling children from low-income families and in need of rehabilitation services to receive necessary services as soon as possible so as to facilitate their learning and development while waiting for subvented services. • In view of the positive evaluation outcome of the CCF Programme and the persistently pressing demand for pre-school rehabilitation services, SWD has decided to regularise the CCF Programme with effect from October 2014

3. Training Subsidy Programme

4. Commencement Date The Training Subsidy Programme is targeted to commence on 1 October 2014.

5. Eligibility Criteria for Recognised Service Providers (RSPs) The applicant for RSP should be • a bona-fide non-governmental and non-profit making organisation with tax-exemption status under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Chapter 112); • with at least three years of track record in running welfare services; • with at least one year of direct experience in operating subvented or self-financing pre-school rehabilitation services. Applications will not be considered if the pre-school rehabilitation services are provided through purchase of services alone.

6. Beneficiaries A beneficiary shall meet ALL of the following criteria: • The applicant child must be under the age of six years; • On the waiting list for subvented pre-school rehabilitation service; and • The monthly household income does not exceed 75% of the Median Monthly Domestic Household Income (MMDHI) applicable to the applicant's household size at the time of application.

7. Application Status on Central Referral System for Rehabilitation Services • Children joining the Training Subsidy Programme will continue to remain on the waiting list of the Central Referral System for Rehabilitation Services Subsystem for Disabled Pre-schoolers (CRSRehab-PS). • When they accept the offer of placement under CRSRehab-PS, they will no longer be eligible for subsidy under the Training Subsidy Programme.

8. Application Status on Central Referral System for Rehabilitation Services (Cont’d) • If the beneficiaries decide to decline the offer of placement under CRSRehab-PS and choose to continue to receive subsidy under the Training Subsidy Programme, their application in CRSRehab-PS will be removed; • They may continue to receive subsidy under the Training Subsidy Programme until the 1st September after they have attained the age of 6 or their admission to primary school, whichever is the earlier.

9. Levels of Subsidy and Service Delivery • There will be two subsidy levels for beneficiaries having different levels of disabilities. • The subsidy has already taken into account the training cost, rent & rates, government rent (if any), administrative costs and salary cost.

10. Levels of Subsidy and Service Delivery (Cont’d) Normal Subsidy Level • For children applying for EETC or Integrated Programme in Kindergarten-cum-Child Care Centre (IP) • Subsidy of $2,763 per month for each beneficiary.

11. Levels of Subsidy and Service Delivery (Cont’d) Normal Subsidy Level Service Components • Four sessions of individual or group training/ therapy services in three hours per month provided by special child care worker(s), psychologist(s), occupational therapist(s), physiotherapist(s) or speech therapist(s) (including parallel groups with participation of parent(s)/guardian(s)/carer(s) at the same time) ; and

12. Levels of Subsidy and Service Delivery (Cont’d) Normal Subsidy Level Service Components (Cont’d) • Four sessions (each session of 45 minutes) of individual assessment and/or family support services provided by psychologist(s), occupational therapist(s), physiotherapist(s), speech therapist(s) or registered social worker(s) in a year, e.g. one session per quarter.

13. Levels of Subsidy and Service Delivery (Cont’d) Higher Subsidy Level • For Children applying for SCCC or RSCCC. • Subsidy of $3,867 per month for each beneficiary.

14. Levels of Subsidy and Service Delivery (Cont’d) Higher Subsidy Level Service Components • four sessions of individual or group training/ therapy services in four hours per month provided by special child care worker(s), psychologist(s), occupational therapist(s), physiotherapist(s) or speech therapist(s) (including parallel groups with participation of parent(s)/guardian(s)/carer(s) at the same time) with at least six therapeutic/training sessions from occupational therapist(s), physiotherapist(s) or speech therapist(s) every six months; and

15. Levels of Subsidy and Service Delivery (Cont’d) Higher Subsidy Level Service Components (Cont’d) • four sessions (each session of 45 minutes) of individual assessment and/or family support services provided by psychologist(s), occupational therapist(s), physiotherapist(s), speech therapist(s) or registered social worker(s) in a year, e.g. one session per quarter.

16. Service Agreement with RSPs • The validity period for the agreement with RSPs will be three years, i.e. from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2017.

17. Service Centres and Training Places • RSPs may choose to provide training placements for one or both of the subsidy levels. • RSPs are required to specify the centres providing services and the number of placements at the two subsidy levels in each of the centre. • If the services under the Training Subsidy Programme are to be provided in centres operating subvented services, RSPs have to observe the guidelines on fees and charges as stipulated in the Lump Sum Grant Manual (May 2012) and the related principles as advised by Subventions Section of SWD.

18. Programme Implementation • Beneficiaries can choose three service units operated by RSPs in order of priority. • SWD will, as far as possible, arrange an RSP for an eligible child according to the preference. • RSPs are required to make contact the beneficiaries within 7 working days • RSPs should reply to SWD on the case admission status within one month.

19. Programme Implementation (Cont’d) • If RSPs are unable to provide training sessions to the beneficiaries, compensatory sessions should be offered not later than three months from the date of leave/absence/lateness or before the beneficiaries’ discharge from the Training Subsidy Programme, whichever is the earlier. • In case a beneficiary is absent without leave application, no compensatory session will be arranged.

20. Programme Implementation (Cont’d) • For beneficiaries who had been absent without leave application for three consecutive sessions or when the compensatory sessions were accumulated to over four sessions, their eligibility for subsidy will be suspended.

21. Payment of Subsidy • RSPs should submit detailed records of subsidised services provided to each beneficiary on a monthly basis. • RSPs apply for release of funding on a quarterly basis. • Subsidy will be reimbursed every three months by means of bank transfer and any unused subsidy cannot be carried forward.

22. Procurement of Equipment • SWD will apply to the Lotteries Fund for grants to subsidise the procurement of training aids and equipment • Allocation of grant will be subject to the approval of the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee and Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau.

23. Financial Monitoring RSPs should • keep a separate account on the Training Subsidy Programme for audit purpose. • enter the subsidy under Training Subsidy Programme as separate items into the audited financial statements. • submit annual audited income and expenditure statements to SWD no later than 31st October following the end of the financial year concerned. • keep all relevant accounting records with supporting service records and documents for seven years.

24. Service Monitoring SWD will monitor the services provided by RSPs through the following means: • Monthly Statistics Report • Self-assessment Report on a yearly basis • Users’ Satisfaction Survey in quarterly report form • Review Visit/ Random Checks conducted by SWD

25. Submission of Application BY HAND to Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services Branch Social Welfare Department Room 901, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

26. Deadline for Submission 28 July 2014 (Monday) 5:00pm LATE SUBMISSION, SUBMISSION BY EMAIL AND FASCIMILE IS NOT ACCEPTED.

27. Assessment of Application • Assessment of applications shall take into account whether applicants have fully met all the eligibility criteria as well as the service requirements stipulated in the Service Specifications.

28. Announcement of Results • Applicant NGOs will be informed of the result of their application in August 2014 the earliest.

29. Questions and Answers