Sun says community canteens aim to reach hidden residents
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
At a Legislative Council welfare panel meeting on September 24, Labour and Welfare Secretary Chris Sun Yuk-han (孫玉菡) said the community canteen proposal in the latest Policy Address should not be seen as a rigid meal-only arrangement. He said the canteens are intended as an entry point to bring people in need into the community so social workers can reach residents who are socially withdrawn or otherwise hidden from services. The discussion came after the government's first five-year plan and the new Policy Address, released last Wednesday, set out six broad directions to improve livelihoods and strengthen the social protection system. The package includes three additional subsidised standalone childcare centres and community canteen arrangements
Key Points
- DAB lawmaker Lam Lam (林琳) said information on childcare centres was limited and hard to find, prompting questions about access to the new services
- Deputy Director of Social Welfare Leung Yee-lai (梁綺莉) said the three new childcare centres will be in Tseung Kwan O and Kowloon
- Leung said the centres require no waiting list, no online application and accept walk-ins, with teachers and social workers arranging activities and follow-up
- She added that clinical psychologist services will also be available at the centres to support children using the facilities
- FTU lawmaker Tang Ka-piu (鄧家彪) suggested the JoyYou Card could be expanded with personal emergency alarm functions, while also asking whether fragmented alarm services could be integrated through qualified contractors
Why It Matters
The exchange shows the government is framing welfare measures not only as direct service delivery, but also as a way to identify people who may be isolated from existing support networks. It also underlines that lawmakers are looking beyond headline promises in the Policy Address to practical questions of access, service quality and whether home-based elderly care can be made more efficient