The Hong Kong Journal of Social Work

This study aims to explore the interrelationship between different types of stigma experienced by people with mental illness. A multiple case studies approach was adopted, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with ten Chinese with mental illness in Hong Kong. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that the respondents were stigmatized by the public, their significant others, and themselves. Results suggested that stigma from the public and significant others might have remarkable association with self-stigma among the respondents. Moreover, self-stigma might reinforce the sense of powerlessness and the adoption of negative coping strategies. A self-disruptive vicious cycle of stigma of people with mental illness is proposed and discussed.

Policy milestones from 1962 to 2015 highlight China's child welfare policy development in terms of its major implementation eras, characteristics, strengths, and limitations in policy enforcement. This review captures information from government and NGO reports published in the past four decades since the formalization of the one-child policy in China. In the 1960s, as population control was determined an urgent national priority, China's central government started to examine child developmental needs as a way to alert the public about future family issues. Since then, China's child welfare policy development has been characterized by an economy-driven, government-operated, localized, and healthy-child-focused system. The applicability of the public welfare laws in China has been in line with its policy focus on child protection and ending poverty. Policy reform guidelines are proposed to focus on promoting child and family welfare.

中國兒童福利政策於1962年至2015年期間的發展里程碑，是一份分析兒童福利政策的最佳資料，解釋了兒童福利政策在中國的階段性實施，以及每個階段制定的兒童福利政策的特點和利弊。這篇論文收集并分析了從一孩政策頒布伊始至今四十餘載的政府公報和非政府組織的報告。在20世紀60年代，中國中央政府將控制人口的急劇增長定位為社會發展的當務之急，並開始研究兒童發展的需求，以提升對未來家庭問題的警覺性。從此，中國的兒童福利政策的發展凸顯出經濟驅動的、政府運作的、地區差異化的、強調兒童健康成長環境重要性的特點。中國社會公共福利政策的立法呼應了中國兒童福利政策中保護兒童和消除貧困這一中心思想。政府部門在日後編寫政策改革的導論時，必須提出如何推進兒童和家庭福利政策的完善

With a focus on research conducted after Hong Kong reunited with China in 1997, this paper documents how the Nepalese immigrants living in Hong Kong processed their decision to either stay in Hong Kong or return to their home country. A review of 40 studies targeting Nepalese immigrants who chose to stay in Hong Kong found that these families were primarily influenced by: 1) their immigration history, including their roles as Gurkhas in the Hong Kong military and their contributions to the local labor force, and 2) their quality of living in Hong Kong versus Nepal. Among these 40 studies, only seven offered statistics with direct input from Nepalese research participants. Their responses show that the three different generations of Nepalese living in Hong Kong, while contributing to the cultural richness in Hong Kong, have experienced profound social exclusion. This article seeks to compile research findings to define issues facing Nepalese in Hong Kong and offers suggested solutions to the question: How can social workers help Nepalese in Hong Kong obtain economic and educational opportunities to enhance their quality of life? Implications for further research and social service interventions are explored with attention to social inclusion and promoting higher education opportunities.

在婦女與就業的討論上，主流社會工作對女性的理解，均以家庭照顧者、家長或母親角色為主，可以說女性在工作場境中的身份是隱性的，且較以「受助人」身份或受制於家庭經濟策略來理解女性參與工作。一些以女性作為「服務參與者」的討論，也多環繞其「義工」身份，這種取向自然較少討論女性就業保障議題，更重要的是沒有處理女性在面對「風險社會」(risk society)的挑戰時，如何在工作場境爭取「自主性」，以致追尋實現「自我」。因此，突顯女性在工作意義上的探討，正能補充主流社會工作討論的欠缺。就著這種研究取向，我們在二零一二年完成了一項「再思零散工婦女的就業風險與應對策略」報告，記錄了十五位零散工婦女的深入訪談。本文集中探討她們對工作的體會與選擇，目的是透過理解零散工婦女的個人經歷與就業風險，讓我們重新思考「工作」對女性的獨特含義。

基於「基督教家庭服務中心」於二0一四年為同工舉辦的「個案記錄培訓工作坊」之內容及調查，本文就前線社工在個案記錄所面對的困難，提議多項具體技巧及意見，如分辦個案種類、運用「具體目標」原則(SMART Goal)及「三點式」寫法等。文中更選取三個真實記錄樣本，加以評點並修改。機構的經驗是「個案記錄培訓」能幫助改善工作效率及責任、提供準確的資料、便利督導及溝通並促進專業水平。

本文主要介紹筆者始創的一個名為EPS的社工介入模式。這個介入模式主要是運用充權(Empowerment)、參與(Participation)和強項角度(Strengths Perspective)三個概念去推行社工的介入方法。本文首先介紹這個模式的三個基本信念，包括：(一) 社會工作的重要目標是去幫助服務對象達致充權；(二) 透過參與才能讓服務對象獲得充權；及(三) 極度相信服務對象有能力及有強項。本文分別闡述充權的概念和作用，分析為何要促進服務對象的參與，剖析達致有意義及高度參與的方法，以及檢視強項角度的信念和重要性。EPS模式認為，社工實踐中一定要將這三個概念 (E、P、S) 緊扣在一起，才能達到社工的理想目標。無論在哪個服務範疇，社工都應該以強項角度去看事物，鼓勵服務對象的參與，從而令他們得到充權。充權是要達到的目標，參與是一個方法，而強項是一個重要的基礎。目標，方法，基礎三樣缺一不可。這個模式指出社工介入的核心元素是採用強項角度去運用參與以達致充權作用。本文最後探討若忽略這三個重要概念或其中一個，社工的介入會出現甚麼問題，並剖析三個概念的互動如何促進社工介入的成效，以及介紹EPS模式在不同領域的應用。

This article introduces a social work intervention model which is called EPS Model and is newly developed by the author. The EPS Model is to apply the following three concepts in social work practice, including Empowerment (E), Participation (P) and Strengths Perspective (S).The article firstly presents the three basic beliefs of the model: (1) the main goal of social work practice is not just to provide services and help people solve problems, but to help people empower themselves; (2) the empowerment goal can be actualized through promoting service user participation and (3) we have to strongly believe that people have strengths and abilities. The article then introduces the concept of empowerment and its functions, discusses why service user participation should be promoted and the effective means of promoting meaningful and greater participation, and examines the faith and importance in strengths perspective. The main characteristics of the EPS Model is to affirm that these three concepts (E, P and S) are inter-related and need to be closely inter-linked. Empowerment should be regarded as the aim of social work practice. Participation is the effective means to achieve empowerment. Strengths perspective is thus regarded as the important basis for social work intervention. The aim, the means and the basis are equally important and neither one can be excluded. This model suggests that social work practice should be based on the strengths perspective and should make use of participation to achieve service users' empowerment. The article finally examines the problems arising from the neglect of any one of the three important concepts, the impact of the interplay of the three concepts on the effect of social work practice and the application of the EPS Model in different service settings.