Carer Voucher Pilot Project in Sham Shui Po

According to the Census and Statistics Department's "Thematic Household Survey Report No. 56", there are 640,000 full-time housekeepers in Hong Kong, of which over 97% are women. The number of carers, such as carers living with persons with disabilities, is roughly estimated to be hundreds of thousands. It can be seen that there is a group of carers in the community who have been silently supporting the caring work. However, carers are only having limited supports from the society to release their caring responsibility. There is neither a thematic database of carers nor a carer-oriented policy. Some carer’s services are scattered in different social welfare institutions. It is a drop in the bucket for carers, and it also puts a lot of pressure on caregivers and limits the opportunities for carers to develop.

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Respite is a way to release the stress of carers. Referring to our front-line service experience, respite services, which included alternative care options, can allow carers to have more opportunities such as taking rest and relax, or developing their career or interests. With the support from Sham Shui Po District Council, we launch a six-month experimental project - Carer Voucher Pilot Project in Sham Shui Po - to support carers in 2 directions - Respite Space Experiment and Caring Day

 

Carers in the Community: Respite Space Experiment

Carers are often in the 724 mode of care (that is, caring 24 hours a day, seven days a week), and there is no space and time for themselves to rest. Especially the carers at the grassroots level are more likely to need to fight frequently for their livelihoods, and there is no chance of respite at all. The project is to allow the carer to have a time and space in a coffee shop or a cozy restaurant in the community and get rid of the care duty, even if it is only an hour or two. 

 

The Respite Space Experiment connects three coffee shops and cosy restaurants in Sham Shui Po to provide services so that every carer can have a good rest.

 

Carers in the Community: Caring Day

Faced with the care model of 724, carers need to look for alternative care options so that they can safely put down the care recipient for other activities. Caring day is to provide a space for carers to respite at ease, so that carers have free time to do what they like.

 

The project ended in January 2022

 

Enquiry｜Department of Development

2153 3153

info@womencentre.org.hk

Office C, 19/FL, West Gate Tower, 7 Wing Hong Street, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, HK