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Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government

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Introduction

The development of the Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government can be divided into three phases: establishment, division and expansion.

Establishment Phase


On 8 November, 1945 (when Taiwan had just separated from Japanese colonial rule), the Kaohsiung City Government was newly established and assigned "social affairs" to Section 1 of the Civil Service Division, which became an independent unit in June 1973 renamed as "Social Affairs Division". The Bureau was given its present name, "The Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government," on 1 July, 1979, when Kaohsiung City was reclassified as a municipality directly under the central government. Under the Bureau are four divisions and five offices in charge of the following services: group training of civic institutions, social assistance, labor administration, management of social welfare funds, management of charity corporate bodies, child welfare, juvenile welfare, women's welfare, welfare for the elderly, welfare for the physically and mentally disabled, community development, cooperative administration, fair-priced housing, statistics and analysis of social investigation, and social work promotion. In addition, management of the former "Kaohsiung Senior-Honouring Care Home" located in Yanchao was assigned to the Bureau and the facility was re-named as "Ren-ai Senior Citizens' Home of the Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government" on 12 May, 1994. Since then, the care home has been in charge of free and self-paid sheltering and nursing services for the elderly.

Division Phase


Kaohsiung City Government established the "Kaohsiung City Examination Agency for Workers and Laborers" on 11 April, 1980. It was soon renamed as "Kaohsiung City Labor Examination Agency". On 15 January, 1988, the "Council of Labour Affairs" was established under the Executive Yuan, so the labor services and affiliated "Job Training Center" and "Labor Examination Agency" of the Kaohsiung of Social Affairs Bureau were then handed over to the newly-established "Labor Bureau ". The "Poai District Profession & Skill Training Center of the Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government" was also handed over to the Labor Bureau on 1 March, 1998. The "Funeral and Burial Management Agency" was turned over to the Civil Service Bureau on 1 January, 2003.

Expansion Phase


Due to social changes and the public requirements for welfare services, the Social Affairs Bureau started to set up affiliated units in succession to increase welfare services for children, juveniles, women, seniors and the disabled as well as to enlarge the scope of the Bureau's professional services. The "Children's Welfare Service Center" was established on 1 December, 1989 to promote children's physical and mental health and parental education, and to strengthen family functionality. "Home for the Disabled", the first public care center providing education, daycare, and welfare services for the physically and mentally disabled, was set up in September 1994. On 1 July, 1997, the former "Senior Recreational Center" was reorganized as "Senior Citizens' Service Center", the first service institution in the country offering leisure, entertainment, studying, daycare, physical therapy & medical treatment, and counselling services to senior citizens. On 13 December, 1997, the "Kaohsiung City Sexual Assault Prevention Center" was established in accordance with the Sexual Assault Prevention Law. Under the Physically and Mentally Disabled Prevention Law, the "Physically and Mentally Disabled Welfare Division" was established on 1 March, 1998 to increase services for the disabled. The "Women's Centre" was set up on 27 August, 1990. In accordance with the Domestic Violence Prevention Law, the two-year old "Sexual Assault Prevention Center" was reorganized and incorporated into the "Kaohsiung City Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center" on 22 June, 1999. Later, on 1 January, 2003, it became a formally affiliated unit under the Social Affairs Bureau . The former "Funeral and Burial Management Agency" was handed over to the Civil Service Bureau on the same day. Since the establishment of the Social Affairs Bureau , the current Director General, Jason Fu-Feng Hung , and his seven predecessors have been promoting the socio-political concerns and welfare services of Kaohsiung City step by step with assistance and support from the Bureau's staff members and the private sectors. At present, the Social Affairs Bureau has an efficient and strong service team composed of 5 divisions, 5 offices, and 5 affiliated units with 329 staff members (actual budgeted personnel number 306) to provide diverse social welfare services for the disadvantaged of Kaohsiung City.