In search of legitimacy: Social work management in Hong Kong

If social security is discounted, the bulk of government funded social welfare services in Hong Kong are provided by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which currently receive some 76 per cent of total government expenditure on social welfare services. These NGOs, amounting to some 170, receive funding from the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and together provide services in six major areas: elderly and medical; family and child welfare; rehabilitation; young people; offenders; and lastly, community development. They employ about 80 per cent of all social welfare personnel and provide around 90 per cent of direct welfare services in Hong Kong. NGOs vary considerably both in size and the amount of money received from the Department. The top 15 NGOs together receive approximately half the total available funding (Coopers and Lybrand, 1995; Social Welfare Department, 1998).