A Study to Evaluate the New Dawn (ND) Project of Single Parents/Child Carers under CSSA Scheme

1
A Study to Evaluate the New Dawn (ND) Project of
Single Parents/Child Carers under CSSA Scheme

• Research team
• Dept. of Social Work Social Administration,
• Policy21 Limited
• The University of Hong Kong

2
Purposes of study

• Studies the characteristics of the targeted
  participants, their job-seeking behaviour,
  barriers to and factors in promoting employment,
  outcome of employment and the impact on
  themselves and their children.

3
Study design

• Main Surveys (1685, ½ year after first contact,
  response rate 75)
• EA/IEAP (ND) group (1034 persons)
• Employed group (206 persons )
• Refusal group (445 persons)
• Before After Comparison
• Pretest Survey (348, persons, immediately after
  initial contact, response rate 78.6)
• EA/IEAP (ND) group (274 persons)
• Employed group (33 persons)
• Refusal group (41 persons)
• Posttest Survey (84, ½ year after first contact,
  response rate 48.6)
• EA/IEAP (ND) group (53 persons)
• Employed group (21 persons)
• Refusal group (10 persons)
• In-depth Interviews (9 categories, 28 persons)
• Focus Group

4
Summary of findings

• 50 in ND found jobs, 39 were working during
  interview
• Half of those working wanted to work full-time, a
  third wanted to work longer hours to increase
  income.
• Earn around 3,000 work around 100 hrs/ month
• Being self-reliance and having better income were
  the main reasons for taking up employment
• Children were very supportive to their
  parent/carers employment
• Relationship and family atmosphere remained good
  and changed little because of employment

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Summaries (Contd)

• Before and after comparison both parents and
  childrens self-esteem improved for those who
  were employed after joining the ND Project.
• These employed parents spent less time with
  children during weekdays (Monday to Friday) but
  there was no difference in weekends (Saturday
  Sunday).
• Factors affecting the chance of employment
  being female, single parent, lt 45, having more
  family members, stronger support from children,
  more active in job seeking, smaller amount of
  CSSA, not living in Tin Shui Wai
• Focus group findings success depends on
  motivation, employment opportunities and
  personal/family factors
• Work requirements for single parents are common
  in many countries usually compulsory and start
  early. Sanction, incentive, clear requirement are
  important

6
Recommendations

• Continuation with the ND Project (i.e. EA
  IEAP), more sharing of good practices are helpful
  
• Sanction on those refused to participate in the
  ND Project can be increased gradually (e.g.
  doubling every half a year)
• Participants can be required to participate in
  job attachment or training to increase their
  employability
• Work hour requirement can be increased gradually
  (to 80-100 hours)
• Extend to single parents/carers with youngest
  child in full-time primary school with less work
  hour requirement
• Special arrangement for Tin Shui Wai