more than $600,000 early next year.

Health and Social Services Minister Harry Soares announced the plan plus another to boost Child and Family Service staff levels last night.

Mr. Soares said it had come to his department's attention that inflation meant that some people were "working poor''.

He said this meant they were working but could not afford rents so his department felt financial assistance and housing allowance should be boosted by 7.4 percent -- or $610,000 -- on April 1, 1997.

Mr. Soares added he also planned to increase the staff at Child and Family Services from 13 to 18 and restructure the organisation.

These were the people who first helped children if they were believed to have a problem and they were grossly overworked with some counsellors handling more than 40 cases a day, he said.

Mr. Soares said the counsellors were unable to do the best job possible when they were so greatly outmanned, so changes needed to be made.

Therefore the staff was to be increased by five. Four counsellors would now report to one supervisor instead of the present 12.

HOUSING HSG