Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“Chairman, I thank the Member for her question. If I may just venture an additional reply on the CATCH Plus programme. The Member had also described to me in detail how CATCH Plus works. CATCH Plus is in Jalan Kukoh. It is where the ComLink for Jalan Kukoh will operate. Certainly, we will work very closely with the people working in CATCH Plus, to ensure a more integrated support for young people living in rental housing, that particular group that we are very focused on. I have spoken earlier about the Local Community Network (LCN). We are starting off a pilot in Boon Lay because we have ComLink there as well. But you begin to see how our structures that we will start to put on to the ground begin to relate to one another and work with one another. So, the UPO, the LCN support in the schools, we identify younger people who may have difficulties. Often, you find the challenges begin at home, or the derailers come from beyond them, from the family. So, it is not something you can just tackle in school, you really need to work together with the social workers, the family members, siblings and the local community there, to provide that scaffolding and support, so that the young person can thrive and not have his promise snubbed out. In terms of ComLink outreach, as I said earlier, rental housing should not just be a promise of infrastructure and shelter. It is a shelter where you have no home and it comes with social support. That is why, initially, we call it a social hub; rental housing combined with social services, and social services being proactive, integrated, at your doorstep; a journey of social workers and community services with these families when they are at their lowest point in life.”
“In a way, ComLink is a microcosm of what we are hoping to achieve at the broader level, at the town level, at the community level. That is why we establish SG Care community networks in each and every town all across Singapore. I will speak more about that by way of an update during MSF's COS. So, please stick around for it. In essence, Members asked how the ComLink approach can benefit the wider neighbourhood. An integrated approach to tackling complex challenges in order to achieve maximum social uplift for these families is the way we want to go. In terms of corporates and partners, the ComLink white spaces or community spaces will be places which community partners who wish to see their giving achieve maximum impact, they can go there. They can say, "I would like to support these families and not just give generally. I want to see outcomes, I want to see upliftment in these households. I want my colleagues, my staff, my vendors to partner these families, walk the journey with them until some of them have a better life ahead of them to look forward to". So, ComLink is not just a Government initiative. It is a platform that allows the broader community to come in – companies, philanthropists, donors, volunteers, givers – but working together in an impactful way, in an integrated and coordinated manner to uplift people's lives.”
“Mr Chairman, in terms of the ComCare reviews, we conduct them regularly. So, every two to three years, over the past 10 years, we have been making adjustments. But we will take on board the Member's suggestion to see whether we can make incremental adjustments more frequently, as opposed to making jumps every two to three years. 1.15 pm The Member also asked about ComLink. I have articulated that ComLink, as a social service hub embedded at or near rental housing, will to be able to tackle and address the challenges that rental-housing families face. Look at each family's circumstances, starting with families with young children; understanding their needs holistically rather than looking at the issues they face. So, look at the individual, look at the family, understand what are the challenges that hold them back, that hold them down. What are the risks that poverty gets transmitted to the next generation, and the next generation? And work with relevant Government agencies, work with the families, understand what their dreams and aspirations are; work with community partners who will come into ComLink and integrate our support for these families. And, of course, work with the neighbours, because they are not beneficiaries and clients, they are people living there, who have abilities, leadership and initiative, and who themselves may have found ways to improve their lot in life. And then they can share examples, support one another. ComLink is an example of how we want our future of social service integration to be – working together, looking at families holistically rather than individual needs, looking at the whole rather than in silos and compartments.”
“None of us got to where we are today on our own efforts alone. Along the way, we were offered opportunities, second chances or a helping hand. Similarly, we should pay it forward. Our society is stronger and more resilient when all Singaporeans come together and we look out not only for ourselves, but for our families, neighbours and fellow Singaporeans in need. And as we do this, we ensure that all Singaporeans have the chance to pursue their dreams, regardless of their background and starting points. And this is the society of opportunities that we aspire towards.”
“Where life circumstances derail and anchor people down, we try to intervene where possible upstream, to help to solve these difficulties and challenges in their way. And where complex and interlocking problems consume a family's attention and ability to access opportunities or respond positively to social interventions, we find ways to strengthen and integrate our social support for them. Fourth, we are committed to tackling the ''unfinished business" of inequality, to borrow the words from my colleague, Minister Ong Ye Kung. We will keep studying fresh ideas and approaches, both here and abroad. We do not assume we have all the answers. We do not. We will try out pilots, experiment and partner community groups working hard on the ground. This is what committees and working groups set up by the Government, like UPLIFT and M3 and others, seek to do – to examine issues closely, to identify gaps and close them, and work with our community partners to identify workable solutions we can implement on the ground. No system or solution is perfect. And few, if any, policies come without tradeoffs or unintended consequences. When new ideas or philosophies are offered, we need to see how they have worked in other societies and carefully consider the fuller implications and tradeoffs, so that good intentions do not lead to counter-productive results. Mr Chairman, the important work of building a society of opportunities for all extends well beyond our four Ministries, to the whole of society and to all Singaporeans. In fact, if Members listen throughout the COS, Members will find that in many Ministries, there will be schemes and programmes, thoughts and ideas that they will implement that address the issue of inequality and social mobility.”
“It also focuses and asks on how each of us can play our part to help uplift Singaporeans in need. Second, we are encouraged that many more people are volunteering and giving generously. More companies are asking how their giving can be made more impactful as we can achieve greater impact if we can better harness our collective resources and complement one another's efforts. Third, there are many causes of inequality, not just a single cause: from differences at birth in people's abilities, to differences in resources that parents can invest in their children; from differences in educational outcomes, to the way technology and market forces shape wages of different groups of Singaporeans; from the difficulties and derailers that life's circumstances present, to issues of individual motivation and mindset; from lack of awareness about help schemes and support services, to challenges in navigating the system and accessing these opportunities and schemes. 1.00 pm Because there are multiple causes, our solutions must be multifaceted. We must tackle inequality practically, rather than ideologically. So, where inequality is caused by differences in how much resources families can invest in their children, we put in significant investments to narrow the gap and give children from lower-income households a good start in life, for example, through preschool. Where there is structural income inequality, we put in place structural measures to mitigate this, for example, PWM in specific sectors, the WIS which has just been enhanced, the Silver Support Scheme and permanent GST Vouchers and Transfers. Where mindset and motivation are an issue, our social workers seek to counsel, nudge and inspire.”
“These include Channel NewsAsia’s documentary entitled, "Regardless of Class" narrated by Dr Janil Puthucheary; books by academics, such as Assoc Prof Teo You Yenn's "This is what Inequality Looks Like"; and the volume edited by Prof David Chan on "How Working Together Matters"; the dialogue with Prof Tommy Koh and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at last year's Institute of Policy Studies Conference; and subsequent dialogues involving Prof Tommy Koh and Mr Lim Boon Heng on minimum wage; op-eds by practitioners, policymakers and academics, such as Dr Sudha Nair, Senior Minister of State Maliki Osman and Assoc Prof Walter Theseira, to name a few, and forum letters by members of the public. Mr Mohamed Irshad asked for the Government’s views on the positions taken in Prof David Chan's and Prof Teo You Yenn's books and, I presume, by extension, the views on inequality articulated by other academics and commentators in the media. This is not quite the right platform for a full exposition and assessment of the broad range of issues raised. The Government has, in fact, set out its views and approach on inequality and social mobility earlier, in particular, in the Prime Minister's Parliamentary reply, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam's interview with the Straits Times, and MSF's Occasional Paper entitled "Improving the Lives of Low-Income and Vulnerable Families in Singapore". So, let me make a few broad points to close this joint segment. First, we welcome the diversity of views and ideas on inequality and social mobility. It gives us the opportunity to see fresh perspectives, step back and challenge our own assumptions, so that we can continue to make our system better.”
“For these students, we will strengthen and coordinate support by bringing together relevant Government agencies, schools, VWOs, community organisations and volunteers to help their families holistically, so that family members receive support in relevant areas and do not have to approach multiple agencies on their own. We will pilot this Localised Community Network model at Boon Lay and the broader Jurong West starting this July. This is also one of the four sites for ComLink, thus allowing families involved in the pilot to also be supported under ComLink if they live in rental housing. ComLink and the Localised Community Network pilot are part of our efforts to strengthen the way in which families receive help, and strengthen the overall social service network. The Government will continue to invest in and strengthen our system of social support. But with the needs of families becoming more complex, it is encouraging to see more community organisations and volunteers joining us in our efforts to uplift families. To ensure that such goodwill and resources translate into a more impactful and sustainable improvement, we must work together to organise and integrate our community efforts better. Mr Chairman, over the past year, public consciousness about the challenges of income inequality and social mobility has been raised through a series of thoughtful books, articles, forums and programmes.”
“Without proactive early support and intervention, some of these students may underperform or start to skip school. Yet, these are young people with potential and promise, and we want to ensure that they have the best chances in life. Today, there are many organisations doing good work on the ground, but there is room for us to do more and work closer together. We will, therefore, embark on a Localised Community Network pilot, to see how we can better support these young people. We want to intervene more proactively upstream and partner the community and grassroots more closely to support youths with complex family circumstances. This is part of the work of the National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recidivism (NCPR) formed by Minister Josephine Teo and myself last year to develop and implement a coordinated and integrated approach to prevent offending and reoffending, and strengthen rehabilitation, including for children and young people. For this pilot, we will work with schools and the MOE UPO which Minister Indranee Rajah announced earlier, to identify these children and youths early, and provide timely social service support and intervention. By facilitating fuller data sharing between the relevant Government agencies, we hope to gain a better understanding of the challenges they face at home, in school or elsewhere. And in doing so, we hope to help them resolve or cope with the issues they are facing. The pilot also complements UPLIFT's efforts to support students who exhibit long-term absenteeism or emerging attendance issues arising from challenging family circumstances.”
“For example, we may bring in parenting workshops and night-time student care or childcare, if such needs are identified in the community. Most importantly, ComLink will develop a sense of community and mutual help, with neighbours supporting one another in their journeys. We will start with four sites – Jalan Kukoh, Marsiling, Kembangan-Chai Chee and Boon Lay – over the next two years. We chose these sites because of their profile of rental families with children. ComLink is expected to benefit around 1,000 families in these estates. At each of these sites, dedicated spaces will be available for community partners to run programmes catering to the needs of the families. This is a photo of one of the programmes provided at the existing space in Jalan Kukoh which we are using. ComLink will provide proactive, collaborative and community-driven support to these families. The SSOs have brought community partners like the grassroots, Government agencies on the ground and VWOs together in local implementation workgroups to better understand each community's specific needs. These implementation workgroups will be engaging the families and the local community to better understand their aspirations and their needs. We want to design programmes and services alongside them. And we look forward to working with partners to serve the community. Apart from families living in rental housing, we also look into the needs of children and young people who may be derailed because of family issues, such as financial difficulties or family conflict. Their parents may also be absent or unable to care for them. These are stressful situations that can affect the children, including the level of motivation and learning in school, which Minister Indranee Rajah has been looking into under UPLIFT.”
“These are part of our efforts to strengthen social assistance for the vulnerable, which Dr Lily Neo and Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about. Beyond enhancing our social assistance schemes, we must continue to strengthen the ways in which families receive help. Families facing complex situations often require support beyond financial assistance. And it can be challenging for them to navigate the system and interface with multiple agencies and VWOs. To achieve better sustained outcomes, we are working to provide more Comprehensive, Convenient and Coordinated assistance, and I will share more at MSF's COS. I will move on to the second significant area of strengthened support which concerns rental families. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ms Sun Xueling had earlier described some of MND's efforts to help families living in rental flats. We will also do more to enhance support holistically for these families and, in particular, work with a network of partners to help them and their children overcome early disadvantages and do better as they grow up. In July last year I sketched out plans to set up social service hubs at or near rental flats. Dr Lily Neo and Mr Seah Kian Peng have asked about our plans and, over the past few months, we have been consulting our partners. MSF, together with MND, will be launching ComLink at or near rental flats to offer more integrated and coordinated support and customised programmes and services for families living there. ComLink will provide an accessible focal point in each community. The SSO and officers from other social services will work together and proactively support those in need. Community partners can also come together to assist these families more holistically through ComLink.”
“In addition to ComCare LTA, the Government has enhanced wraparound support for seniors in recent years, so that our seniors can age with better assurance. Members will see a picture of Mdm Jaya, pictured here together with Priya from SSO@Hougang and Moses from Fei Yue Cluster Support. Mdm Jaya suffers from polio, and lives with her sister in an HDB studio apartment. Since 2016, she has been receiving ComCare LTA cash assistance. Sunlove Home Help delivers meals to her every day, as part of the Ministry of Health's Meals-on-Wheels programme. She receives cash supplements through the Silver Support Scheme and we assist her with her medical bills and medical consumables. She further benefits from the Pioneer Generation Package, which provides additional help with her healthcare costs. Mdm Jaya spends time at the Fei Yue Senior Activity Centre (Hougang) every day. Fei Yue Cluster Support officers also visit her every year to check on her well-being and we hope such wraparound support will help Madam Jaya and seniors like her live and age well in their golden years. Sir, apart from ComCare LTA, we provide ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA) to help families tide over difficult times and regain stability. For example, those whose breadwinners are temporarily unable to work, looking for job or earning a low income may receive temporary support through SMTA. We have similarly reviewed ComCare SMTA to keep pace with living expenses and changes in expenditure patterns. So, from 1 July this year, new SMTA beneficiaries as well as those who have their assistance renewed should expect an increase in their cash assistance. Amounts will vary depending on their needs and financial circumstances.”
“Thank you, Sir. Mr Chairman, my colleagues have described some of the further measures that we will take to give our children a good start, uplift our workers and support families living in rental housing. I will update Members on our efforts to provide stronger and more integrated support for Singaporeans with complex challenges. These include enhancements to ComCare, setting up of Community Link (ComLink) for families in rental flats and Localised Community Networks to support youths-at-risk. ComCare is a key component of our social safety net. It complements the support provided by family, community and other Government assistance. We regularly review our ComCare schemes at MSF, with inputs from our stakeholders. ComCare Long-Term Assistance (LTA) supports those who are permanently unable to work due to old age, illness or disability and have little or no income and family support. Most of our beneficiaries are elderly Singaporeans and they receive monthly cash assistance for living expenses and household bills; assistance with medical bills, medical consumables and one-off essentials; and access to Government-funded social services, such as Senior Activity Centres and befriending services, to stay engaged and connected. Over the last 10 years, MSF has reviewed and adjusted these rates every two or three years. The last was in 2016. Minister Heng Swee Keat has announced that we have completed our latest review. So, from 1 July, we will increase the cash assistance that beneficiaries on ComCare LTA will receive to meet their basic living expenses. For example, single-person households will receive $600 in cash assistance each month, an increase of $100, and larger households will receive higher amounts.”
“Mr Chairman, may I have your permission to present two slides in the course of my presentation and also a little bit more time to complete this joint segment.”
“All parents of Singaporean children who attend childcare or infant care, regardless of their working status, are eligible for a Basic Subsidy. The number of parents eligible for an Additional Subsidy could not be ascertained by income bands until the parents choose to enrol their child in child or infant care and apply for an Additional Subsidy. The total number of Singaporean children who received Additional Subsidy has increased by over 30% from 2016 to 2018 (see Tables 1 and 2 for breakdown by income tiers for children attending child care and infant care respectively). Apart from supporting parents through subsidies, we will continue to make quality preschools affordable through kindergartens run by the Ministry of Education, as well as preschools under the Anchor Operator and Partner Operator scheme, which are subject to fee caps. Other forms of support, such as the Baby Bonus Cash Gift and Child Development Account matched savings, are also available to help parents defray the cost of raising children.”
“One quarter of those who are mid-career entrants come under the Place and Train and PCP. So, mindset is one, creating pathways is another to attract people into the sector. The Member also asked about men, whether we are able to attract more men so that we grow the pool of potential applicants into the sector. And I have spoken to senior educators because I wanted to understand this phenomenon when I joined the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). You know there are very, very few men who are preschool teachers. In fact, I just met one last night at some event. One preschool teacher who was a man and the rest were women. When I speak to preschool senior educators, they talk about cultural factors. They say that firstly, there is a mindset amongst people that the preschool sector is more suited to women. Women are very good carers and educators, but I think men can also equally play a role in that regard. But there is this mindset. A second belief, believe it or not, some of the senior educators told me that some parents are not comfortable with male teachers, for example, showering children and many preschools across the sector decide to allow only women to shower children. And of course, all these play a part in the cultural mindset. So, a whole range of factors, but as I have given in my comprehensive reply, we are tackling them: cultural mindset, misconceptions, salaries, progression pathways, mid-career pipelines, specialisations, senior positions and pathways that assure people that they can grow in the sector by picking up certain skills. So, we continue in this regard, and we hope to achieve our targets as stated.”
“There are whole range of factors which we have assessed that may make it competitive to bring in more people into the early childhood sector. One of them, of course, is more qualitative – it is people's perception of what an early childhood sector job entails. And there are certain common misconceptions that an early childhood educator is a nanny or a caregiver, rather than a teacher, a person who guides and grows a child in the early years of their development. So, to address that, we have launched, last year, a national campaign. Having consulted many members of the profession about what kinds of misperceptions people may have and testing with them to see whether it resonates with them. Some of the messages, videos and profiles that have gone out seek to address people's minds, for both those who are considering entering the sector, and of course, the parents who influence and guide their children on what kinds of jobs to aspire towards, to have a more accurate view on the importance of early childhood. Science and data have shown that good early childhood education impacts not just the cognitive development of the child, but the holistic development of children – ages zero to three, zero to six, these are very important ages, and we want to grow the sector. We attract most of our entrants through career conversion. Many people, after working in various sectors, decide that they want to enter the sector. And we find that that is also a very stable group of people. In fact, three quarters of those joining the sector becoming educators in the preschool sector are mid-career entrants, with the remaining one quarter coming from the Pre-employment Training sector. And the PCP and Place and Train have been very helpful in that regard.”
“Based on ECDA's 2016 survey, basic salaries for educarers with a professional Certificate range from about $1,800 to $2,100 per month, salaries for teachers with a professional teaching Diploma range from $2,200 to $3,000, and salaries for principals with a professional leadership Diploma range from $3,100 to $6,000. These salaries have increased by about 15% since the previous survey in 2013, outpacing that of the general market for similar job sizes which grew by about 8% over the same period. Also, based on the 2017 Polytechnic Graduate Employment Survey, the starting salaries of full-time early childhood Diploma fresh graduates have increased by about 20% to $2,300 since 2013. ECDA expects salary growth for early childhood educators to continue to outpace that of the general market. ECDA will continue to work with NIEC and other partners to create more progression opportunities and areas of specialisation, such as in Mother Tongue Language teaching, Learning Support and Early Intervention, and Outdoor Learning. Some of these areas, such as Outdoor Learning, may provide scope to attract more men to the sector, which at this point in time is a very low proportion. Together with its partners, ECDA will press on to uplift the early childhood profession and ensure that the preschool sector provides rewarding and meaningful careers.”
“To provide greater clarity on the career pathways and opportunities for Early Childhood professionals, ECDA, with industry partners, had introduced the Skills Framework for the Early Childhood Sector. This is supported by moves to retain and support in-service professionals to deepen their skill competencies, such as Professional Development Programmes (PDPs) and the ECDA Fellows Programme. ECDA has also been working with Anchor Operators to enhance the career prospects for their educators by creating 1,000 more senior professional positions by 2022. Apart from manpower programmes, we have been working with industry partners to streamline work processes and reduce educators' administrative workload under the Industry Transformation Map (ITM). More recently, ECDA rolled out a National Campaign for the Early Childhood Sector to create greater awareness of the sector and career opportunities, and to foster greater respect and recognition of the profession. Through these efforts, we have seen more people, including men, who are interested to join the sector today. Over the last five years, the intake of mid-career entrants enrolled in professional early childhood certificate or diploma courses have increased by more than 70%. The intake sizes of Pre-employment Training students for similar courses have also increased by two times, with the proportion of men enrolled in the diploma courses doubling. In tandem with the expansion of the sector, salaries for early childhood professionals have been rising steadily.”
“Mr Speaker, the Government has been investing in the early childhood sector to provide families with access to affordable and quality preschool. To support the expansion of the preschool sector, we have put in place measures to attract more people, both men and women, to join the sector. At present, there are around 18,000 preschool educators in the sector. We will closely monitor our efforts to grow the sector as we aim to meet our targets. To attract more post-Secondary students, the newly established National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) plans to admit about 700 students to their new Diploma in Early Childhood Development and Education programme for Academic Year 2019, which is double the intake in 2015. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) also offers training awards to encourage students to pursue Early Childhood courses at the NIEC and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). These awards provide students with full sponsorship of their course fees, learning resource grants, professional development grant, monthly study allowances and professional networking opportunities, and that are pre-employment efforts. Now, I move on to mid-career transitions. To attract more mid-career entrants, we have rolled out the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) for Preschool Teachers and the Place-and-Train Programme (PnT) for Educarers. People who are looking to switch careers or re-enter the workforce can apply for these programmes, and can earn a salary while undergoing a mix of on-the-job coaching and classroom-based teaching or training. To facilitate their entry to the sector, the Government provides subsidies for the training courses and salaries. I move on to skills pathways.”
“On the Member's second point, I think what he meant was whether we should consider increasing the duration as opposed to what he said, "reducing the duration". Certainly, six months is the median. There are some families whose needs may be more short-term, for example, they may need, say, two to three months of assistance before they transit to a new job which they can secure with or without assistance; or they may require longer-term assistance because they may be undergoing more structural training, for example. So, median is median. There are those who get fewer than six months and those who get longer than six months. The SSOs, together with our agencies, such as Family Service Centres, would assess the needs of the families holistically, and then make the necessary decisions as to what that appropriate duration would be. But going forward, we need to work together in a more integrated fashion with the community, with our VWO partners and with other Government agencies, so that we provide assistance in a way that empowers, and in a way that supports more effectively.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his abiding interest in seeing how we can establish a trampoline as well as a social safety net. A trampoline to help families with the potential to overcome the challenges to be able to stand on their feet and be able to support their own selves, and a safety net to catch those who fall through temporarily or even for a longer duration of time. The Member may be aware that last year, we announced efforts to develop, all across the island, SG Cares Community Networks. These are networks of social and healthcare agencies within each town. We seek to integrate the support that all these organisations – both Government and people sector – can provide so that we can give more holistic assistance to families, especially those who face complex needs. We also announced last year our intentions to launch hubs in rental housing estates so that we can bring together the agencies and the Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) that have been working very intimately and closely with families living in rental housing. As the Member may know, rental housing families tend to face a plethora of complex difficulties. With that integration, coordination and support amongst different agencies, we hope to better able to partner these families, tackle their issues holistically, chronologically, and systematically. Empower them, partner them, and support them. So, that is what we hope to achieve. As I said earlier in my reply, ComCare is but one of a suite of assistance schemes that help to stabilise a family's needs, and meet their basic needs, whilst working with them to address other upstream issues.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will continue to study these trends in close partnership with stakeholders in the community, particularly those who are working directly with families in need.”
“Mr Speaker, ComCare is part of the multiple layers of assistance provided by the Government to support low-income individuals and families. Households that require help to tide over a period of financial difficulty are provided with ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA). Depending on the needs of the household, our Social Service Offices (SSOs) may provide financial assistance in cash, help with household and medical bills, and refer them to agencies such as Workforce Singapore for employment assistance or Family Service Centres (FSCs) for further support. As the needs, profile and size of each household is different, the quantum and duration of assistance they require may also vary. Between 2015 and 2017, the number of households that received SMTA at any point in time was between 14,000 and 16,000 households. We do not have readily available data on how many of these were first-time SMTA applicants. The median monthly assistance quantum that a household on SMTA received was about $400 and the median duration of assistance in a year was about six months. These figures exclude other forms of Government assistance and subsidies that households could be receiving, such as MediFund for medical expenses, subsidised rental housing, financial assistance for school fees or childcare subsidies and so on. Among households whose SMTA ended in 2016, about 25% households reapplied and received SMTA within 12 months. These families may have faced new challenges or changes in their family, work or health circumstances. We do not have five-year data available. Beyond these statistics, it is important to understand the challenges families face in overcoming their issues and the support that will help sustain their self-reliance.”
“The Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise (raiSE) is the membership body and sector developer for social enterprises (SEs) in Singapore. Funded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Tote Board and the National Council of Social Service, raiSE had a membership of 336 SE members as at 31 March 2018. Of these, 92 (27%) had an annual revenue of at least or more than $200,0001, and 148 members (44%) were registered or incorporated in 2015 or earlier. SEs are not required to register with raiSE, and not all SEs are members of raiSE. SEs aim to provide business solutions to address social needs and gaps, creating social impact in sustainable ways. In this way, SEs bridge the gap between conventional charities and for-profit companies. SEs create social impact in many ways, such as through developing innovative solutions to emerging social needs and providing consultancy services to the social service sector. One significant area of impact is in the provision of employment opportunities for disadvantaged and needy beneficiaries. In the financial year 2017, 869 such beneficiaries were employed by 120 raiSE members.”
“Working mothers who become unemployed may need some time to look for a new job. The Early Childhood Development Agency supports these mothers by providing the same level of childcare subsidies for three months after their employment had ended. This extension of subsidies is intended to support these mothers and give them peace of mind as they look for employment, knowing that their children continue to be cared for in preschool. We will continue to review these policies and processes, as providing affordable and quality preschool services for parents is a key priority for the Government.”
“MSF periodically reviews the SSOs' manpower needs and will continue to monitor our operations and adjust the level of required resourcing accordingly. Even as the SSOs step up to pool together efforts to help vulnerable families, we also appreciate the active contributions by the community and every Singaporean to this collective effort of giving those in need a leg up to regain stability, and building a caring society.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF's) Social Service Offices (SSOs) carry out two main functions. First, the SSOs deliver financial assistance to low-income individuals and families and link them up to various agencies for their other needs, such as housing, employment and family services. The objective is to ensure that these individuals or families receive comprehensive help. For example, where there are families with complex needs that require interfaces with multiple agencies, SSOs can step in to facilitate discussions or convene case conferences where needed. Second, the SSOs do ground sensing and local services planning, working closely with community partners to coordinate the planning and delivery of social services in the community. The demands on our SSOs are growing. Over the years, the number of ComCare applications has increased, in large part because of increased awareness of available help schemes with the rollout of the network of 24 SSOs. Our SSOs are located within Housing and Development Board towns, so that those in need can access help easily. The number of complex cases requiring coordination by the SSOs has also grown. To respond to these challenges amid tighter manpower constraints, MSF is taking a multi-pronged approach. First, we are leveraging technology like video-conferencing to enhance productivity and efficiency at the SSOs. Second, we are strengthening backend interagency coordination, supported by enhanced protocols, data-sharing and town-level SG Community Network sessions. Third, we are using data analytics to inform resource planning and optimise deployment across our SSOs. These strategies ensure that our SSOs work efficiently yet effectively to serve vulnerable individuals and families.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. EIA reports have been gazetted in full to make very clear to interested parties, including the environmental groups, what the findings are and what the impact is. For Tengah, the findings of the environmental baseline study were shared with the public through the media in October last year. We will also be engaging with nature groups to share with them the details of the environmental baseline study. As the Member would know, Tengah is and remains a military training ground.”
“Between 2013 and 2017, there were, on average, about 15 sole applications per year by never-married, divorced or widowed persons to adopt a non-biological child. This amounted to about 5% of all adoption applications in a year. Some of these applicants were stepparents or relatives of the child. Most of these applications were granted by the Courts, based on the welfare of the child. The number of adoptions involving Singaporean children has dropped over the years. This trend reflects our lower fertility rates. There are fewer Singaporean children available for adoption than there are prospective adopters. Nevertheless, we still encourage prospective adopters to consider adopting, such as children who have been abused or neglected, and whose birth families, despite our best efforts to support them, are assessed to be unsafe or unable to care for the children. For couples who are able to love and provide for these children, we encourage them to contact any of the four Ministry of Social and Family Development's accredited agencies, including TOUCH Family Services, Lutheran Community Care Services, Fei Yue Community Services and Apkim Centre for Social Services, for an assessment of their suitability to adopt. Ultimately, the underlying principle of adoption is to find a loving family that is able to meet the child’s needs and is committed to parenting responsibility.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament do now adjourn." [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Putting Commuters First in Public Transport 6.55 pm”
“It is important to strengthen our children's social and emotional resilience so that they can manage stress well and cope with future challenges. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) works closely with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and other agencies to support our children and youths in their mental well-being. For instance, MSF was part of the NurtureSG Taskforce that made recommendations to improve the health outcomes of our children and youths, including their mental well-being. In schools, the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum aims to raise awareness of mental health, reduce stigmatisation associated with mental health issues, help both staff and students to recognise signs of distress, for example, unexplained injuries, sending or posting moody messages online, and encourage them to seek help for themselves and others around them. Students are also taught to look out for and support one another, and to alert their teachers, school counsellors or parents if their friends are affected by difficulties. School counsellors may refer children with psycho-social issues to mental health professionals. Family members and members of the community can also play a role to spot students with depression symptoms. For example, members of the community may encourage individuals or families in need to approach a Family Service Centre (FSC) for assistance. The social workers at the FSCs will work with the school and other specialists in the community to provide holistic interventions to the student and his/her family to overcome their issues and support them towards long-term stability.”
“These programmes include group marriage education workshops that equip couples with skills and knowledge on topics, such as communication, conflict resolution and management of household finances, and one-to-one consultation sessions to help couples make informed decisions about marriage. There are also optional post-marriage programmes to provide continued support for couples in areas, such as marriage enrichment and parenting. Marriage is hard work and the relationship needs to be constantly nurtured. We work with partners, such as the Families for Life Council and family life and marriage educators, to provide a suite of marriage enrichment programmes at workplaces and in the community, to equip couples with insights and tips to strengthen their marriages. The Families for Life Council also organises an annual "I Still Do" initiative, where there are marriage talks, bonding activities and online content to engage couples in conversations on marriage and encourage couples to continue to date and reaffirm their commitment to each other.”
“HDB also launched the first batch of 1,100 BTO flats with shorter waiting times of about two to three years in 2018, with another 2,000 such flats scheduled for launch in 2019. We have also enhanced housing grants for resale flats, to better support couples who choose to buy resale flats. HDB has also introduced flexibility in 2018 to allow young couples who are studying or serving National Service to defer their income assessment for housing loans and grants till before keys collection, instead of at the point of flat application, when they may not have met the minimum period of employment to qualify for housing grants. Besides helping singles find suitable partners, we must also continue to strengthen and support marriages. The Ministry of Social and Family Development works closely with our partners to offer marriage preparation programmes to couples of all ages. These programmes help couples better understand their roles and manage their expectations of married life. The programmes also equip them with useful communication and conflict resolution skills. Tailored programmes are also available for couples with specific needs, such as cross-cultural and remarrying couples. Couples who marry at a very young age may need more support to prepare for marriage. They may also face additional stress if they become parents shortly after marriage, increasing the risk of marital conflict. Hence, we have recently made it mandatory for couples where either party is a minor, that is, below 21 years old, to undergo marriage preparation programmes before they can apply for marriage. This applies to both civil and Muslim marriages.”
“Based on the 2016 Marriage and Parenthood Survey, 83% of Singaporeans aged 21 to 35 who are single aspire to get married. The Government will continue to support their marriage aspirations. Most singles prefer meeting potential partners in natural settings, such as at recreational or social activities, or through introductions by friends and colleagues. We have, therefore, been working with partner agencies to identify natural settings for singles to meet, grow their social networks and form meaningful relationships. These include events, such as Sports Hub's "Community Play Day" and the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s "Countdown@Civic District". The Social Development Network (SDN) funds initiatives by community partners and organisations to bring singles together. SDN also helps dating agencies improve their services through accreditation and funding. To provide more interaction opportunities through interest- and activity-based initiatives, SDN organises the Spark Connections campaign twice a year, where accredited agencies offer a wide array of events and programmes at subsidised prices, ranging from trendy, lifestyle-based events to self-development workshops. We also recognise that many couples aspire to have a home of their own when they get married. We have stepped up our efforts to make it faster and easier for young couples who have decided to settle down to apply for a flat. Since 2015, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has launched more than 50,000 new Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, with at least 70% to 85% of these set aside for first-timer families. First-timer families applying for a BTO flat in non-mature estates will be able to select a flat within two to three tries.”
“Singapore adopts a whole-of-society, multi-pronged approach to address the complex nature of suicide. The Government and community partners work together to promote upstream prevention, encourage individuals to seek help, provide support to at-risk groups, and offer crisis support. Many of these efforts need to take place in person to be effective, while some are complemented by online efforts. For example, the Institute of Mental Health's Community Health Assessment Team has a drop-in centre at *SCAPE Youth Park and an online WebCHAT service for young persons in need of mental health support. The National Council of Social Service is running a multi-year public education campaign on mental health issues, called "Beyond the Label". Apart from making available information on where to seek help, a Facebook community page has also been set up as a safe space for the online community to share experiences and provide support to those in recovery. A key community partner is the Samaritans of Singapore, which provides programmes to train professionals and the public on how to identify suicide warning signs, which may be observed on social media, and on how to support the individual. The evidence for "suicide watch" interventions, which depend on the robustness of the computer algorithms, is currently unclear. There may also be concerns about data privacy and civil liberties, as automated actions may kick in once warning signs are picked up, regardless of whether the distress is real or inaccurately diagnosed. We will continue to review how we enhance our suicide prevention efforts in both physical and online spaces.”
“Bearing in mind the risk profile of the youths, some friction among fellow residents in a communal setting is not unexpected. MSF works closely with the Home Team departments to learn from past incidents in order to strengthen our policies and processes. For example, MSF and the Police have strengthened activation protocols to ensure swift intervention when needed. We have also made infrastructural enhancements, such as by installing duress alarms. This partnership is key to ensuring safety and security in the Home.”
“The youth justice system in Singapore is broadly premised on a gradation of interventions. As far as possible, youth offenders are diverted away from the youth justice system altogether through diversionary programmes, such as the Enhanced Streetwise Programme, for youths who play a minor role in gang-related offences. Where they are brought before the Youth Courts, they are first considered for probation and rehabilitation outside of residential facilities. This is to prevent their development from being unduly disrupted. This means that the youths who are required to reside in places of detention and juvenile rehabilitation centres generally have higher-risk behaviours, complex needs or a weak family environment that does not support rehabilitation. At the Government-managed Singapore Boys' Home, our youth workers support youth offenders to strengthen their socio-emotional development and relationship with their family, develop their resilience, and improve their education and employment outlook. The daily regimes and programmes build character and lifeskills in the youths. Formal education is also a key component of the Home's programme. To provide a conducive rehabilitative regime, it is important to have good governance to ensure the well-being of the residents. There are stipulated standards of care, and a Review Board comprising professional volunteers appointed by the Minister reviews the living conditions in the Home. Residents may raise concerns directly to members of the Review Board during their visits, or to the management of the Home. They may also deposit a letter into a secure letterbox that is accessed only by selected personnel. At the same time, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) takes the safety of residents and our staff seriously.”
“It is thus important to provide holistic support and intervention across relevant agencies to address the families’ issues. MSF works closely with Government agencies and community partners to address homelessness. A key thrust is upstream support to enable individuals to access and remain in HDB housing. We are strengthening interagency coordination with HDB, social service agencies and community groups to do this. As family conflict and stresses are often linked to homelessness, social workers play an important role in addressing the root causes. MSF will also continue to review and enhance the effectiveness of the shelter models to help homeless families and individuals regain stability and access stable housing. Members of the public can play a part by offering help to homeless individuals they encounter. They can call the ComCare hotline at 1800 222 0000 or approach the nearest Social Service Office or Family Service Centre for assistance.”
“Low-income persons who have no family support and cannot afford to purchase a flat, may apply for the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) public rental housing or may be assisted with Interim Rental Housing. Those who have exhausted all housing options and require social work intervention to address their underlying issues can be admitted to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)-funded transitional shelters. Individuals who are destitute, with no family support and no means of supporting themselves, may be admitted to welfare homes. Between 2015 and 2017, MSF assisted an average of 385 such cases each year. These include referrals by MSF patrol teams, Police Officers, or social and healthcare agencies. Besides temporary accommodation, social workers at transitional shelters work with shelter residents to address their underlying issues, such as employment, financial and family issues, and to secure long-term housing arrangements. The welfare homes provide care and rehabilitation programmes for destitute persons to improve their physical and emotional well-being and, where possible, re-integrate them into the community again. There are also individuals who have homes but sleep in public for various reasons. For instance, they may have disputes with family members or co-tenants or wish to be closer to their workplaces due to lack of transport options from home. Most of the persons sleeping in public whom MSF's patrol teams come across fall into these categories. We have found that families in transitional housing often experienced divorce and financial difficulties. Many had sold their flats and spent their monies to clear debts or for other purposes before becoming homeless.”
“We will take all the Member's suggestions into consideration as part of this overall review. Certainly, the Member is quite right that adoption of unrelated children or even of related children who had to be given up by other family members is and remains an option. So, ultimately, the concerns over surrogacy as well as commercial surrogacy remain. In some jurisdictions, they have permitted altruistic surrogacy. In others, they go the whole hog to allow commercial surrogacy. And in some jurisdictions, they say they have put in safeguards to ensure that those who step forward to offer surrogate services are not exploited. But we need to study this holistically and see what works for Singapore and what Singapore's broader society is prepared to accept or not to accept.”
“I think the Member alludes – I may be wrong – in part, to concerns that the child who is brought up by two parents in Singapore who are of the same gender may result in this child having difficulties adjusting to mainstream society in schools and preschools, in the working environment, and so on and so forth. But whether or not MSF needs to then come in to monitor and provide surveillance on the child, it is something quite altogether different. Certainly, for any child, or any children in Singapore for whom legitimate concerns are raised about their welfare, then MSF will come in and take a look. This child that has hitherto been taken care of by the biological father and his male partner, we are concerned about the formation and mainstreaming of same-sex parent family units in Singapore, but when it comes to the welfare of the child, we have to act on the basis of whether there are concerns or otherwise.”
“I thank the Member for his questions. Surrogacy is an issue that is fraught with ethical concerns. The Member has rightly pointed out that some have argued against the commodification of children, against the exploitation of women. And others, on the other hand, say that this offers a way out for couples who are otherwise unable to bear their own children. Some women, for instance, have, due to medical reasons, had their wombs removed. And even though they get married and wish to have their own children, are unable to do so, and that could be why some of them go overseas and undergo surrogacy. Because of the ethical considerations and the practical concerns about surrogacy, it is not permissible currently in Singapore to be carried out at healthcare institutions. So, our position currently, as it stands, is that we do not allow it in Singapore. But where couples for whatever reason go overseas and come back, it is scrutinised on a case-by-case basis, ultimately with the gatekeeping by the Courts, who will look at the application. Thus far, all surrogate adoptions have been by married couples, men and women who have had medical reasons why they cannot otherwise conceive and these are then assessed by the Courts holistically. As to whether we should completely prohibit surrogacy by Singaporeans within Singapore or all over the world, and whether we should amend the legislation to do so, it is something that we must consider holistically and carefully, keeping in mind the wishes, aspirations and concerns of mothers who would otherwise not be able to conceive their own flesh and blood.”
“Today, surrogacy cannot be carried out in Singapore at any licensed healthcare institution that provides assisted reproduction services. Parents who have gone overseas for surrogacy and who come back to apply for adoption of their surrogate children will have their applications assessed on a case-by-case basis. They will also be scrutinised by the Courts during the adoption hearings. Prior to this, the Courts have granted adoption of 10 children born abroad as a result of surrogacy. These children were all born to married couples applying jointly to adopt their child, and who had resorted to surrogacy because the couples were infertile. While an adoption order serves to make a child legitimate under the law, it does not on its own guarantee benefits and privileges, such as citizenship, education or housing. Access to housing will continue to be determined by prevailing criteria, in line with public policy supporting parenthood within marriage. All Singaporean children, regardless of their legitimacy status, will receive Government benefits that support their growth and development, including healthcare and education benefits.”
“The father has full parental rights and responsibilities, even if the adoption was not granted. In fact, the Women's Charter obliges parents to provide for their children, regardless of the children’s legitimacy status. The High Court stated that they had reached their decision in this case "with not insignificant difficulty". The Court affirmed the public policy against the formation of same-sex family units and recognised that granting the adoption would violate it. This was, however, weighed against the interest of the child's welfare. Based on the specific facts of this case, the Court allowed the appeal to allow the child to be adopted. We respect and accept the Court's decision. Following the Court's judgment, MSF is reviewing our adoption laws and practices to see how they should be strengthened to better reflect public policy which, in turn, is a reflection of the values of our broad society today. For instance, while the welfare of the child should always be a very important consideration in adoption proceedings, we are looking at whether the Adoption of Children Act needs to be amended so that a better balance can be struck when important public policy considerations are involved. We are also studying the issue of surrogacy carefully. This is a complex issue with ethical, social, health and legal implications for all parties involved. For commercial surrogacy in particular, concerns have been raised about the exploitation of women and commodification of children. These issues are not trivial and warrant careful study and discussion. Persons who are considering surrogacy should take this into account from the outset while making their decision, as such factors could have a significant impact on the child.”
“This is also the family structure that the Government encourages. Most of us would agree that it is ideal for children to grow up in families anchored by strong and stable marriages. This is reflected in the differentiation we maintain in policies and benefits to encourage and support parenthood within marriage. It follows from this that the Government does not encourage planned and deliberate single parenthood as a lifestyle choice. Specifically, we do not support the use of Assisted Reproduction Technology or surrogacy by singles to conceive children, for the purpose of forming single unwed parent households. Hence, In-Vitro Fertilisation or other Assisted Reproduction Procedures at licensed assisted reproduction institutions are available in Singapore only to married couples who experience difficulties in natural conception. Over time, social attitudes have evolved to greater accommodation of homosexuals. The Government's policy is not to intrude or interfere with the private lives of Singaporeans, including homosexuals and their relationships or partnerships. However, we do not support the formation of family units with children and homosexual parents, through institutions and processes, such as adoption. Therefore, MSF did not support the appeal by the homosexual couple to adopt the child that they had conceived through surrogacy overseas, after they had been informed that the Government would not support the application to adopt the child because this would have been contrary to public policy. In raising this objection, MSF had carefully considered the welfare of the boy. Two important aspects were considered. First, the child is not stateless but is a citizen of the US. Second, the child remains with the father and will be cared for.”
“These fall broadly into two categories. First, around the definition of marriage, family and future conceptions of family in society, some Singaporeans are concerned whether this ruling sets a precedent to allow homosexual couples to legally adopt children in Singapore and, in so doing, mainstreams same-sex parent households here. Others, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) activists, say that this case is a step towards the recognition and legalisation of same-sex relationships. Second, on commercial surrogacy, some have asked whether this ruling legitimises commercial surrogacy carried out overseas, especially in light of the complex ethical questions surrounding this practice. Members' questions today reflect this range of views and reactions. Indeed, these emerging issues and divergent attitudes have become increasingly salient in our society. LGBT persons have a place here in Singapore and are entitled to their own private lives. Just like other Singaporeans, they have access to opportunities and social support, such as education, employment and healthcare, and should, like all Singaporeans, not be subject to prejudice and discrimination. However, we must be mindful that a push for rights and entitlements which the broader society is not ready for, or able to accept, will provoke a pushback, and can be very socially divisive. A push to use legislation or the Courts to precipitate social change involving issues as deeply held and personal as this polarises society. While we recognise that there are increasingly diverse forms of families and households in Singapore, the prevailing social norm in our society is still that of a man and woman marrying and having and bringing up children within a stable family unit.”
“Thank you. Let me begin by recapping the facts of this case that is the subject of these Parliamentary Questions, so as to provide this House with the context to my response. Sir, the applicant in this case is a male Singaporean in a long-term relationship with another man. When the two men enquired about adopting a child, they were advised that the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) was unlikely to recommend the adoption of children by parties who were in a same-sex relationship. Both of them then went to the United States (US) for commercial surrogacy and paid a total of US$200,000 to a private company there. Under the terms of the surrogacy contract, the arrangement was for the surrogate mother to carry the baby to term, deliver him and then give up her rights over him. The child was born in 2013 and was handed over to the applicant and his partner. The child is a US citizen and has been brought up in Singapore by the two of them in the same household. The applicant later applied to Court to adopt the child. In February 2017, the Family Justice Court ruled against the adoption. The applicant then appealed to the High Court. In December 2018, the High Court, which comprised three judges, allowed the adoption to proceed. Following the ruling, the applicant and his partner gave media interviews, reported locally and abroad, describing the challenges that same-sex parents faced when wanting to conceive and raise their own children in Singapore, and shared about the process they went through to start a family in Singapore via overseas surrogacy. Understandably, the High Court's decision to grant the appeal has evoked a diverse range of emotions and reactions amongst Singaporeans and raised questions about the implications of this case.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 19 to 21 together?”
“In 2017, the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF's) Child Protective Service (CPS) investigated 894 cases of child abuse. This is an increase from the 873 cases investigated in 2016, and 551 cases in 2015. The nature of the cases includes physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. In most of these cases, the perpetrator is a family member. The reasons for child abuse are often complex and complicated. For example, caregivers of abused children may themselves be in difficult circumstances and under stress. The problems caregivers face can often have direct impact on children. Many child abuse cases investigated by CPS involve families with multiple stressors, such as financial problems and unemployment. We have also encountered caregivers who themselves had a prior history of abuse or neglect as a child, are battling drug addictions or mental health issues, or had trouble with the law.”