Masagos Zulkifli B M M
Singapore
“Coordination between Early Intervention (EI) centres, families and preschools is important for the continuity of support for children with developmental needs.”
“The Taxi Subsidy Scheme supports persons with disabilities (PwDs) who are unable to take public transport, by providing means-tested subsidies to offset the cost of taxi travel to school, work and employment-related training supported by SG Enable.”
“The Skills and Salary Guidelines published by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) guides social service agencies (SSAs) to pay their employees fair and competitive remuneration and maintain the sector's attractiveness. The Guidelines are adjusted so that salaries remain competitive with comparable roles in competing markets.”
“Staff turnover rates vary across social service agencies (SSAs). An individual's decision to leave an organisation is influenced by a myriad of factors, of which pay is only one.”
“Beyond the requirement of a structured daily programme, community-based SCFA administrators have the flexibility to offer programmes and additional enrichment activities that meet the needs of their students. MSF does not track staff salaries and turnover of SCCs in general nor those that administer SCFA.”
“Male preschool educators comprised about 1% of the early childhood workforce in each of the last five years. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has not issued guidelines pertaining to the rules set by preschool centres specific to the conduct of male preschool educators.”
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“For children who have been enrolled in an early intervention (EI) centre for the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC), the average waiting time from referral to enrolment is, currently, seven months, up from six months in 2020. However, waiting time varies across EI centres and regions, depending on demand. The increase in waiting time can be attributed to an increase in hospital referrals to Government-funded EI centres and the impact of COVID-19 and safe management measures (SMMs) over the past two years. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has been regularly reviewing the SMMs to enable EI centres to support more children. The Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (PPIP) programme, provided by ECDA-appointed private EI centres, serves as a complement to EIPIC run by Social Service Agencies (SSA). Among PPIP centres which maintained a wait list, the wait time to enrol in the programme ranged from four months to 12 months in 2021. The out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses, that is, net fee payable by parents after Government subsidies under the PPIP programme are, generally, higher than that of EIPIC. This is because MSF provides SSA-run EI centres with additional funding to keep fees affordable. The exact difference in OOP expenses depends on the EIPIC and PPIP programme fees charged by centres and the subsidy tier the child is eligible for. For example, after subsidies, a middle-income family will pay about $200 more per month for a PPIP programme than for a similar EIPIC programme, assuming the median fees charged for both these programmes. The Mediacorp Enable Fund, administered by SG Enable, will provide some support for needy families which have difficulties covering the OOP expenses.”
“In addition, as part of Teachers' Day celebrations last year, the Association for Early Childhood Educators Singapore (AECES) and Preschool Market also organised a ground-up initiative known as Special Treats, where preschool educators received sponsored gift items, promotions and complimentary self-care and wellness workshops to encourage them to take time for self-care. ECDA will continue to work with operators to improve the well-being of preschool staff, in line with the Government's continued efforts to uplift the Early Childhood sector. As keeping our preschools safe and healthy is a collective effort, we encourage parents to support our preschool staff by playing their part to monitor closely their children's health. Children who are unwell should stay at home to rest, consult a primary care doctor if needed, and return to preschool only when they have fully recovered. We also encourage parents whose children are five years old and older and medically eligible, to register them for COVID-19 vaccination to give them better protection.”
“Should preschools require additional manpower, they can source for relief manpower services on EzMart, a portal hosted by the Association of Early Childhood and Training Services' (ASSETS). Preschool operators may also source through Human Resource agencies or tap on their own pool of relief staff, such as former staff, who would be familiar with the preschool's operations and children. To support the physical and mental well-being of staff, preschools are encouraged to monitor their staff's stress levels, consider balancing and rotating staff's responsibilities and administrative duties, provide sufficient rest breaks at reasonable intervals, as well as offer channels of support. We recognise that it may be challenging for preschools to do so where manpower is very tight. Nonetheless, we encourage preschools to press on with their efforts to shore up staff's physical and mental well-being. Preschools can tap on support provided by the Health Promotion Board, including health screening, health coaching, as well as health talks and workshops tailored for educators, covering topics, such as mental wellness. We recognise that preschool staff have been working tirelessly since the start of the pandemic, to ensure that our children remain safe. To appreciate their contribution towards our national efforts to fight COVID-19, and in conjunction with the Early Childhood Conference 2021, ECDA distributed care packs to all preschool staff.”
“The surge in cases due to Omicron has affected many segments of society, and the preschool sector is no exception. ECDA recognises that a high number of COVID-19 cases amongst preschool staff can disrupt preschools' operations and has put in place several measures to support preschools in managing their operations: (a) More flexibility in manpower deployment: As all preschool staff are now fully vaccinated and are placed on weekly Rostered Routine Testing, each preschool may deploy staff across classes to deal with situations of manpower shortages, owing to staff who have been affected by COVID-19 or on medical leave. This is a relaxation of our earlier posture where the cross-deployment of staff within the preschool was restricted to minimise the risk of transmission. In areas where manpower is very tight, such as Mother Tongue Language teachers, staff may be deployed across preschools, subject to prevailing safe management measures. Preschools may also tap on relief staff who may now move across preschools to alleviate some of the manpower shortage. (b) Flexibility in regulatory requirements: In situations where preschools are impacted by substantial staff absenteeism, ECDA works closely with the operators to initiate their business continuity plan, such as adjusting programme plans and allowing flexibility in staffing ratios. (c) Streamlined processes: ECDA and the MOH have streamlined the contact tracing process to empower preschools with greater autonomy and make it easier for them to manage COVID-19 cases. For example, we have streamlined the process to allow preschools to submit details of close contacts directly to MOH, so that Health Risk Notices can be issued faster, thereby reducing the period of uncertainty for parents and staff.”
“In deciding whether to set up new FSCs, the MSF projects caseloads based on factors, such as number of new dwelling units and dwelling unit types, for example, public rental flats, sold flats. We also consider the proximity of FSCs to residents. MSF does not impose a maximum number of dwelling units an FSC is expected to serve within its service area. Instead, we monitor caseloads of FSCs to ensure that they are manageable. MSF periodically reviews and may adjust the service boundaries of FSCs with higher caseloads.”
“It is thus important for parents or guardians to pick up their sick children as soon as possible and ensure they receive the medical attention as required. Nevertheless, we recognise the challenges working parents face during such situations. Each working parent of a Singaporean child below seven years old is eligible for six days of paid childcare leave per year. This is in addition to parents' annual leave provisions. Parents can tap on these leave provisions to bring their sick child to see a doctor and care for them at home subsequently. We urge employers to be empathetic and provide flexibility to their employees with young children during such exigencies. The Government will continue to work with tripartite partners to encourage and support employers to implement family-friendly measures, such as flexible work arrangements, so that working parents can balance their work alongside their family responsibilities.”
“The health and well-being of the child is of utmost importance to any parent. It is in the interest of children who are unwell to receive comfort and attention from their parents, and for the parents to decide on the appropriate medical attention needed. The Early Childhood Development Centres Act and Regulations require all preschools to have a designated area that is enclosed and separate from other teaching spaces to serve as a sick bay for children who become unwell during the course of the day. Preschools will place these unwell children in the sick bay and notify their parents or guardians. Like other sick bays, sick bays in preschools are temporary places to isolate unwell individuals before proper attention to their condition can be given. The provision of sick bays at preschools allows children to rest, while parents or guardians make arrangements to pick up their child and seek medical attention as needed. This practice helps to safeguard the health and safety of sick children, while minimising the risk of infection to other children in our preschools. This is all the more relevant in current times due to the high transmissibility of the COVID-19 virus. Keeping an unwell child in the sick bay for a prolonged period could affect the child, both in terms of physical comfort and also emotionally. Children in the sick bay must also be monitored closely by staff at all times, and preschools will have to redeploy staff from their primary duties to care for the sick child. This could compromise on the care and education for other children at the preschool. Preschool staff also do not have the relevant training to provide nursing care or attend to the medical needs of sick children on a prolonged basis.”
“For MUIS, we can only be in control of the sectors under our care and that have to do with our madrasahs and mosques. I am very thankful that the mosque community, the madrasah community have responded without us making it compulsory or mandated through MUIS' instructions. I call upon the other sectors to do the same – recognise our asatizahs, give them a meaningful salary scale, salary level, let them live a dignified life like everybody else, like the ones that we want for our own children. I believe our community is very, very generous. We have not pulled ourselves back whenever we call for support for our friends in Palestine when some calamity has befallen them. In fact, in many circumstances, through the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF), when disasters happened around our area, we have been able to collect donations to help victims who are not Muslims, who do not live in Muslim countries. So, we have also given, regardless of race, language or religion. Therefore, for our asatizahs, we should be more generous and not hold back this amount. There is no benchmark for this, but, over the long term, we hope that the review on the salaries will tell us exactly where we are, what the gaps are, and, more importantly, how to get the funds to fund this gap, and here is where we will need to rely on the wealth and generosity of our own community to fund our own religious needs.”
“We are in a good place and time right now, because, as Members have heard from many of our speeches just now, the community is at that inflexion point of being better and acquiring wealth for themselves. And I am calling them: it is great that you are benefiting yourself and your children; just think about benefiting the community and for the future.”
“I would like to thank the Member for the clarification. For Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura (WMS), like the Member has pointed out, the last one was given almost 40 years ago. In fact, more than 40 years ago. This culture of bequeathing your property to benefit yourself for your religious needs – but more importantly, to benefit society for the long term – is a culture that we have had for 1,400 years and we have had it in Singapore when Muslim Singaporeans had become wealthy during the early days of our colonisation. And in bequeathing these properties and, actually, in enhancing these properties alone, we have managed to accumulate something like almost $800 billion worth of assets. That is wonderful. Unfortunately, I would say there are some constraints on how the benefits of such bequeathed properties and trusts should be distributed. Sometimes, we have problems finding the village in a country that does not exist anymore or people whom we do not know whether they are still around to benefit from these assets and trusts. And, therefore, going forward, we have to look at how these problems do not get encountered again by us and future generations. I also want to point out that in formulating WMS, it is beyond just calling the community to bequeath their assets; it is also calling them to prepare their children to be well-endowed through education, career and also to build their own wealth, so that they do not rely on their parents' wealth to live on in their life. And that their parents also do not feel guilty in giving away that wealth for the sake of the community, for the future of the community.”
“Initiatives, such as the RLTD, PCICS and the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS), are key enablers to propel the asatizah sector forward and we will need the community's support to achieve its desired outcomes. The Singapore Community Wakaf will thus be crucial in catering for the long-term needs of the Muslim community. 3.15 pm Chairman, in conclusion, my colleagues and I have spoken on three strategies to strengthen our competencies as a Community of Success. Underpinning these strategies are strong and resilient families who provide a conducive environment for children to grow and achieve their fullest potential. Here, our community partners and institutions play an important role. Our Naib Kadis, for example, are key partners in supporting the work of building strong and resilient Muslim families, especially through the Bersamamu programme. In this regard, the M³ agencies will also partner MSF to commemorate the "Year of Celebrating SG Families" this year. Through these efforts, we will keep social mobility alive in Singapore, so that every Singaporean has a fair chance to succeed in life and contribute back to the society. In this regard, we will journey with our community every step of the way to propel them towards success. [Applause.]”
“This includes remuneration for the asatizahs, as asked by Mr Abdul Samad and Dr Shahira Abdullah. MUIS is reviewing the salary guidelines for the religious sector, especially for those working in the formal religious sector like mosques and madrasahs. We will need to ensure the sector is equally attractive as competing sectors. Details will be provided when the review is completed. We will also need to fund the long-term needs of our religious sector. This is why there are plans to encourage the wakaf culture within our community, as asked by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Dr Shahira Abdullah. Since the launch of Singapore Community Wakaf, an Advisory Panel has been formed to get feedback from key stakeholders and put forth recommendations on how to galvanise community support in the implementation of this wakaf. This year, MUIS formed working groups, comprising MUIS officers and industry experts, to implement detailed action plans for the Singapore Community Wakaf. It will take into consideration the recommendations of the Advisory Panel Report that was submitted last year. This includes plans like engaging our institutions like the wakaf and mosques to pool our assets together and invest their reserves to grow the corpus fund; and second, encouraging the community's participation through public education initiatives on wakaf, particularly on wealth and legacy planning. Mr Chairman, in English, please. (In English): Chairman, to further support the development of our young asatizahs, MUIS is dedicating a campus for the PCICS programme, to be housed within the Wakaf Bencoolen complex. The new campus will include various learning facilities, including its own library, and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.”
“Most participants have found the programmes useful as part of their career development in the religious sector. This addresses the questions from Dr Wan Rizal and Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman about plans to develop and groom asatizah leadership in Singapore. Under the RLTD as well, MUIS is introducing the Leadership Milestone Programme which provides formal training for asatizahs with good potential. The objective is to further develop and groom them for future leadership roles. This comprises two key tracks. First is the general leadership track, where asatizahs will benefit from a wide range of courses offered by various public and private institutions, to hone their competencies before they lead an organisation. This includes courses in financial management, strategy formulation and human capital management. Second is the religious leadership track. This seeks to deepen the asatizah's knowledge and appreciation of our religious traditions and its application in the Singapore context. Under this track, the Leadership Executive Programme will provide a platform for asatizahs to have discussions on the religious life of the Singapore Muslim community and gain a deeper understanding of policy issues. These initiatives will expose our asatizahs to a wide range of issues, to help nurture their leadership potential and hone their critical thinking, especially on religious issues impacting our Muslim community. Ultimately, our aim is to prepare the younger generation of asatizahs to be ready to serve when called to higher office, including helming our key religious institutions, such as the Mufti, the President of the Syariah Court and the Kadi at ROMM. Therefore, we need to structure clear and meaningful career pathways for the asatizah.”
“Ms Rahayu Mahzam and Dr Wan Rizal asked about the key objectives of this conference and how it will benefit the Singapore Muslim community. Building on the two pre-conference seminars held last year, the upcoming conference will bring together religious scholars to develop critical bodies of knowledge that can guide Muslim-minority communities in multicultural societies. With the theme "Contributing Citizens, Dynamic Institutions", it will focus on how enlightened and contextualised religious guidance, coupled with institutional support, can empower Muslims to live as dignified citizens and contribute to the nation's development. Delegates from various nations will be invited to share and learn from one another. For students who have done well in the madrasahs, I hope more of you will go into the religious sector and see the asatizah profession not merely as an employment opportunity, but as a meaningful and attractive calling. This is my hope for students who have done well in the "A" Levels, the IB Diploma, as well as the Aliyah programmes. They are excellent candidates for the next generation of our future asatizahs. We will continue to support these students in their education, including providing prestigious scholarships for the talented ones to further their studies. This is how we can ensure strong leadership renewal in our religious institutions. For those that show potential, MUIS offers the Religious Leadership and Talent Development Programme, or RLTD. Presently, around 120 asatizahs have benefited from the various initiatives within this programme. It provides participants opportunities to have fireside chats with community and religious figures and benefit from mentoring programmes.”
“Therefore, I agree with Dr Wan Rizal that we need to develop bodies of knowledge that can guide Muslim-minority communities living in multi-religious societies to navigate contemporary socio-religious issues more confidently, while enabling them to practise their faith with ease. On this front, we have rolled out several initiatives like the ISEAS-MUIS Masters Scholarship, the Research Programme in the Study of Muslim Communities of Success, as well as the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS). Mr Abdul Samad asked about efforts to help returning Islamic Studies graduates contextualise their knowledge for the local community. This is the aim of the PCICS, which provides returning students with the framework to apply their knowledge to the local context. One of the graduates who benefited from the PCICS programme is Ustazah Sarah El Rani. She found the programme useful in deepening her understanding of Islamic traditions, such as the use of Maqasid Shariah in Islamic Jurisprudence to address new challenges faced by societies. This allowed her to better understand its application in the Singapore context, such as the adjustments made to religious practices as part of COVID-19 preventive measures. To address Dr Shahira Abdullah's query on support given to returning Islamic Studies graduates, our key focus is to ensure that these graduates contribute back to the Muslim religious sector in Singapore. The PCICS equips them with the knowledge to provide progressive religious guidance, while exposing them to critical skills and competencies that can also be applied in relevant non-religious sectors. MUIS will be organising the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS) later this year.”
“However, it should be emphasised that the main goal of madrasah education here is to produce new asatizahs who can guide the Singapore Muslim community and expand our asatizah sector, in addition to contributing to broader sectors should they wish to do so. For students who eventually become asatizahs, they need to be able to provide sound religious advice. They need to understand the lived realities of the community here and be sensitive to the cultural nuances to guide the Muslim community in navigating new and complex challenges. In line with this year's focus on enhancing competencies within our community, we will support the asatizah sector to acquire impactful competencies. This will be done through three strategies. First, we want to develop critical bodies of knowledge for the asatizahs, so that they can be exposed to broader perspectives and worldviews. Second, we will enhance the career pathways for the religious sector, to ensure that this profession remains appealing and relevant. Third, we want to mobilise community resources to sustain the development of our religious sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the need for our asatizahs to be prepared to address complex issues in a contemporary society and unprecedented global challenges. In addition to acquiring a deep knowledge of our religious traditions and having a strong character, our asatizahs must also possess the competency to contextualise religious teachings to Singapore. This requires them to form a strong connection with our multiracial society, in order to better understand our experience of living in a country full of diversity. This is especially so, because our experience as a Muslim-minority community is different from those of Muslim-majority societies.”
“Mr Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our asatizahs are well-regarded within the community for their important role. In fact, there had been prominent religious scholars in Singapore, such as Ustaz Syed Ahmad Semait, Ustaz Syed Abdillah al-Jufri and Ustaz Ahmad Sonhadji. They have made significant contributions to the Islamic religious discourse in Singapore. The religious texts they produced are still being read and used as reference today. Many of my peers grew up with Ustaz Ahmad Sonhadji's foundation text – Mari Sembahyang, or "Let's Pray". We are fortunate to have our own local madrasahs that ensure a steady pipeline of asatizah talents. They are also familiar with our way of life within Singapore's context. Since the curriculum review implemented over 20 years ago, madrasah students now are capable of pursuing either Islamic Studies at the higher education level or take up secular education. Mr Abdul Samad asked about the retention rate of students in the madrasah system. Every year, the madrasahs collectively enrol about 380 students at Primary 1. Within each cohort, about 50 students leave to join the national schools, either within the six years of primary school education, or after the PSLE. Among those who remain, about half will pursue post-secondary education in secular institutions. Today, about one in every four students who started their education in the madrasah graduate from the religious track and become asatizahs. One in every four students. Based on the Asatizah Manpower Planning Study, this is almost sufficient. Indeed, we should be proud that our madrasah students have no problems switching to secular education.”
“In working closely with its partners, MENDAKI had contributed to the very encouraging progress shown by the Malay/Muslim community. Over the past four decades, the proportion of Malay University graduates had increased multifold – from only four graduates in 1980 to almost 110 graduates in 2020, for every 1,000 Malays. Better education outcomes have also led to better career opportunities. The proportion of Malay PMETs has increased, from 7.2% in 1980 to 39% in 2020. This is more than five times! Congratulations! But we cannot be satisfied now and end our journey here, especially when we are faced with stiffer global competition and even more rapid changes in technology. Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad will elaborate on MENDAKI's efforts to expand support beyond the classroom to offer more strategic programmes, in fulfilling the evolving needs of our community. These efforts stress the need to imbue a culture of lifelong learning in our community, especially through upskilling, so that we remain relevant in the new economy. (In English): Chairman, as we speak of building relevant competencies for the new economy, we will also nurture future-ready asatizahs, our religious leaders, who are capable and confident in providing sound religious guidance in an ever-changing global landscape contextualised to Singapore's multi-religious, multiracial society. I will elaborate on MUIS' plans to shape a credible and resilient religious sector in the final speech of this segment.”
“While our economic progress has benefited many Singaporeans, it has also given rise to new challenges, particularly towards the vulnerable. Rising social inequality has become a common concern for many advanced economies. Such situations make it easy for new fault lines to emerge between different segments of society and threaten our social cohesion. In Singapore, we can avoid such a situation if we continue to ensure that social mobility remains alive. Therefore, for the vulnerable segments of our community, the Government and the community must continue to work hand-in-hand to ensure that they are well supported through the different life milestones. For example, the Government has rolled out several initiatives, such as support measures for early childhood education, to better prepare our young for the future – this is the best way to ensure social mobility. For our community, these have been further amplified with community initiatives by the M3 agencies – namely, MUIS, MENDAKI and MESRA – as well as those undertaken by other Malay/Muslim organisations, to further amplify support for those in need. Minister Mohamad Maliki will share our plans on how M3 reinforces our network of care for our community and families, as we empower and engage this segment of our community to achieve their aspirations. This year, Yayasan MENDAKI is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Some of us would have remembered then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's speech at the opening of the MENDAKI Congress at the Singapore Conference Hall in 1982, where he called for MENDAKI to raise the educational levels and thus the living standards of the community. I am pleased that MENDAKI had applied his advice over the past 40 years.”
“Chairman, I would like to thank the Members for their cuts. My speech in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] When Singapore became independent in 1965, many had thought that we would not survive. But we were not deterred. To ensure our survival, the Government's priority was to ensure access to affordable education, housing and healthcare. This became the bedrock for us to build strong families and caring communities. Even after more than five decades, our Singapore story continues to centre around a shared vision of a society that provides opportunities for all, regardless of race, language or religion. We were united and worked as one to uplift the lives of Singaporeans, including our Malay/Muslim community. The Census of Population 2020 has shown significant progress in education and household income for the Malay community when compared with 10 years ago. More Malay workers were also employed in fast-growing sectors such as information and communications, as well as financial and insurance services. I am heartened by this as it reflects the good progress of our education and employment outcomes over the decades. In the past few years, I have spoken about the three "C"s that make us a Community of Success – character, competence and citizenry. This year, I will focus on the development of our competencies, even as we build on our achievements to propel the community towards further success. This will be done through three key strategies. Firstly, reinforcing the network of care through M3; second, partnering the community and industry in building a competent workforce; and third, shaping a competent religious sector.”
“Yes. Put emphasis on personal responsibility, the role of the family and not just Government intervention. So, I hope that we do not get fixated by a publication, as popular as it is, but look at the broad literature and the outcomes that we have achieved so far.”
“For example, the call for $1,600 monthly income for a single or partnered household includes private enrichment classes, jewellery, perfume and therefore, in no way reflects what should be, at least, the basic necessity that we should meet for needy income households. Nonetheless, I will respect that this is an approach, a particular academic approach, and like the UK exercise, it should be seen as a reflection of what society aspires everyone to have for them, like what they want to have at least for themselves. Nonetheless, there are many other academic approaches to social spending. These include those around measuring outcomes on social mobility, like the publication I mentioned just now, as well as issues around social inclusion. In Singapore, for example, we make sure social inclusion is something we work very hard on. Hawker centres are a very good example where the rich and poor dine together under a community hall and they do not feel rich, do not feel poor. In the same way too, community clubs, even our housing estates, are designed for that. There are other studies which talk about how it should be done. For example, raising average incomes, building pathways for continuous improvement. These two studies that I have mentioned by the academics —”
“I will try to answer that in three minutes. Firstly, the data that talks about social mobility. This came from a study. The source is Chetty et al, 2014, and the authors are from the US, UK, Denmark; and our own estimates are updated by the authors using administrative data. The US is about 7.5% for the share of individuals who reach the top income quintile among those born to the bottom quintile. So, 7.5% and that is North America. For the UK, it is about 9%; Europe, 11%. In Singapore, it is maintained at about 14%, especially for those that we have estimated for the 1985 to 1989 cohorts. This is published, as I mentioned, by Chetty et al, from the US, UK, Denmark, Canada; the authors are from these countries. For the other issue on the publication by the academicians, particularly around what the Member called minimum income standards, this was responded to by MOF in October, giving its views about the minimum income standards. This was a study started in the United Kingdom in 2006. So, it is a relatively new approach in determining what are the benchmarks and standards to look at in alleviating poverty. For this particular standard, the idea is to determine what incomes different household types require to reach a socially acceptable living standard. It has nothing to do with determining what low-income families should get. As such, even the Singapore study reflects the processes and outcomes expected from the study by the UK condition and do not necessarily reflect the needs of the low-income households.”
“I just want to assure Ms Carrie Tan that we do not want a cliff effect and disincentivise someone from graduating. We are not there to kick people out of ComCare or get them out of ComCare because we just do not want to give them support. We want to enable them and, as mentioned in my speech, if Ms Carrie Tan has heard carefully, the SSOs are given discretion to continue support even after the person has found, for example, a job, a better job, a better paying job, and not suffer this cliff effect that we may have, inadvertently, through our policy, done in the past. This is not how we are going to go forward.”
“These include marriage, parenthood, adoption, fertility treatment even, housing and inheritance, amongst others. At the same time, we must continue to ensure that LGBT persons are protected from violence, harassment and abuse. For instance, the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) contains a range of both civil and criminal measures that can protect all victims and is meant to protect all victims against offences involving harassment and abuse. From MSF, through public education campaigns, such as Break the Silence, to raise awareness and encourage victims, regardless of nationality, marital status, gender, race, religion or even sexual orientation, to seek help early. We also urge the public to step forward to report violence and abuse where LGBT cases may be involved. Concerns surrounding section 377A and its implication will still have the potential to polarise society. It is an issue that involves deeply-held beliefs and values and divergent societal views and goals. We thank the religious, sectoral, civil society and LGBT groups that have shown support for civil dialogue and respect for the values of others, even when different from their own. We will continue to adopt the approach of civil dialogue, working with all, involving all stakeholders as we chart our own unique Singapore way forward, without creating sudden shifts and deep divisions in our society.”
“I thank the Member Mr Seah Kian Peng for his three questions to open up the clarifications. As Minister for Home Affairs and Law Mr K Shanmugam has shared, the Government recognises that section 377A of the Penal Code is a divisive issue. The Court has acknowledged that the Government's current approach on this matter avoids driving an even deeper wedge in our society. Our society can be described as largely traditional. However, we now have a wider range of views and attitudes where families and marriage are concerned. For example, take the attitude towards mixed marriages. More than 30 years ago, one in 10 of all marriages were inter-ethnic. Today, it is doubled – almost one in five. And you see this more common, even among ourselves and our Members here, very acceptable to our society. We, therefore, are not surprised that we are seeing an increasing acceptance of LGBT persons socially among Singaporeans. In fact, an IPS survey in 2019 showed that while small, 11.4% of the respondents felt that sexual relations between two same-sex adults were not wrong at all. This is still double the figure in 2013, which was about 5.6%. But while societal attitudes are gradually shifting, the majority value and wish to preserve the traditional family – that of a man and a woman marrying and raising the child or children in a stable family unit. This was also reflected in statements, consequent to Minister K Shanmugam's statement in Parliament recently, by various parties. Family continues to be the bedrock of our society and contributes to social stability, allows children to thrive. We will uphold the traditional family in our Government policies and laws, reflecting our societal norms and values.”
“To rally Singaporeans in celebrating the important role that families play in our lives, I am pleased to announce that MSF will dedicate 2022 as the "Year of Celebrating SG Families" (YCF). YCF will involve Government agencies, corporates and community partners, including the M3 agencies – namely MUIS, MENDAKI AND MESRA – as well as individuals and M3@Towns. There will be a range of celebratory events, programmes and useful family resources to look forward to. We will share more details soon. Strong and stable families shape individuals with resilience to strive and succeed. This is key to propelling the Malay/Muslim community forward. I will elaborate more on the support for the Malay/Muslim community in my MCCY speech. Mdm Chairman, the coming month of Ramadan represents the best opportunity for the Malay/Muslim community to continue strengthening our familial and community ties, while adhering to SMMs. Let us continue to support one another, especially those in need. Together, I am confident that we can build the best future for ourselves and our families. (In English): Singaporeans have weathered many trials together since Independence. We will be tested with many more trials to come, but our spirit of working together will keep us strong, no matter the challenges ahead. In our work at MSF, we will continue supporting and uplifting families at every stage of their lives. When families are strong, our nation, too, will be able to chart our way forward on a firm foundation for generations to come. [Applause.]”
“Families can also look forward to a National Family Week during the June holidays. Fun-filled events, promotions and family life education programmes will be lined up, including a family carnival; hopefully, with very little SMMs. YCF will also see the launch of a new family zone at Gardens by the Bay this July. We will share more in the coming months. Chairman, in Malay please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Chairman, families are the bedrock of our society. During difficult and challenging times such as during this pandemic, it is our families that we turn to for support and strength. I am thankful that family and family values continue to be treasured by Singaporeans, including the Malay/Muslim community. However, families will inevitably, face stressors along the way. In this regard, the Government has worked with the community to strengthen the family institution. Three years ago, we started the Bersamamu Programme, for Muslim solemnisers, the Kadi and Naib Kadi, to journey alongside Muslim soon-to-wed couples and newlyweds during their first two years of marriage. Today, more than 14,500 couples have benefited from this programme. We will continue to strengthen support to all families, especially those who need additional assistance. We will scale up KidSTART nationwide progressively and enhance support for families with children living in public rental housing through Community Link, or ComLink. It is heartening to see families which have done well coming forward to contribute. For example, many Malay/Muslim families have become foster parents to children in need. Others have adopted these children. Seeing them open their hearts, their families and their homes readily to children in need is, indeed, heartwarming and admirable.”
“Together with the Government and families, they care for those in need and reinforce the transmission of social values that we treasure, from one generation to the next. Last year, we celebrated the contributions of Singapore Women to our families and our society. Building on this momentum, I am pleased to announce that we will dedicate 2022 as the Year of Celebrating SG Families, or YCF. YCF will rally Singaporeans to celebrate the important role that families play in our lives, encouraging families to spend time together and galvanise whole-of-society support for families. This movement will be led by Families for Life, with the support of the Government as well as our community and commercial partners. YCF will comprise three components. First, MSF will engage the public and stakeholders via the Alliance for Action to Strengthen Marriages and Family Relationships and their partners, to explore how we can jointly act to strengthen families. The feedback will be consolidated into a Celebrating SG Families Plan, which will set out our society's commitment and support for families. We will unveil the Plan at the CIFA Regional Symposium & MSF Asian Family Conference 2022, in November. Second, families can look forward to celebratory events, programmes and useful family resources, with three themes – Celebrating Families; Championing Family-Friendly Workplaces and Culture; and Caring for Families. Finally, we will launch legacy projects that will last beyond YCF, symbolising the importance that we place on families in our society. We will start with the FamilyTrees planting initiative this Saturday. Parents can commemorate the birth of their baby by planting a tree – a reminder of the enduring role that families play in our lives.”
“We have also seen corporates stepping up to support SSAs during the pandemic. For example, Amazon Connect worked with WE CARE Community Services to remote-enable their call centres. NCSS and stakeholders from the people, private and public sectors are also working to refresh the Social Service Sector Strategic Thrusts, or 4ST. The refreshed roadmap will set out the sector's commitment to building more future-directed services and capabilities over the next five years. It will also advocate for more strategic partnerships between corporates, SSAs and other community partners. More details will be released later this year. These sector-wide developments will also benefit our social workers, who are at the heart of our social service sector and our Family Service Centres, or FSCs. Mr Leon Perera and Mr Louis Ng asked about support for our social workers and FSCs. FSCs are resourced based on the number and complexity of active cases. FSCs can hire more social workers if caseloads increase and allocate cases based on the workers' experience and complexity of cases. FSCs can tap on their accumulated programme reserves to hire additional manpower. In FY2020, 68% of FSCs had an average of at least 1.5 years of programme reserves. MSF works closely with FSC leadership to monitor the caseloads and hiring, and adopt supervision practices that support the welfare of our social workers. In this manner, MSF balances between being prescriptive and allowing FSCs flexibility and autonomy to respond to needs, while looking after our social workers' interest. Finally, our commitment to support families must also involve the community.”
“During my engagements with social service professionals, a common theme that emerged was the need to place the family at the centre of our interventions, to engage collaboratively with the families so that they feel involved and empowered to turn their lives around. I would like to share an example of the inspiring work of Big Love Child Protection Specialist Centre. Last year, Big Love worked with a family, where the father had repeatedly hit his children and spouse. After ensuring the children's safety, the centre worked with both parents to help them understand how their actions have negatively impacted their children. They also taught them to care for their children safely and responsibly. The centre also built a network of community support around the family, joining hands with NUH, Rotary Family Service Centre and Children's Wishing Well charity. Through a family-centric, collaborative approach, Big Love was able to help the family address their issues and heal. There has been no recurrence of harm since. The father also spends more time with his children now. Big Love's success is a testament to the critical role that our partners play on the ground in our endeavour to build strong families. I agree with Mr Seah Kian Peng that we must grow the capabilities of our many Social Service Agencies (SSAs), like Big Love, to support them in the good work that they do. We want to enable them to continue delivering quality, innovative and sustainable services to build strong families and meet growing needs. 11.30 am From April onwards, SSAs will be able to tap on the Community Capability Trust to fund their capability- and capacity-building efforts, for instance, in digitalisation or research and evaluation.”
“Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua will share more on how the Enabling Masterplan 2030 will achieve an even more inclusive Singapore. We cannot build an inclusive and caring society without everyone getting involved. We especially want to encourage Singaporeans who have done well to give back to society. I was glad to know that community donations have increased over the past decade, from about $1 billion in 2011 to over $1.5 billion in 2019, coupled with a rise in volunteerism. I agree with Ms Denise Phua that we can help volunteers play a more active role in uplifting those with less. Hence, we launched the MSFCare Network in January, bringing together over 3,000 volunteers and partners across almost 80 volunteering opportunities under a single umbrella Network. In fact, there are many families who are leading by example. Some foster children, providing a nurturing environment for them to flourish. Others adopt children in-need, giving them love and stable homes. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about the review of the Adoption of Children Act. MSF has consulted the public and stakeholders. We studied best practices around the world and intend to adapt some of them for Singapore, such as mandating pre-adoption assessments and criminalising undesirable practices. We plan to introduce the Adoption of Children Bill this year. We hope more families will be encouraged to step forward to achieve our shared vision of a more caring, just and equal society. Chairperson, in our work at MSF, beyond families, we join hands with many organisations in the social service sector whichnshare our vision of building a resilient society, underpinned by strong families.”
“In addition to those, we have also expanded other national initiatives – like KidSTART and UPLIFT; and enhanced the Fresh Start Scheme. Coordinated via ComLink, they support low-income families across multiple domains; enabling the Government to adopt a family-centric approach, rather than being agency-driven. Next, for families showing early signs of stress, the Strengthening Families Programme @ Family Service Centre, or we shorten it to call it FAM@FSC, brings together marriage and divorce support programmes and family counselling to support them in a more integrated and accessible manner. We will scale up to 10 FAM@FSC centres by the end of the year. For families with more complex needs, we provide specialised support. We will press on with our efforts to tackle family violence. The Government has accepted the 16 recommendations from the Taskforce on Family Violence. They will be implemented over the next few years. I thank Mr Faisal Manap for his suggestion to strengthen social safeguards for gambling at Singapore Pools outlets. We will continue reviewing social safeguards to ensure they stay relevant whilst balancing the need to divert gamblers from illegal operators which pose significant law and order, and social concerns. We will also continue working with the National Council on Problem Gambling to promote public awareness of the harms of excessive gambling. Families with members who are persons with disabilities may also face unique challenges. We have ramped up support for them over the years through our Enabling Masterplans. Today, we have a more inclusive education system for students with special needs, enhanced employment support for persons with disabilities and a growing ecosystem of support for caregivers.”
“We will partner selected solemnisers to mentor newlywed couples in their first year of marriage. This complements the suite of marriage preparation and enrichment programmes that help couples prepare for and strengthen their marriages. We have found early success in a similar programme for the Muslim community called Bersamamu, led by Minister of State Faishal Ibrahim, then in MSF. With the foundations of a strong marriage, couples will be more confident and ready for parenthood. We will also continue supporting couples on their parenting journey, by making Singapore a great place for raising families. We will enhance the quality, accessibility and affordability of our preschools. At the community level, MSF will support the Families for Life movement. We will integrate our ecosystem of support for families with children, especially across the social-health domains, as I shared at MOH's COS yesterday. As Dr Tan Yia Swam mentioned, we must also bolster support for our extended families – they provide an additional layer of comfort. We recognise that many extended families were unable to gather as often during the pandemic. The eventual easing of safe management measures (SMMs) and resumption of in-person activities would allow for extended families to gather, while staying safe. Intergenerational ties must remain strong. Let us show appreciation for our grandparents, grandaunts and granduncles. We invite Singaporeans to do so, by joining Families for Life's annual "Celebrating Our Grands" initiative. We also recognise that every family's journey is unique. Some face greater challenges and pressures, often beyond their control. We will do more to enable these families. Earlier, I spoke about our comprehensive range of support for low-income families.”
“Those who were more vulnerable felt the strain more acutely. There were also instances of domestic violence and greater mental health concerns, exacerbated by the stressors brought upon by the pandemic. Furthermore, as Mr Seah Kian Peng highlighted, longer-term challenges lie ahead even as we continue grappling with COVID-19. Although families have remained strong, the geopolitical uncertainty and changing nature of work are but some examples of new stressors placing a strain on more families. Marriage rates have declined over the past twenty years and couples are having fewer children. We are also seeing a higher proportion of divorces among more recent marriage cohorts. We must preserve our family core. The Government will journey alongside and support all families in Singapore. First, we will fortify the foundations of all families. Second, we will strengthen support for families with additional needs. Members, including Mr Murali Pillai and Ms Ng Ling Ling, have underscored the importance of strengthening our family core upstream. I cannot agree more. We must start early by fortifying the foundations of all families. This begins as early as when a couple commits to getting married. We must enable couples to build their marriage on a sound foundation with shared values, common understanding and trust. Marriage is a huge commitment – one of the biggest decisions that most of us will ever make in our lives. When two people become joined as one, it can be a big transition. There are times when differences arise and may not be resolved easily. The couple may then benefit from seeking counsel from a trusted person, who has journeyed with them from the start. This is why we are piloting the Journey with You (JOY) initiative.”
“Today, Mr Azman no longer requires ComCare assistance and his family is on the path towards home ownership. We will continue to strengthen the ecosystem of support so that more Singaporeans like Mr Azman and his family can be uplifted. Because, ultimately, our goal is to enable all Singaporeans to flourish – whatever their race, religion, differently abled or not. This brings me to my next point on the role of families as a core pillar of our Social Compact. Chairperson, strong families continue to be the bedrock of our society – a key pillar of strength and our first line of support, complemented by the community and enabled by the Government. The love and care that family members devote to one another are irreplaceable. In the face of adversity, our families protect and guide us back onto the right path, like a shining beacon, like a compass, always pointing towards the true north. Values that we treasure as a society – like love, care and concern, commitment and respect – are cultivated and transmitted through the family. Strong families also nurture resilient individuals who do well for themselves and their families and who, eventually, we hope, give back to the community. This is a virtuous cycle that we want to perpetuate and preserve. Our collective efforts have enabled many Singaporeans to form and raise strong families. Family remains a core part of Singapore's identity and values. Findings from MSF's latest "Social Attitudes of Singaporeans" survey show that Singaporean families continue to be close-knit. The strength of our families was also demonstrated through the pandemic. Families found new ways to support one another, making extra effort to show their love and concern. At the same time, we recognise the pandemic's uneven effects on different families.”
“Once their ComCare applications are approved, they will not need to submit separate applications to access other support schemes, like MOE Financial Assistance, covered by the bundle. Through the enhanced SupportGoWhere portal, clients can also apply for ComCare SMTA online, instead of visiting the SSOs in person. Finally, we have made a fundamental shift in our paradigm. Instead of waiting for clients to turn up at our offices, we want to turn up at their doors, so that we can address issues upstream. Hence, we have started scaling up Community Link (ComLink) nationwide. 11.15 am Under ComLink, families with children living in public rental housing will be supported by a team of befrienders. They will be the single touchpoint for these families, journeying with them, nudging them towards longer-term goals. Minister Desmond Lee and Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua will share more. Even through the early days of ComLink and working together with the community, we have enabled families to uplift themselves and improve their circumstances. Singaporeans like Mr Azman and his family are one example. Mr Azman and his family had been working as delivery personnel to support their two children. They lived in a 1-room rental flat and had incurred various arrears. With the help of ComLink befrienders and their SSO coordinator, they were encouraged to take small, actionable steps to improve their circumstances. They were also supported with ComCare assistance which enabled them to cope with their daily expenses and arrears, while they re-enrolled their son in student care and moved into a larger 2-room flat. The befrienders and SSO also referred the family to various programmes, enabling them to achieve financial independence in the long term.”
“For example, they may take up a Digital Marketing course to move into in-demand job roles, via the new SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme announced at MOE's Committee of Supply (COS). Before subsidies, they would have to pay $10,000. After subsidies, they pay less than $1,000, which can be further offset to as little as to no cost, using their SkillsFuture Credit. Eventually, with employment, they can build their assets through housing and CPF. We also know some in our society require permanent support. For them, we provide ComCare Long-Term Assistance. Together with philanthropy, the generosity of the public and corporates, we have made it possible to care for them as a collective. This exemplifies our shared ethos of a caring society. To ensure its adequacy, we review the ComCare coverage and quantum every two to three years. When doing so, we reference data on households' daily living expenses and seek input from experts and community stakeholders. While we strengthen our support at the policy level, we must also ensure that Singaporeans in need can access them. Many low-income families are often time-strapped, having to juggle multiple needs and demands. We do not want this to become a barrier for them to seek assistance. This is why we started a major effort to bring assistance closer to families in a more comprehensive, convenient and coordinated manner. From 2013 to 2015, we set up an islandwide network of 24 Social Service Offices, or SSOs. We have also been streamlining processes and facilitating data-sharing. For example, we will put together a schemes bundle to strengthen support for ComCare families with school-going children.”
“An educated and trainable workforce has continued attracting investments. Wages have grown, even after accounting for inflation, while many other advanced economies struggle with wage stagnation. Intergenerational mobility in Singapore is higher than that in North America and Europe, including for younger cohorts born from 1985 to 1989. Major shifts in policy have always been accompanied by efforts to enhance social assistance. Already, more is being done to protect Singaporeans against the rapid disruptions across economies. We must not allow inequality to be entrenched, as seen in many advanced economies. Going forward, addressing social needs will become even more complex. We did this over a decade ago when globalisation struck the world full-blown. Workfare and ComCare were rolled out and new features of our social security system, like Silver Support and MediShield Life, were introduced. Recently, we announced the expansion of the Progressive Wage Model to uplift more low-wage workers. ComCare is a key component of our social safety nets. ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance, or SMTA, enables families to tide over temporary periods of difficulty. When clients improve their circumstances, for example, after landing a new, better paying job, Social Services Offices (SSOs) can exercise flexibility to provide extended assistance. This gives them time to stabilise their finances and strengthens the incentive to gain self-reliance. Because ultimately, we want them to bounce back together and stronger. Hence, in Budget 2022, to be even more enabling, we have also expanded training subsidies for ComCare recipients, making it easier for them to reskill and access good job opportunities.”
“Family members, in turn, helped one another, because social assistance was very basic and reserved for the neediest. Neighbours and friends often chipped in. Just like the present crisis, everyone stepped up. Individuals, families, communities and the Government, all working together, hand in hand. Our Social Compact remains relevant, but has evolved over the years. By the early 1990s, we introduced schemes like Edusave and MediFund that benefit many Singaporeans today. HDB housing grants were also expanded. Today, eligible first-time homebuyers can receive grants of up to $80,000 for new flats or up to $160,000 for resale flats – making public housing affordable. We invested heavily in our preschools, schools and higher education system to give every Singaporean child the opportunities to succeed. This has proven to be one of the biggest enablers of our society. Through education, we enable Singaporeans to be self-reliant, as they gain skills and employment. And this, in turn, supports the building of assets, like housing and savings through the CPF, enabling them to care and provide for their families with dignity and, eventually, in retirement. Today, a Singaporean child can receive over $180,000 of education subsidies from the preschool years till the age of 16. Our tax and benefits system remains progressive. Low- and middle-income households continue to receive more benefits relative to taxes paid. We have come far. Today, around nine in 10 own their own homes. Even among the low-income, home ownership remains high. Our public healthcare system provides affordable, quality medical treatment for every citizen and is well-recognised internationally. On average, the Government spends over $230,000 in healthcare subsidies for each Singaporean over their lifetime.”
“Several Members have asked about the Government's plans to uplift the low-income in Singapore – Mr Leon Perera, Mr Seah Kian Peng and Ms Ng Ling Ling. It begins with Singapore's Social Compact, which Minister Lawrence Wong explained in the Budget speech. Our Social Compact is enabling. The Government creates conditions for growth and an enabling environment that provides affordable and quality education, healthcare and housing for all Singaporeans. Individuals work hard, doing the best for themselves and their families and this brings us dignity. Family members support one another through the ups and downs in life – our first line of support. Together, with the support of a caring community, the Government provides an extra hand to uplift Singaporeans in need – the low-income, the vulnerable and persons with disabilities; the citizens that MSF cares for, among others. Social mobility becomes possible even if inequality is unavoidable. It is Singapore's vaccination against permanent entrenchment. But we must remember that in Singapore's early days, housing, education and healthcare were nowhere near what we have today, not in terms of accessibility and much less in terms of quality. As a young nation, Singapore did not have much. But our pioneer leaders had the wisdom to prioritise education, housing and healthcare as the foundations of our Social Compact, alongside the CPF system for all Singaporeans – with discipline, decade after decade. Equally important, the Government successfully attracted investments into Singapore, creating job opportunities. Our forefathers worked hard because they took pride in being able to provide for their families in those hard times.”
“Chairperson, I thank Members for their thoughtful suggestions. We share the same vision of a more caring, inclusive and resilient Singapore. We are now into the third year of our fight against COVID-19. It has been a test – not only for our healthcare systems, but also our social structures and support systems. Hence, first and foremost, I thought to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all our social workers, social service professionals and volunteers. Throughout the pandemic, many of you stepped up – went the extra mile to care for and support Singaporeans in need, providing a critical line of social support in the community. We are deeply grateful. At MSF, we set up the National Care Hotline and rolled out key support schemes to protect individuals against income shocks and to meet their immediate needs, such as the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF) and COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG), where we disbursed a total of $440 million in assistance, supporting around 470,000 individuals. Subsequently, under the COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG), we have disbursed around another $60 million so far; so, in total, $500 million. This has supported around 27,500 individuals. At the same time, we also created over 5,000 jobs and skills opportunities in the social and early childhood sectors in the past year, including for persons with disabilities. Singaporeans from all walks of life, joined hands and we rose against the biggest crisis of our generation. We saw families and individuals supporting one another. Neighbours extending a helping hand. Corporates and community organisations stepping up, joining hands with the Government. This spirit of working together has helped and enabled us to overcome crisis after crisis – from our Independence till today.”
“We are also piloting an Inclusive Support Programme (InSP) to support children aged three to six, who require medium levels of EI support, to access both early childhood education and EI services within their preschool. These initiatives will help more children requiring varying levels of support access subsidised EI services.”
“Under the Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (PPIP) programme, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) appoints private sector operators to provide early intervention (EI) services for preschool-aged children requiring medium to high levels of EI support. Families are supported by relevant means-tested subsidies. The PPIP programme serves as a complement to the Government-funded Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) run by social service agencies. Parents whose children are referred to EIPIC can choose to enrol their child in an approved PPIP programme. ECDA is committed to ensuring the adequate provision of EI services for children with developmental needs. From April 2022, the number of centres providing the PPIP programme will be increased from 10 to 16, increasing the total number of PPIP programme places by 40%. Appointed centres have to participate in an open selection process and be evaluated in areas such as programme design, staff quality and centre management. To meet increased demand for subsidised EI services, we will also expand the number of EIPIC places through the construction of two new EI centres. These are expected to be ready by end of 2022 and mid-2024 respectively. Aside from increasing EIPIC and PPIP programme capacity, we have also expanded the range of EI services within preschools to support more children with developmental needs. For example, we introduced the Development Support Plus (DS-Plus) programme in 2019, to cater to children who have made sufficient progress under EIPIC and are able to transit to receiving intervention in a preschool setting.”
“To further defray the costs of caregiving in the community, MOH provides the Home Caregiving Grant to eligible individuals with at least permanent moderate disability. Eligible caregivers of persons with disabilities can also apply for the Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession if they need more help to look after their loved ones. Support for persons with disabilities and their families can be more effective when there is a whole-of-society effort involving the Government and the larger community. One community-led example is Project 3i under the SG Together Alliance for Action for Caregivers of Persons with Disabilities, formed by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and SG Enable. Project 3i was started by CaringSG, an organisation set up and led by caregivers, for caregivers. Project 3i aims to strengthen community support for caregivers by connecting them with others in the community, providing befriending and peer mentorship, and offering professional advisory support to help caregivers better navigate and access mainstream health and social services. We recognise that more can be done to support persons with disabilities and their families and have plans under the next Enabling Masterplan 2030 to improve and expand our services. We will share more about these when ready.”
“We have also piloted the "Take-A-Break" programme, which provides home-based care on a short-term basis to give caregivers some respite. We have been taking steps to improve the affordability and quality of our disability services. Fees for Government-funded EI programmes are subsidised to ensure affordability, with means-tested subsidies ensuring that lower-income families pay less. For instance, a family with a per capita household income (PCHI) of $1,000 per month pays $10 monthly for EIPIC while a family with a PCHI of $1,400 per month would pay $50. Eligible Singapore Citizen (SC) students in SPED schools from lower-income families are supported by the SPED Financial Assistance Scheme (funded by MOE and Community Chest), which covers full waiver of school fees, free textbooks and school attire, school meals and public transport subsidies. They may also be eligible for other support schemes. In July 2020, MSF enhanced subsidies and broadened the income criteria so that more households would qualify for the Student Care Financial Assistance Scheme (SCFA), thus improving the affordability of SSCC services for students with special needs. In October 2021, fee caps were put in place for DAC clients from households with gross per capita household income of $2,800 per month or less, to help lower their out-of-pocket expenses. MSF has also enhanced funding support for ADHs (from 1 July 2021) and DACs (from 1 October 2021) to raise their quality of care and service standards. MSF subsidises the cost of purchasing assistive technology devices through the Assistive Technology Fund (ATF). ATF was enhanced in February 2022 to cover a wider range of devices to enable independent living and to provide higher subsidies for Singaporeans of PCHI between $801 and $2,000.”
“As they reach schooling age, students with special educational needs receive support in mainstream schools or in SPED schools depending on their level of need. In mainstream schools, Allied Educators (Learning and Behaviour Support) and Teachers Trained in Special Educational Needs partner closely with parents. In SPED schools, in addition to trained SPED teachers, students are supported by Allied Professionals including psychologists and occupational therapists and families can receive support from each school's Social Worker. Beyond their schooling years, persons with disabilities can tap on various MSF-funded services to meet their needs. The Open Door Programme helps those who are work-capable and independent with job placement and job support. The School-to-Work (S2W) Transition Programme provides work-capable SPED graduates with supported work placements and job coaches to prepare them for open employment. Sheltered Workshops (SWs) offer skills training and work therapy for those who are not yet ready for, or unable to take up open employment. Day Activity Centres (DACs) provide day care programmes for persons with disabilities who are not work-capable and live with their families. Adult Disability Homes (ADHs) provide residential care and the Home-based Behavioural Intervention Services (HBIS) pilot programme supports those with behavioural needs who are unsuitable for centre-based services. We also offer services to support caregivers who need respite. Special Student Care Centres (SSCCs) provide before-and-after school care service for students aged seven to 18. DACs offer part-time day programmes, while Children Disability Homes and ADHs provide short-term residential care.”
“MSF, MOE, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and SG Enable offer a range of services and programmes to support persons with disabilities and their families, from the early years to adulthood. SG Enable was set up in 2013 to support persons with disabilities and is now the single touchpoint for disability and caregiver support services. Caregivers of persons with disabilities who need information to better care for their loved ones and themselves may access the Enabling Guide at www.enablingguide.sg. They can also access information on disabilities in general, as well as available disability services, schemes, caregiver training opportunities and informal caregiver support groups. Caregivers who need referrals to disability services for their loved ones may also approach SG Enable. Today, there are preschools and early intervention (EI) centres which enrol and provide support for children under the age of seven with developmental needs. Children under the age of seven with developmental needs can receive intervention through Government-funded EI programmes. Children who require low levels of EI support are supported by the Development Support - Learning Support (DS-LS) and Development Support Plus (DS-Plus) programmes, in a preschool setting. For children who require medium to high levels of EI support, they are supported through the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC), provided at EI centres. Additionally, ECDA is piloting an Inclusive Support Programme (InSP) which integrates both early childhood and EI services at preschools for children aged three to six, who require medium levels of EI support. These EI programmes also provide training for caregivers to equip them with the skills and knowledge to support their child at home.”
“FSCs serve individuals and families with social and emotional needs and provide case management to coordinate support from other agencies. The mean and median number of dwelling units within each FSC's service area are about 32,000 and 30,000 respectively.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2022/2023, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”