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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“As I mentioned, the number that is rejected on the basis of MediSave contributions is very, very low; less than 1%. This testifies to the commitment by the 99% or more SEPs who actually are very committed to grow their MediSave account, and I think we should compliment them and reward them and not, on the other hand, loosen too much on this MediSave contribution criterion. Having said that, for everyone who needs help, we will extend help as much as we can. Even if they cannot qualify for CRG, I know, our SSOs look for every other means to help them to ensure that they are not somehow in dire need because of not meeting specific criteria of CRG or other assistance plans.”
“Applicants failing to meet the job search or training criterion accounted for less than 1% of unsuccessful CSG applications and around 3% of unsuccessful CRG applications as of 27 June 2021. The Member also asked about the CRG criterion for SEPs to fulfil their MediSave contribution obligations. All working individuals should regularly contribute to their CPF for their retirement and future healthcare needs. As SEPs do not receive MediSave contributions from employers, they are required to contribute to their own MediSave accounts based on their past years' declared earnings. To qualify for a second tranche of CRG assistance, SEP applicants should either not have any outstanding MediSave contributions or commit to making contributions via a GIRO instalment plan with CPF Board. We have waived this requirement for those applying for their first tranche of CRG to allow eligible SEPs to receive timely assistance and give them more time to make arrangements for their MediSave contributions. Individuals who do not meet the MediSave contribution criterion make up less than 1% of the unsuccessful CRG applications by SEPs. I would like to encourage those who do not meet the qualifying criteria for CRG, but are facing extenuating circumstances and need help, to approach our Social Service Offices (SSOs). Our SSOs will look into ways to support them and may also link them to other assistance schemes or community partners for further assistance, if necessary.”
“Thank you. Both CSG and CRG assist lower to middle income resident employees who, as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19, are: (a) Involuntarily unemployed due to retrenchment or contract termination; (b) Placed on involuntary no-pay leave for at least three consecutive months; or (c) Experiencing significant salary loss for at least three consecutive months. CRG also supports self-employed persons (SEPs) who experience significant loss in net trade income for at least three consecutive months. Applications for the CSG closed on 31 December 2020, while CRG is open for applications until 31 December 2021. For both CSG and CRG, applicants experiencing job loss are required to provide supporting documents for their job search or training efforts. They can include attending job interviews or applying for training opportunities via Government-linked touchpoints like the MyCareersFuture and MySkillsFuture portals. Employees who are employed but are experiencing income loss or are on involuntary no-pay-leave are exempted from this criterion because they are still working or may be recalled to work and, hence, will face more difficulty committing to job search or training. SEP applicants who wish to remain in their current sector or trade can provide supporting evidence of their attempts to contact new clients or search for new business opportunities, in lieu of job search and training. We have also implemented the COVID-19 Recovery Grant – Temporary (CRG-T), which facilitates quicker assistance to those who are economically affected during this period of Heightened Alert. As it may be challenging for applicants to find jobs or undertake training under the tightened safe management measures, CRG-T does not have job search and training conditions.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Member, Mr Leon Perera1 has also filed a question on the proportion of rejected applications due to the job search and training requirement for the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) and COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG) for a subsequent Sitting. I will address both Questions in this reply. May I, Mdm Deputy Speaker?”
“The Sabbatical Leave Scheme (SLS) is one of several initiatives that MSF and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) have put in place to support in-sector social service professionals. The SLS is available to social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, counsellors and teachers in the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) with at least five years of direct work experience in their respective professional fields in the sector. It offers up to $45,000 in support, comprising up to 10 weeks of paid leave for seasoned professionals to recharge themselves and a Professional Advancement Sponsorship to refresh their professional competencies. From April 2016 to March 2021, 136 social service professionals have benefited from the SLS, of which around 80% were social workers. The breakdown of SLS awardees per annum is in Table 1. As at 31 December 2020, there were 1,622 social workers registered with the Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board.”
“These courses aim to deepen their understanding of the social service sector and facilitate networking with experienced social workers and peers. MSF also supports the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) in providing clinical supervision and mentoring to less experienced social workers. Additionally, MSF partners SSAs to promote self-care and retention for social workers.”
“MSF is committed to building a strong core of professionals in the social service sector. We collect data, such as information on accreditation of social workers and staff turnover in the sector, that help our Ministry to plan for manpower needs for the sector. However, we do not collect data on the retention of fresh graduate social workers in social work professions over time. Social workers are employed in a range of settings from the social service sector to the healthcare and education sectors where the profession is able to be part of the multi-disciplinary system. A change in profession may occur for a variety of reasons and there is also re-entry into the sectors, for example, when their family commitments are lessened. Given that social workers work in a diverse range of organisations, it would not be practical to track changes in employment for all individuals with social work qualifications and such data is insufficient to determine whether there are retention issues without the context of qualitative feedback. Nevertheless, we recognise that retention efforts are key. We continue to work closely with Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to understand their manpower needs and collect feedback from social service professionals, including on whether there are retention issues and the reasons why social workers may decide to leave the profession. This will enable us to better work with the sector on development and retention efforts and ensure that social workers are adequately supported in their professional journey. To support fresh social work graduates entering the social service sector, the Social Service Institute (SSI) offers onboarding programmes that equip new social workers with foundational knowledge of various social work settings.”
“The PCICS is a programme that was co-created by the community of asatizah and was led by Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, then Senior Minister of State, when he chaired the Committee on Future Asatizah (COFA). In fact, we got 1,900 participants to contribute to the ideas, content and so forth. What we have today is quite new. But I think the most important thing to preserve is the rigour of the curriculum. I agree with the Member that we do have to have some elements of internship but we do have to balance that with the justifiable comment that the length of the course must also be not just adequate but also appropriate. Being the first run of the PCICS this year, we will definitely have to review and look at what will be best for our community, the outcomes of the PCICS as well as take in the interests of the students and their future. We will update Members later when there are new developments as we run a few more terms of the PCICS and after more cohorts have graduated from the course.”
“Our social assistance framework comprises multiple lines of assistance. At the national level, ComCare is a key component of our social safety net, which provides eligible low-income families who are unable to meet their basic living needs with a comprehensive package of assistance. The COVID-19 MUIS Support Fund (CMSF) was launched in August 2020 to provide one-off financial assistance to eligible Muslim households who were economically impacted by the pandemic. Households that had a per-capita-income (PCI) of between $400 and $1,000 and were not receiving assistance under the Zakat Financial Assistance (FA) or ComCare schemes were eligible to apply. There were 5,547 successful applications for the one-off financial assistance under CMSF. Those who qualified were also encouraged to apply for the Zakat FA. Today, about 370 of these households continue to be supported with monthly Zakat FA. MUIS also directs Zakat FA beneficiaries who are eligible for further ComCare support to the Social Service Offices (SSOs).”
“Strong parent-centre partnerships are important to support the development and well-being of children in preschools. The quality of these partnerships is enhanced when there is regular communication between parents and the preschool. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), which oversees the licensing of private childcare centres and kindergartens in Singapore, as well as MOE, which oversees MOE Kindergartens, requires preschools to record their observations and assessment of children’s key areas of learning and development and to share this information with parents or guardians at least once every six months. For infants, this must be done every three months. Preschools typically share the child’s progress in learning and development with parents during parent-teacher meetings. MOE and ECDA do not stipulate the language to be used for parent-teacher meetings and preschools have the flexibility to conduct these meetings in the language that is most comfortable for both the parents and teacher. The meetings are usually conducted by the preschool teacher according to the teacher’s medium of instruction (that is, in the English Language (EL) for the EL teacher and in the respective Mother Tongue Language (MTL) for the MTL teacher). However, where the parent is unable to communicate in a particular language, the teacher may choose to communicate in a language that the parent can understand, if the teacher is able to. The EL teacher may also support the MTL teacher in communication with parents, where required.”
“Persons experiencing family violence may seek help from the Family Service Centres (FSC) and Family Violence Specialist Centres (FVSC). Where the safety risk is high or there is no safe and suitable alternative accommodation option, FSCs, FVSCs and the Police can refer women and children facing violence to community-based crisis shelters for temporary accommodation, while social service professionals work through safety plans and longer-term housing arrangements with them. The crisis shelters do not track the source of the referrals, although a majority of their residents are known to either FSCs or FVSCs. On average, crisis shelters take in about 180 family violence cases each year. The average duration of stay for residents in the crisis shelters was as follows: Residents are discharged from crisis shelters when they have found alternative safe accommodation. Many stay with their families and friends, or return to their own flats. A small proportion go on to reside in public rental housing or transitional shelters:”
“We believe that celebrating Golden Jubilee marriages in the midst of COVID-19 will serve as an inspiration and a reminder to us all that marriages can and do emerge stronger from life’s storms and challenges.”
“The Golden Jubilee Wedding Celebrations (GJWC) is an initiative to celebrate both Civil and Muslim marriages that last 50 years or more. It honours couples in Singapore who exemplify commitment and strong marriages and provides the opportunity for them to celebrate a memorable milestone with their families. This initiative was suggested by Mr Murali Pillai in 2017 to celebrate and reinforce family values, which led to the inaugural GJWC held at the Istana on 17 March 2018. The following GJWC was held on 13 April 2019 at the Raffles City Convention Centre. While we were unable to hold a physical event for the GJWC in 2020 due to safe management measures for the pandemic, we continued to celebrate the Golden Jubilee anniversary of 152 couples who had signed up for the event. This included the delivery of special commemorative packages to the couples, containing a commemorative certificate from President Halimah Yacob, a congratulatory note from Minister Masagos Zulkifli, a medallion and a photo memento. We also featured their stories on local media platforms and congratulatory Facebook messages were posted by President Halimah Yacob and Minister of State Sun Xueling. This safe manner to celebrate with the Golden Jubilee couples was well-received by the couples who appreciated the arrangements. It also garnered positive responses with almost 2,500 likes along with 250 positive comments on the posts and videos published. Singaporean netizens congratulated the couples on the celebration of their marriages. This year, we will continue to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Wedding Celebrations in a safe manner.”
“The Government offers the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) levy concession to families of persons who require assistance with at least one Activity of Daily Living (ADL)1. As of 31 March 2021, there were more than 3,000 families who benefited from the FDW levy concession under this criterion. The levy concession allows caregivers to pay the FDW levy at a concessionary rate of $60 a month, instead of $300 for the first FDW. The Government also offers the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) to provide additional support for long-term caregiving needs. The HCG provides a monthly $200 cash payout to eligible persons who require assistance with at least three ADLs and can be used flexibly to defray caregiving expenses. As of 31 March 2021, more than 31,000 beneficiaries have received the HCG. Individuals can qualify for either or both schemes if they require assistance with ADLs, regardless of whether the assistance is required due to physical or cognitive impairment. The Government does not collect data on whether beneficiaries of the FDW levy concession and HCG have cognitive impairments, as the qualifying criterion for these schemes is functional impairment. Information on both schemes are available on the websites of the MSF, MOH, MOM, SG Enable and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). Social Service Agencies in the disability sector also help to share information on these two schemes with their clients. Families can apply for both schemes through the AIC.”
“S3Ps are an important initiative of the PEERS Network. They have embodied the Singapore Together spirit as the Government and community partners work in collaboration to support those who sleep rough. MSF will continue to work with our partners to provide social support to the S3P residents and to explore the possibility of setting up new S3Ps as needed.”
“As of 31 May 2021, there were 20 Safe Sound Sleeping Places (S3Ps) operated by community partners under the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) Network. S3Ps are unfunded ground-up initiatives that provide rough sleepers and homeless persons with a safe environment in which they can rest for the night. They also make it easier for befrienders and social service agencies to keep in touch with rough sleepers and homeless persons to provide social support in a timely manner. As of 31 May 2021, the occupancy rate of S3Ps was 93%. The median number of nights spent by residents at the S3Ps was approximately five months. About 45% of those who stay in S3Ps have sought shelter there regularly for at least six months. In terms of the profile of S3P residents, some of them are unable to return home; or have lost their accommodation due to tensions with family members or co-tenants; loss of income; or other issues such as divorce. Some others have been affected by travel restrictions due to COVID-19 and are unable to return to their country of residence. Those who are waiting out the travel restrictions and looking for alternative housing options have been some of the longer stayers at S3Ps. MSF has been working closely with our community partners to link up residents at the S3Ps with help agencies so that they can get the appropriate support. Individuals who are prepared to work with social workers to secure stable long-term housing are referred to MSF-funded Transitional Shelters. We also refer them to appropriate help agencies such as the Social Service Offices (SSOs), Family Service Centres (FSCs) and HDB that can work with them on their immediate needs and underlying issues to improve their circumstances.”
“In the past five years, the number of social workers has grown with the launch of Singapore University of Social Sciences’ Bachelor in Social Work programme in 2016. This augments the pipeline of graduates from the National University of Singapore, Bachelor of Arts in Social Work programme. Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes in the form of part-time undergraduate degrees, graduate diplomas and master’s by coursework programmes also contribute to the pipeline of social workers. MSF and National Council of Social Service (NCSS) also support mid-career professionals who are interested to join the sector as a social worker through the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP). The PCP enables mid-career professionals to undergo skills conversion and move into new job roles as social workers. As of end-2020, there were 2,100 registered social workers1. We expect the supply of social workers to be sufficient to meet the increase in demand in the coming years. The demand for social services is expected to grow with demographic changes and the growing complexity of needs. MSF and NCSS will continue to work with MOE to plan the pipeline of graduates from the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) with social work qualifications. We will also continue to work with Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to ensure the attractiveness of jobs in the sector, through measures such as improving SSAs’ human resource competencies and promoting the Sector Salary Guidelines that provide a reference for SSAs to offer competitive remuneration packages.”
“11 Beach Road is a six-storey commercial property with a land area of 714 square metres and a total lettable area of 3,202 square metres. The building was purchased from the collective sale proceeds of 43 wakaf assets. The income from 11 Beach Road is mainly derived from the rental of commercial spaces. It is distributed to the 43 wakaf based on their shareholding. Since the migration, the building has disbursed a total of $23.79 million to the various shareholders.”
“The Taxi Subsidy Scheme helps to defray the cost of taxis and private hire vehicles, for Persons with Disabilities attending school, work or employment-related training. The scheme is designed for individuals who meet the means-test criteria, and are medically certified to be unable to take public transport. MSF has increased the monthly per capita household income from $2,600 to $2,800 in January 2020 to enable more individuals to qualify for the scheme. Currently, we do not have any individuals on the scheme who exceed the per capita household income criteria. Needy individuals who miss the criteria may appeal and we will assess them on a case-by-case basis. Besides the Taxi Subsidy Scheme that subsidises transportation to schools, training venues and workplaces, MSF also subsidises the cost of dedicated transport for Persons with Disabilities attending Government-funded programmes through the Voluntary Welfare Organisation Transport Subsidy Scheme. These Government-funded programmes include the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children, Day Activity Centres, Sheltered Workshop and Special Student Care Centres. Eligible Persons with Disabilities who require assistance in travelling to medical appointments or treatment at acute and community hospitals, specialised outpatient clinics and polyclinics, may also tap on the Medical Escort and Transport service administered by the Agency for Integrated Care. MSF will continue to review our transport subsidy schemes periodically to ensure that they remain relevant and affordable for our clients.”
“Social workers in Family Service Centres (FSCs) partner individuals and families to address their social needs. In the past five years (FY2016 to FY2020), the FSCs served an average of 350 clients each per year, with an average of 22 cases per social worker. Caseloads vary across FSCs, depending on factors such as the profile of the community served and the manpower situation in each FSC. MSF does not have readily available data on the number of cases managed by each social worker with or without supervisory duties. The FSCs have autonomy on how they distribute cases. MSF maintains a close watch over the total caseload and overall manpower situation of the FSCs on an ongoing basis. The Ministry engages FSCs regularly to understand their situations and challenges, especially those with higher caseloads or higher staff turnover, and works with them on possible solutions such as hiring more social workers and attending to staff development. MSF provides funding to the FSCs based on their caseloads. Before FY2018, MSF funding was disbursed in blocks and did not take into account the risks and complexity of each case. Since FY2018, to better tailor funding to the resourcing needs of the FSCs, MSF funds FSCs based on the actual number of cases managed, with higher funding given to cases with higher risks and complexity. This revised funding approach more precisely meets the resourcing needs of the FSCs. Based on the resourcing provided, the FSCs have the flexibility to hire staff to match their case mix and client risk profile.”
“This arrangement allows the wakaf to grow its assets in the long run. The wakaf will have two assets at the end of the leasehold period: the share of the current property at 11 Beach Road and the original property.”
“Under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), MUIS is tasked with the administration of all wakaf in Singapore to ensure that wakaf properties remain viable and maximise returns for the intended beneficiaries. MUIS carries out these duties with the advice of the Fatwa Committee. Wakaf Haji Pitchay Meerah Hussain comprised a property at No 5 Lorong 9 Geylang that was bequeathed by the late Haji Pitchay Meerah Hussain, also known as the "wakif" (or bequeather) in 1920, who intended it to be used as a madrasah. Prior to 2000, the wakaf was managed by the trustees appointed through the order of the Court. Upon the demise of one of the trustees, the other surviving trustee retired in 2000 and since then, MUIS directly manages the wakaf. The wakaf was not operating as a madrasah when it was handed over to MUIS, and the property was in a dilapidated state. It was also not generating any income. Given this, MUIS considered various options to best achieve the objectives intended by the wakif. Based on the approach of istibdal wakaf which was laid out in a fatwa, selling and migrating the property to one with better prospects and channelling the returns to support madrasah education, met this objective. Therefore in 2002, MUIS migrated the wakaf to 11 Beach Road, a 999-year leasehold commercial property. Since the wakaf’s migration, MUIS has disbursed the yields from the property at 11 Beach Road to our full-time madrasahs, which is aligned with wakif’s original intent wish. The property at No 5 Lorong 9 Geylang was sold and transferred to external parties on a 199-year leasehold basis, where lessees are then subject to the zoning regulations set by the authorities. During this time, the wakaf property is at 11 Beach Road.”
“Rather, our Social Service Offices assess each application holistically and provide financial assistance to those assessed unable to afford basic living expenses. Flexibility may also be exercised on a case-by-case basis. MSF reviews the ComCare provision and eligibility criteria every two to three years to ensure that ComCare objectives are being met. The last review was conducted in 2019 and we plan to next review the criteria in 2022.”
“The mean and median monthly cash assistance amounts were around $600 and $500 per household respectively. This cash assistance is in addition to assistance for rental, utilities, and service and conservancy charges, and 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, and childcare and student care subsidies. The majority of SMTA households are one- to two-person households. LTA is provided to those who are assessed to be permanently unable to work and whose circumstances are unlikely to change significantly. It is typically renewed annually when the Social Service Offices conduct a well-being check with beneficiaries, to ensure that they continue to receive the range of support they require. The monthly cash assistance amount for LTA beneficiaries depends on the size of their households. About 90% of LTA beneficiaries are from one-person households and they receive $600 per month. Therefore, the mean and median monthly cash assistance is around $600. LTA beneficiaries also receive subsidised medical care at public healthcare institutions and additional assistance for specialised or one-off needs, such as medical equipment or household appliances. Most applications are processed within four weeks once the necessary documents have been submitted by the applicants, and almost all applications are processed within six weeks. SMTA has income eligibility criteria of a monthly household income of $1,900 and below or per capita household income of $650 and below. The income criteria for ComCare schemes are not hard thresholds.”
“ComCare provides assistance to low-income households for their basic living expenses. ComCare Long-Term Assistance (LTA) is provided to those who are permanently unable to work due to old age, illness or disability, and have little or no means of income and family support. Households that require help to tide over temporary financial difficulty are provided with ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA). Social Service Offices (SSOs) assess the household’s income and expenses, and provide SMTA to cover the shortfall in income to meet basic living expenses. In 2020, to provide ComCare beneficiaries with a longer runway to regain stability during the economic downturn, MSF automatically extended the duration of ComCare assistance for existing ComCare beneficiaries by six months. This applied to ComCare beneficiaries whose assistance ended in May to October last year. In addition, new ComCare beneficiaries during April to December last year generally received at least six months of assistance. The approval rates for ComCare applications made in 2020 were 70% for SMTA and 98% for LTA. The most common reason for unsuccessful ComCare applications is that applicants were assessed to have stable income that was sufficient to meet their basic living expenses. Other reasons why applications are not approved include clients withdrawing their applications to apply for other assistance schemes, for example, the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG), and clients not submitting supporting documents. MSF does not track the number of appeals. With the flexibilities mentioned earlier, the mean and median duration of cash assistance for SMTA beneficiaries as at 31 December 2020 were around six months.”
“Taken together, these efforts would support single unwed parents not just during the pandemic, but in their parenthood journey as a whole. We will continue to review our policies to better support single unwed parents in raising their children. The Baby Bonus Cash Gift is intended to encourage parenthood within marriage. The Parenthood Tax Rebate and Working Mother’s Child Relief (WMCR) are also intended to support parenthood within marriage and to encourage married mothers to continue working after childbirth. These schemes are thus not extended to single unwed parents.”
“A Singaporean child will receive over $180,000 of education subsidies in total by the time he turns 16. This includes about $50,000 in Government subsidies over five years when they enrol in a full-day childcare programme with one of the Anchor Operators. These are available to all Singaporean children born to parents wed or unwed. Together with our tripartite partners, we launched a new Tripartite Standard on Work-Life Harmony earlier this year, which encourages employers to not just provide flexible work arrangements, but also other measures that help employees better balance work and family commitments, like enhancing leave policies and providing suitable work arrangements for those with family caregiving needs. Single unwed parents requiring support with their basic living expenses can approach our Social Service Offices (SSOs). Our SSOs will assess their households’ needs and circumstances, and provide ComCare financial assistance if they meet the criteria. Our SSOs may also refer them to other Government agencies and community partners for further support. Family Service Centres (FSCs) also work with single unwed parents and their children to address their family-related and/or social-emotional needs, and coordinate support from other agencies should they require additional support services, such as childcare services or employment assistance. As the COVID-19 pandemic has affected businesses and livelihoods of Singaporeans, we have also introduced schemes during this period, such as the COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG) and COVID-19 Recovery Grant – Temporary (CRG-T), to assist lower- to middle-income employees and Self-Employed Persons (SEPs) who are facing involuntary job loss, No-Pay Leave or significant income loss.”
“Our Marriage and Parenthood (M&P) policies seek to promote and strengthen the institution of family and encourage parenthood within marriage. Nevertheless, we recognise the challenges that single unwed parents face in having to single-handedly raise their children, and the likely added financial stress during this pandemic. We take a two-pronged approach to assist single unwed parents. First, benefits to support the growth and development of children are given to parents of all Singaporean children, regardless of their marital status. Second, we provide targeted, customised support to address their financial and other needs holistically, even more so in this pandemic. Let me explain. Our approach is to enable all Singaporean children to receive Government benefits that support their caregiving, growth and development, regardless of their parents’ marital status. For instance, since 2016, we have extended the Child Development Account benefits to Singaporean children of single unwed parents, including the $3,000 First Step Grant and matched co-savings from Government. Families can benefit from up to $6,000 and $9,000 in Government contributions to the CDA for their first and second child, and even more for subsequent children. Next, in 2017, we also extended 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave to single unwed mothers. Working parents (both wed and unwed) are also entitled to six days of paid Childcare Leave per year for children aged below seven years, or two days for children aged seven to 12 years. Lastly, schemes that benefit all Singaporean children such as subsidies for education, healthcare, childcare and infant care, and the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession have been extended to them over the years.”
“We hope that the partnership between our women and men will deepen and grow, with respectful relations and equitable family roles as the cornerstone. This can help create a conducive environment for marriages to thrive. While the Government has put in place measures to support married women and strengthen marriages, the family and community continue to play important roles in effecting a mindset shift for men to share the responsibilities that women carry at home.”
“Ever since the circuit breaker, the Government has worked closely with partners like Families for Life (FFL) and the Centre for Fathering, which drives the Dads for Life and Mums for Life movements, to intensify online resources so both mothers and fathers can better cope with the greater family and household demands. FFL has also organised the ongoing series of #AskFFL interviews where both moms and dads can ask FFL’s experts on a wide range of topics including infant care, home-based learning and positive parenting. These efforts promote joint parenting, which strengthens marriages as husbands and wives mutually support one another and talk through difficulties they encounter with their children or with one another. An Online Counselling pilot was launched in April 2020 during the pandemic. It is a service provided by the Community Psychology Hub and funded by MSF to provide support to individuals who are going through marital, divorce and parenting difficulties over live chat and email counselling. We encourage all who require support to use this service. The Government also continues to encourage companies to support their employees by adopting flexible work arrangements (FWAs) and other work-life practices, especially since parents have had to adjust their childcare and work-from-home routines frequently given the unpredictability of the pandemic situation. While these measures were enhanced during the pandemic, the Government will monitor the effects of the higher use of FWAs and study ways to entrench best practices. MSF has dedicated 2021 as the Year of Celebrating SG Women to recognise the importance of our women’s contributions.”
“I believe the Hon Member is referring to the recent study by Assoc Prof Tan Poh Lin of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and her co-authors on gendered roles in time spent on household responsibilities. This study found that mothers’ marital satisfaction fell during and after the circuit breaker last year. While the amount of household responsibilities increased for both mothers and fathers, Dr Tan noted that mothers still shouldered a larger share of the responsibilities which could be one reason for the slide in marital satisfaction. A similar theme surfaced during the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development. Participants expressed their hope for men and women to share household responsibilities more equally, not only during the pandemic but beyond it as well. Our approach has been to encourage fathers to take on more household tasks as well as be actively involved in raising their children, as there is evidence that this leads to stronger marriages and better child outcomes. Hence, even before the pandemic, the Government had progressively enhanced parental leave schemes over the years to enable fathers to play a bigger role. In 2017, the Government mandated the second week of Paternity Leave and increased Shared Parental Leave from one to four weeks. Fathers have up to a year from their child’s birth to use these leave provisions. In total, fathers can now enjoy up to eight weeks of leave in their child’s first year to bond with their newborns and care for their wives. This would include six days of paid Childcare Leave and up to six days of unpaid Infant Care Leave, both of which are extended equally to working fathers and mothers.”
“MUIS is committed to ensuring that our madrasahs and mosques remain inclusive spaces for both men and women, where all Muslims can develop their full potential and be strong contributors to society.”
“Each madrasah has at least one teacher who has been formally trained to address such issues and two roving counsellors deployed by Club HEAL to support students who require such services. MUIS works closely with the mosques to handle allegations and incidents of sexual harassment. These include putting in place anti-harassment policies and procedures for reporting such incidents, including the necessary support for victims. MUIS is currently engaging the madrasahs and mosque clusters to review their policies and procedures for reporting incidents of harassment. We expect the revised policies to be fully implemented later this year. Men and women are of equal worth in Islam. The special position of women in Islam is one of the core teachings of the faith, where Muslims are taught the need to treat all women with respect, honour and dignity. This high regard for women is embedded in our madrasahs’ ethos. For example, three out of our six full-time madrasahs have female school principals. The proportion of female madrasah students taking up leadership positions such as head prefect, in student councils, and Co-Curricular Activity clubs, is similar to the proportion of females in the school population. Both men and women have equal opportunities to volunteer and serve in various appointments in mosques. Many full-time mosque staff are women, with some serving as mosque managers and heads of departments for corporate services and social development. There are also women holding leadership positions such as the vice chairperson in the mosque management board and women leading committees that plan and organise events for the congregants.”
“Our madrasahs incorporate sexuality education in their existing curriculum for both male and female students. While this is not a standalone subject, it is covered substantially within the syllabus through topics like boy-girl relationships, gender, sexuality, and managing issues relating to self-image, puberty and adolescence, as well as managing peer pressure. This is targeted at students aged 13 to 16 years old. Beyond the classroom, madrasah students have the opportunity to participate in youth engagement programmes that address these issues and are offered at the inter-school or national level. For example, the National Youth Council’s Youth Conversations in 2019 helped madrasah students gain awareness and engage other youths on issues such as equality, mental health, and jobs and the economy. Part-time madrasahs in the mosques also conduct holiday programmes for students aged nine to 15 years old, to expose them to religious guidance on issues that affect young people. The Islamic education curriculum for madrasahs are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain relevant in addressing emerging issues and developments affecting our Muslim children and youths. Madrasah staff attend talks and programmes to equip themselves with skills to respond to incidents of sexual harassment. Full-time madrasahs currently have an ongoing partnership with Club HEAL, a local Malay/Muslim organisation which offers assistance for people with mental illness. Club HEAL organises talks for madrasah teachers to communicate effectively with distressed students and raise their awareness of mental health issues. There are also programmes to train teachers through certified courses on how to deal with students’ psychological, emotional and developmental needs.”
“On 26 May 2021, MUIS received complaints from concerned members of the public about an online poll sexualising female Muslim religious teachers. MUIS immediately reached out to offer support to the victims of the poll, such as counselling as well as psychological, emotional and religious support. MUIS also lodged a police report for the Police to investigate the poll. As Police investigations are ongoing, MUIS is unable to provide further comments until full investigations have been completed. Over the past three years (that is, from January 2019 to June 2021), MUIS has received a total of 12 complaints1 alleging that a member of the asatizah fraternity was a perpetrator of sexual harassment and two reports where asatizah were victims of sexual harassment. There have been no similar cases of sexual harassment reported to MUIS since the online poll. The Islamic education curriculum for full-time and part-time madrasahs, such as Kids aLIVE and Teens aLIVE, are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain relevant in addressing emerging issues and developments affecting our Muslim children and youths.”
“MUIS works closely with the mosques to handle allegations and incidents of sexual harassment. These include putting in place anti-harassment policies and procedures for reporting such incidents, including the necessary support for victims. MUIS is currently engaging the madrasahs and mosque clusters to review their policies and procedures for reporting incidents of harassment, which will be fully implemented later this year. Training is provided to staff on appropriate professional norms and the safeguards that are in place. MUIS has conducted a series of internal workshops with NTUC and TAFEP to help MUIS employees better protect themselves and look out for their co-workers. Madrasah staff attend talks and programmes to equip themselves with skills to respond to incidents of sexual harassment. Full-time madrasahs currently have an ongoing partnership with Club HEAL, a local Malay/Muslim organisation which offers assistance for people with mental illness, to organise talks for madrasah teachers to communicate effectively with distressed students and raise their awareness of mental health issues. Teachers also receive training on how to deal with students’ psychological, emotional and developmental needs through certified courses. Each madrasah has at least one teacher who has been formally trained to address such issues and two roving counsellors deployed by Club HEAL to support students who require such services.”
“On 26 May 2021, MUIS was alerted to an online poll sexualising female Muslim religious teachers. MUIS immediately reached out to offer support to the victims of the poll, such as counselling as well as psychological, emotional and religious support. MUIS also lodged a Police report for the Police to investigate the poll. As Police investigations are ongoing, MUIS is unable to provide further comments until full investigations have been completed. Over the past three years (that is, from January 2019 to June 2021), MUIS has received a total of 12 complaints1 alleging that a member of the asatizah fraternity was a perpetrator of sexual harassment, and two reports where asatizah were victims of sexual harassment. MUIS has a set of processes to deal with harassment at the workplace. First, members of staff who feel that they have been harassed or witnessed the harassment of fellow colleagues may make a report or complain to the Chief Executive of MUIS when an incident occurs. Second, upon receiving the report or complaint, MUIS will immediately reach out to the affected member of staff in confidence to provide support. This includes assigning a Care Officer who will provide support and counselling throughout the process. MUIS will also commence investigations into the allegations immediately. Third, if the allegations are found to be true, a Committee chaired by the President of the MUIS Council and MUIS’ senior management will determine the action to be taken against the offenders. Where appropriate, a review of workplace processes or arrangements will be undertaken to prevent recurrence of such misconduct. Finally, at any point during the investigations, MUIS will also not hesitate to make a Police report if there is evidence a criminal act has taken place.”
“A steady increase in child protection cases reported since 2015 is not unexpected, given that MSF and its partners have been actively raising public awareness, building capability in professionals and providing more and multiple channels for reporting child protection concerns. We also recognise that some families may experience increased stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could account for some of the increase in cases in 2020. Working closely with the CPSCs and other SSAs, CPS has thus far been able to manage the increase in number of cases. MSF will continue to monitor the caseloads closely and adjust our resources where needed. In addition to MSF’s existing efforts to prevent and detect child abuse, the Taskforce on Family Violence is working on a set of recommendations which will be announced later this year. These recommendations will also go some way to further address child abuse concerns. For example, the Taskforce is looking to build on current efforts in schools, to further develop age-appropriate materials to educate children and young persons on healthy and respectful relationships, as well as protective behaviours from young. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep our children safe. We urge members of the public to call the National Anti-Violence Hotline at 1800-777-0000 to report suspected cases of abuse and neglect.”
“Prevention and early detection are key to protecting children from harm or further harm. Social service agencies (SSAs) such as Family Service Centres (FSCs) provide community-based services to equip families with skills needed to better manage stressors and conflicts. This may include parenting programmes to equip parents to build positive relationships with their children. When families are able to manage their stressors and conflicts well, the risk of escalation to abuse or neglect of children is lower. The various touch-points in the child protection eco-system work in partnership with MSF to detect child abuse and neglect, to keep children safe. SSAs, including FSCs and Child Protection Specialist Centres (CPSCs), pre-schools, schools, the Police, and medical practitioners and institutions are part of this eco-system. MSF introduced a Sector-Specific Screening Guide (SSSG) and a Child Abuse Reporting Guide (CARG) in 2015 to sharpen the ability of professionals, such as social workers, educators and healthcare professionals, to pick up safety concerns for a child and seek appropriate intervention. This includes guiding professionals on when to refer families to community agencies, such as FSCs, for early support, or to MSF’s Child Protective Service (CPS) for statutory intervention when there are more serious concerns. Public education efforts such as the "Break the Silence" campaign have increased public awareness and helped to uncover child protection concerns that might have gone undetected previously. Most recently, in February 2021, MSF set up the National Anti-Violence Hotline to make it easier for anyone to report suspected cases of abuse and neglect.”
“Shelter services offered by community partners complement existing MSF-funded programmes and services to meet community needs.”
“The well-being of young and vulnerable teens is important to us. We recognise that family conflicts may arise for various reasons. Where possible, it is better for teens to be in environments where they have support networks and minimal disruption to their daily routine. Social services should be accessible to all members of the public, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Our Family Service Centres provide support to teens and vulnerable youths, as well as their families, if they require social intervention or support services to address family conflict and other socio-emotional needs. We do not condone abuse or violence committed against any person regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Young persons who face abuse or violence may approach the Family Violence, Child Protection or Integrated Services for Individual and Family Protection Specialist Centres, which can provide support, including making alternative care arrangements where necessary. If there are no abuse or violence issues, and the young persons are assessed to be suitable for communal and independent living, our Transitional Shelters may be a shelter option. T Project provides temporary shelter for those who are homeless and need a safe place of shelter. Many who seek help from T Project come from the LGBTQ+ community, and more specifically, transgender persons. The Government will consider funding programmes and services that address significant areas of social service needs, regardless of the communities they serve. There are also various other services, including shelter services, offered by community partners. Not all shelters operate with funding from the Government.”
“MUIS takes a serious view towards all allegations of wrongdoing. In such cases, MUIS will conduct investigations to determine whether there has been any wrongdoing. Where appropriate, the case will be referred to the Police or other relevant authorities. The circumstances of both cases are different. During the internal investigations by Madrasah Irsyad and MUIS, the staff from Madrasah Irsyad had admitted to contravening the Madrasah’s internal policy and resigned. As police investigations are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment on the case involving the staff from Madrasah Irsyad. As for the case regarding the Foreign Halal Certification Bodies (FHCB), an independent panel found that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations against the MUIS officer involved. CPIB have also looked into the matter and informed that they will not take any further action in view of insufficient evidence.”
“The FITRAH programme (Family and Inmates Through-care Assistance Haven) provides holistic support for incarcerated individuals and their families, through its in-care and aftercare services. To support incarcerated Muslim individuals, FITRAH develops a customised religious curriculum with its religious counsellors, in consultation with psychologists from the Singapore Prison Service (SPS). The curriculum inculcates positive values and prepares the ex-offenders for life after incarceration. The curriculum is delivered by a pool of religious counsellors through counselling sessions and Friday prayer sermons. About 65% of Muslim inmates attend FITRAH’s in-care religious services on a voluntary basis. FITRAH has also worked with other community partners to help families of inmates and ex-offenders access different forms of assistance. Since its establishment in 2019, FITRAH facilitated 611 such referrals for employment support, financial and social assistance, befriending services, as well as Islamic learning. This includes the referrals from the joint home visits done by FITRAH community befrienders and the Yellow Ribbon Community Project (YRCP) volunteers, where they assess the various needs of the families. The beneficiaries have been referred to the Social Service Offices, Family Service Centres, as well as the M³ agencies for further assistance. FITRAH has recruited 314 community befrienders, of which 246 are actively deployed to provide ex-offenders and their families with emotional support as they reintegrate back to society. FITRAH will continue to work with Singapore Prisons Service and the M³@Towns to raise awareness about the community befriending programme to benefit more eligible families.”
“Under Phase Two (Heightened Alert), from 16 May to 13 June 2021, preschools had remained open to support parents who need to work. Parents were encouraged to keep their children at home during this period where possible. As preschools continued to incur costs for service provision and the situation varied from centre to centre, we had encouraged centres and parents to work out suitable arrangements for children who did not attend preschool. For families who had chosen to keep their children at home during Phase Two (Heightened Alert) and who might have faced difficulties, preschools might consider in-kind support, such as home-based activity resources, fee offsets/discounts, or financial assistance. To support preschools and parents keeping their children at home during Phase Two (Heightened Alert), MSF and ECDA waived the minimum attendance requirement to ensure that preschool subsidies and Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) continued to flow fully to parents. ECDA also shared home-based activity resources developed by the sector with preschools and parents, which they could make use of to engage their children at home. These resources are available on ECDA’s website and more will be provided over time.”
“Social workers in Family Service Centres (FSCs) partner individuals and families to address their social needs. FSCs refer to the FSC-Code of Social Work Practice (FSC-CSWP) to classify each case into one of four case groups based on its assessed risk and complexity. Cases with higher risks and complexity of needs are assigned higher CSWP groupings and receive more funding. MSF does not prescribe the number of hours that FSCs are required to work on cases in each FSC-CSWP group. The nature of cases may vary even within the same FSC-CSWP group. The experience level of social workers also varies, leading to differing time needed to handle cases. Based on the survey of FSCs’ workload data conducted in September 2020, FSC social workers spent between three hours and five hours per case per month, with more time spent on cases in higher CSWP groupings. Ultimately, the FSCs have the autonomy to decide on how to distribute cases among their social workers.”
“MSF’s statutory protective services, and social service agencies (SSAs) such as family violence specialist centres (FVSCs) and crisis shelters have continued to closely monitor the safety and well-being of clients who are assessed to face higher risk of recurring violence during all phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are essential services that have remained operational, even during last year’s circuit breaker. MSF issues updated advisories to its own officers and to its community partners for each phase of the pandemic, to guide planning and safe delivery of social services during this exceptional time. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, the modalities of service delivery are adjusted to take into account prevailing safe management measures, without compromising the safety and support we provide to individuals and families facing family violence. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our FVSCs have continued to stay in touch with these individuals and families either through telephone calls or video calls. They have also continued to meet with clients with moderate to high needs in person, while taking the necessary safety precautions such as the use of well-ventilated rooms and desk shields where practicable. Crisis shelters have also adopted safe management measures, including split zones and split team arrangements for all staff and clients; MSF staff regularly audit the implementation of these safe management measures and advise crisis shelters where relevant.”
“Children and youth who require care, protection or rehabilitation may stay in licensed Children and Young Persons (CYP) Homes operated by social service agencies. CYP Homes utilise various platforms to raise awareness and seek assistance from the public to meet their needs for donations, volunteers and other forms of support. There are many opportunities for members of the public to step forward to support the Homes. For example, some CYP Homes reach out via their own Facebook pages, websites and newsletters. Some also use centralised platforms, such as the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s (NVPC) website at www.giving.sg, which matches volunteers and donors with the needs in the community. In addition, social service agencies operating the CYP Homes may hold donation drives and tap on community networks to request for resources needed by the Homes. During the COVID-19 circuit breaker in 2020, MSF helped to facilitate the channelling of donations of surgical masks from MSF’s partners to the Homes. MSF also supported the Homes as they adjusted to Safe Management Measures. More are welcomed to join the Homes’ current pool of volunteers and donors. We encourage all who are interested to volunteer or donate to reach out to the Homes, or visit www.volunteer.sg or NVPC’s website at www.giving.sg. Those who would like to donate in support of community programmes can also visit Community Chest at www.comchest.gov.sg. Everyone can play a part and contribute to care for those in need – this is the spirit of SG Cares.”
“Creating an environment of greater empathy and support for single unwed parents to raise their children requires a whole-of-society effort.”
“We recognise the challenges that single unwed parents face, especially in balancing dual responsibilities of raising their children and working. Our approach is to support them in their caregiving responsibilities and to extend Government benefits that support the growth and development of their children. These include subsidies for education, healthcare, childcare and infant care, and the foreign domestic worker levy concession. In 2016, we extended the Child Development Account benefits to children of single unwed parents, including the $3,000 First Step Grant and matched co-savings from Government. In 2017, we also extended 16 weeks of maternity leave to single unwed mothers. These aim to support the child’s development and caregiving needs. We also support and promote the provision of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) and other work-life harmony (WLH) practices for all workers, including single unwed parents, to help them better manage both their work and personal responsibilities. This includes support for employers through sharing best practices on implementing FWAs such as the ongoing Alliance for Action on WLH, as well as the recognition of progressive employers and practices through the Tripartite Standard (TS) on FWAs and TS on WLH. Nonetheless, we acknowledge that single unwed parents may face greater challenges. Those who require financial assistance or social support can approach the Social Services Offices and Family Service Centres (FSCs), which are situated within the community. The Social Work practitioners in the FSCs provide professional case management and can bring in other relevant agencies to address the family’s needs holistically.”
“To support preschools and parents keeping their children at home during Phase Two (Heightened Alert), MSF and ECDA waived the minimum attendance requirement to ensure that preschool subsidies and Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) continued to flow fully to parents. ECDA also shared home-based activity resources developed by the sector with preschools and parents, which they could make use of to engage their children at home. These resources are available on ECDA’s website and more will be provided over time. With the Multi-Ministry Taskforce’s direction to gradually move back to Phase Three (Heightened Alert) from 14 June 2021, ECDA has adopted a conservative, calibrated approach to enable activities to resume safely. ECDA will continue to review and adjust measures in line with the national posture and in consultation with MOH to safeguard the health and well-being of preschool children and staff. Keeping our preschool community safe and healthy is a collective effort. Hence, we urge the preschool community to continue to be vigilant and take all necessary precautions against the spread of COVID-19 infections. We also urge parents to monitor their children’s health closely and seek immediate medical advice if their child is unwell. Children who are unwell should stay at home to rest, and return to preschool only when they have fully recovered.”