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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“The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) plans for preschool places to meet anticipated enrolment demand. It considers various factors including demographic trends, projected resident birth rates, enrolment patterns and availability of preschool places within each Planning Area. From 2018 to 2024, we have added more than 40,000 full-day preschool places, or a 25% increase. Today, there are over 200,000 full-day preschool places, which is more than sufficient to meet demand at both the national and Planning Area levels. Nevertheless, demand can exceed supply in a small number of districts due to varying parental preferences and the lead-time needed to set up new centres or expand existing centres. ECDA prioritises the expansion of capacity in such districts. Preschool operators, including those under the Anchor Operator and Partner Operator schemes, generally manage enrolment on a first-come, first-served basis. When a preschool approaches its maximum capacity, the operator will prioritise new enrolment by considering factors, such as whether the child has a sibling already enrolled in the centre and the distance from the child's home to the preschool. ECDA also encourages parents to broaden their choices by considering centres with available vacancies in adjacent neighbourhoods, near their workplaces or the grandparents' homes. To better assist parents in this effort, ECDA has designed a new preschool search function on LifeSG, which allows parents to look for preschools with available vacancy in a given locale and directly liaise with preschools on enrolment matters.”
“The National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) was launched in February 2021. It received about 2,200, 2,400 and 3,400 enquiries relating to the abuse and neglect of children in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively. Upon receiving a report, NAVH would assess whether there are concerns of abuse or neglect. Cases involving such concerns would be referred to relevant agencies, such as the Family Service Centres and Child Protection Specialist Centres, or escalated to the Ministry of Social and Family Development's Child Protective Service for intervention, depending on the risk and severity. For calls without concerns of abuse or neglect, NAVH provides advice and resources to help individuals seek the necessary support and assistance.”
“Applicants who have exceeded their Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) lifetime cap may already be considered for additional assistance under ATF on a case-by-case basis.”
“For instance, for families with unique circumstances, such as single-parent households, the parent may need to bathe their child of the opposite sex. But when the child becomes independent, they should allow the child to bathe on their own. If necessary, the parent can verbally guide the child when bathing. For families with financial struggles or limited living spaces, co-sleeping in the same room may be unavoidable. However, parents should strive to provide privacy for children of the opposite sex, especially those who have already reached puberty, whether it be a separate sleeping mat, a bunk bed or similar alternatives. In my ward for instance, we have provided bunk beds to families who want to create safe sleeping spaces for their children. The Guidelines encourage professionals to explore strategies that foster safe, respectful and empowering environments for children. They also include practical tips and advice, such as examples of red flags and case scenarios, to help identify situations requiring additional attention or collaboration. When professionals encounter situations that are inconsistent with the Guidelines and identify red flags, professionals would assess whether the case involves suspected child abuse. Such cases would be reported to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline, where further screening and assessment will determine whether abuse is involved.”
“A workgroup consisting of members from MSF's Child Protective Service, Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service, Family Life Group and the Office of the Director-General of Social Welfare came together to develop the Guidelines in consultation with subject matter experts, such as paediatricians from the National University Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital, as well as the Ministry of Education's Guidance Branch which oversees school counsellors and student welfare officers. To ensure the Guidelines reflect Singapore's social and cultural context, representatives from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, Hindu Advisory Board, Catholic Family Life, AMP Singapore and National Council of Churches were also consulted. The recommendations of the workgroup are backed by research with references cited in the guidelines. The Guidelines were developed to support professionals in the child protection system who work with at-risk families, including children experiencing or are at risk of abuse or neglect. These professionals include social service practitioners, paediatricians, medical social workers, school counsellors and student welfare officers. The Guidelines are being disseminated progressively starting from end December 2024. To enhance application, the Guidelines will also be incorporated into existing training for these professionals in the child protection system. MSF recognises that every family is unique, and some may face special circumstances. The Guidelines are, thus, not intended to be rules to be enforced or prescriptive in nature across all parenting contexts but rather to serve as general principles to help professionals working with diverse family situations.”
“My response will also cover questions filed for subsequent Sittings by Dr Wan Rizal and Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim on the Guidelines on Healthy Family Boundaries. I would invite them to also seek clarifications if need be. If Dr Wan Rizal and Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim are satisfied with the response, they may wish to withdraw their questions for the 8 and 10 January 2025 Sittings, respectively, after this session. [Please refer to "Promoting Public Understanding of Daily Caregiving Boundaries in New Guidelines on Healthy Family Boundaries", Official Report, 8 January 2025, Vol 95, Issue 149, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) initiated the development of the Practitioners' Resource Guide on Guidelines on Healthy Family Boundaries. In the course of child protection work, MSF and professionals have come across parenting practices that, while not illegal, can place children in uncomfortable situations. These children have said so to the professionals. If a child represses their discomfort and tries to normalise the behaviour that makes them uneasy, it may inadvertently increase their vulnerability to harm in other contexts, such as outside the family or in social settings. Our starting principles as stated in the Guidelines are that every child has the right to feel safe and that no child should be subjected to unsafe touches or told to keep quiet about inappropriate actions.”
“Since the Enabling Mark accreditation was introduced in October 2020, the cumulative number of organisations that have received Enabling Mark accreditation has increased from 89 organisations in 2021 to 246 organisations in 2024. The Enabling Mark is a national-level accreditation framework for organisations to benchmark and recognise their best practices and outcomes in disability-inclusive employment. It also serves as a roadmap for organisations to systematically chart their progress and strengthen their inclusive practices over time. Organisations that have applied for the Enabling Mark accreditation appreciate that the framework supports them in their journey to improve inclusive employment practices and, also, enables them to build a positive corporate image by demonstrating their efforts in inclusive hiring. We have put in measures over the years to support employers to strengthen inclusive employment practices. Under the Open Door Programme, employers can tap on customised employment support from trained job coaches as well as grants to support job redesign and workshops to prepare them and their employees without disabilities to interact, hire, integrate and retain employees with disabilities in their organisation. In addition, employers receive wage offsets through the Enabling Employment Credit, for employees with disabilities earning below $4,000 per month. We will also introduce a new Employer Development Grant, from 1 January 2025 onwards, to empower employers to build up their inclusive hiring capabilities. This will enable them to scale up efforts to hire persons with disabilities and support their long-term retention.”
“For those who require more specific advice, we have also partnered with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to conduct webinars as well as clinics at NTUC's Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit Centre, to guide them through the leave reimbursement process. We will continue our efforts to encourage take-up of our parental leave schemes.”
“Based on household and labour force survey data, we estimate that an average of about 1,500 and 4,100 self-employed mothers and fathers, per year, were eligible for Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) and Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL), respectively, between 2019 and 2022. An average of about 1,000 self-employed mothers and 1,200 self-employed fathers had submitted claims for GPML and GPPL, respectively, over the same period. We estimate that an average of about 31,100 and 25,300 self-employed parents, per year, were eligible for Government-Paid Child Care Leave (GPCL) and Extended Child Care Leave (ECL), respectively, between 2019 and 2022. An average of about 5,400 and 1,400 self-employed parents had submitted claims for GPCL and ECL, respectively. The above numbers for self-employed persons include eligible freelancers, as the survey data does not differentiate between the two groups. Freelancers will, similarly, need to have been engaged in a particular trade, business, profession or vocation for a continuous period of at least three months and have lost income from ceasing to be actively engaged during the leave period to be eligible for the Government-paid leave schemes. Data for 2023 is not yet available. The Government has been working with tripartite partners to raise awareness and take-up of the various Government-Paid parental leave schemes to those eligible, including among self-employed persons and freelancers. For instance, information on these schemes have been disseminated through publicity efforts on Government platforms as well as through our tripartite partners' networks.”
“Currently, there are around 1,150 children under the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) Child Protective Service's care, placed with foster parents, in children's homes or in MSF's Youth Homes. As of September 2024, around 47% are in foster care, 48% in children's homes and 5% under Care and Protection Order in MSF Youth Homes. The current capacity across these care options is sufficient. We try to place children in foster care, where possible. However, immediate placement with a foster family may not always be possible due to specific needs, such as specialised support for children with special needs; or logistical challenges, like the foster home being too far from the child's school, which could, in turn, disrupt their routine and stability. In such cases, we ensure alternative arrangements that best support the child's wellbeing until a suitable foster match becomes available. MSF regularly conducts outreach to encourage more families to offer their homes as foster parents, such as the annual Fostering Open House where potential applicants can find out more about fostering. Members of the public interested in fostering can register their interest through MSF's website.”
“The top three most commonly breached bond terms include, failing to attend required counselling sessions with professionals, defaulting on scheduled review sessions for the child's safety plans and not cooperating with check-ins by professionals on the child's wellbeing. In cases where parents fail to comply with these terms, the Child Protective Service (CPS) would address the issue by discussing the potential consequences of non-compliance with the parents and collaborating with them to reinforce their commitment to these conditions. This approach has been effective, with most parents ultimately meeting the requirements of the court orders. It has been uncommon for CPS to remove a child due to a breach of bond terms.”
“The Social Service Offices (SSOs) do reach out to such individuals and render assistance where needed. The interventions provided could include financial assistance by our SSOs. This was the support provided when our SSO reached out to such an individual recently at People’s Park Centre. This individual was previously given (a) ComCare assistance which had also been renewed twice; and (b) two rounds of assistance from the community. Therefore, he is not unfamiliar with how to seek support from ComCare. However, for reasons best known to himself, he did not apply for further renewal of ComCare. When we reached out to him, he told us he did not do so because he was relying on his savings for his basic living expenses. He had also over the period received Silver Support Scheme payouts, Government payouts, such as GST Vouchers and Assurance Package totalling $5,950. The man explained that he ate leftovers at the hawker centre out of a desire to be frugal. In reality, there was no need for him to do so. After proactively reviewing his sources of income, we provided ComCare assistance to him again and advised him to seek renewal when needed. We also advised him to use the ComCare to purchase his own food and not to eat leftovers. We will continue to monitor his well-being, give him financial assistance as long as he needs it, and ensure he is taking adequate steps to care for himself. As the Government cannot know of every individual in need, we need the community to bring to our attention those who seem to need help. If you see anyone in the community whom you feel requires assistance, do help us by bringing the case to our attention. Reports can be made to the ComCare hotline at 1800-222-0000, or at the nearest SSO or Family Service Centre.”
“Beyond legislation and policies, stakeholders, such as educational institutions, employers and the community, also play important roles to support and empower women to pursue and fulfil their career aspirations and leadership potential without being hampered by stereotypes. For example, in the area of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, we are heartened to see an increase in female participation in STEM education and workforce. Almost four in 10 students enrolled in STEM courses in our Institutes of Higher Learning in the past five years are female. According to a report published by the Boston Consulting Group and the Infocomm Media Development Authority in 2020, women make up 41% of the tech workforce, well above the global average of 28%. It takes a whole-of-society effort to foster fair, inclusive and progressive workplaces. The Government will continue to work with industry and the community to shift mindsets and enable women to fulfil their aspirations and leadership potential.”
“The Government works with the Council for Board Diversity to encourage board diversity, particularly women’s participation on boards. Currently, women’s participation on the boards of the top 100 SGX-listed companies is 25.3%, a more than three-fold increase from 7.5% in end 2013. Of the 25.3% of women on the boards of the top 100 SGX-listed companies, 19 women or 9.1% of them are Executive Directors, and 189 women or 90.9% of them are Non-Executive Directors. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will continue to work with the Council for Board Diversity and stakeholders to better support women to fulfil their leadership potential. To enable us to better understand the current landscape of female leadership in the private sector, MSF is conducting a study to determine the proportion of women in C-suite positions, such as Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officers. The Government is committed to ensuring both men and women are able to achieve their career aspirations to the fullest. This includes addressing challenges that could limit their ability to participate fully and progress in the workplace. To better support women in entering and thriving in the workforce, we are taking a stronger stance against workplace discrimination through the upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation. We also continue to work closely with the tripartite partners to encourage family-friendly workplace practices that help employees better manage their work and caregiving responsibilities. The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, which will take effect on 1 December 2024, will help employers and employees engage in open discussions about flexible work arrangements so that mutually beneficial arrangements can be found.”
“My thanks to the Leader of the Opposition for bringing up that issue. It is a very specific issue for our seniors. Already, our Silver Generation Ambassadors (SGAs) visit them very regularly, some of them, so regularly and getting so intimate that when the seniors pass on, you can see the effect on our SGAs. It is not just about visiting them and taking data and so forth. They actually know the condition of the seniors. Through these, they also know that the seniors may not have support or because of changing circumstances may not have support, and therefore, will proactively ask them whether they need it, and then, will refer them to the SSOs. So, the visiting is already being done by our SGAs. I do not think we need to duplicate that. The cross referencing is also being done and I know this is being done. The SSOs will then take over to check and assess whether our seniors are actually really needing the financial assistance. Then, we will bypass all the need for digitalisation and facilitate them getting the support they need.”
“Our officials have been working really hard to get cross-Ministry data and collaboration, and to ensure that we simplify for the applicants the process of getting support. One way is for them to apply online at the SupportGoWhere portal, where they no longer need to key in all their personal information by using Singpass access and everything that is within that, will already be submitted. That means there is no longer the need to submit physical documents. Even after that, our officers still need to verify these documents and sometimes, they have to check with other agencies. Therefore, when they do this online and get the permission either through online self application or when they meet the clients, we can get information from other agencies like the Central Provident Fund Board, Housing and Development Board, and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. Therefore, all these documents need not be submitted physically. For the very small minority who somehow did not get through in that timeframe and if they approach any of our Members, please send them to us and we will look at what the problems really are. If these are things that we can then streamline, we will certainly try to eliminate these delays.”
“Mr Speaker, most ComCare applications are processed within four weeks, with almost all applications processed within six weeks. In the interim, if a household requires immediate support, Social Service Offices (SSOs) provide ComCare Interim Assistance. Time is needed to assess a household’s application for financial assistance, to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria and for proper stewardship of public resources. Officers are required to gather information on clients’ circumstances, verify supporting documents and refer to other agencies or services for support beyond ComCare. At the same time, we have made ComCare applications simpler and more convenient in recent years through digitalisation. The Member may wish to refer to past replies for further elaboration. We will continue to explore how to streamline our processes.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) does not track the number of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) that have come into effect when a donor has lost mental capacity. We do not require the donee to inform us when a donor loses mental capacity or when an LPA comes into effect. In practice, a donee is only allowed to transact on a donor's behalf when a registered medical practitioner has certified the donor to have lost mental capacity. When a donee approaches a party, such as banks and insurance agencies, to transact on a donor's behalf, the party would typically require the donee to furnish formal certification of the donor's loss of mental capacity as well as the donor's LPA. The donee would share the latest version of the LPA via the Office of the Public Guardian online portal with the party. Each party may also impose its own requirements before allowing the donee to transact on the donor's behalf. An LPA is only said to have come into effect when a party has conducted the requisite verification checks and allowed the donee to transact on the donor's behalf. MSF also does not have information on the number of disputes with regard to the legacy management of the donor when the donor is mentally incapacitated.”
“In 2023, there were fewer than 30 new cases investigated by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) under section 5(1)(c)(ii) of the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA), of which, fewer than 10 of such cases were brought to Court and placed in alternative care under section 54(1)(b) of the CYPA. For the preceding years, MSF does not have the statistics requested. However, MSF expects that they exhibit a similar volume and pattern.”
“To ensure that legacy planning tools are kept accessible and affordable for seniors, MOH and AIC currently run legacy planning workshops at Active Ageing Centres islandwide, where partner providers offer LPA certification and ACP facilitation services at preferential rates. Seniors who require personalised assistance can also tap on the ServiceSG Life Planning Service available at One Punggol and Our Tampines Hub, which aims to enhance Citizens' understanding of the available legacy planning tools and assist them to select options that best suit their needs. To facilitate legacy planning for lower-income groups who may face financial barriers, ACP services are either provided free or at a nominal fee. MOH has also increased the number of trained ACP facilitators and providers, making ACP services more accessible across various healthcare settings and in the community. Fees for LPA certification start from as low as $25. To ensure that these fees are similarly kept affordable, MSF regularly onboards new Certificate Issuers (CIs) to increase the available pool. With the introduction of the Office of Public Guardian Online (OPGO) portal, individuals can check the fees that are charged by CIs and choose one that best meets their needs. In addition, individuals with financial needs may approach the Potter's Place Community Services Society or Mount Alvernia Outreach Medical Clinic @ Enabling Village, which provide pro bono or means-tested LPA certificate issuing services for individuals who meet their criteria.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), in collaboration with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Public Service Division, launched a three-year Legacy Planning Campaign in July 2023 to increase the awareness and adoption of legacy planning tools, including the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and Advance Care Plan (ACP). In the past year, we worked with our campaign partners to launch various public education initiatives, such as roadshows and mobile clinics, which offered pro bono LPA certification and ACP facilitation sessions to Singapore citizens aged 50 years and above. These efforts have helped to drive greater awareness and dispel common misconceptions, including the belief that making a will is sufficient for legacy planning purposes; or that the next-of-kin automatically assumes the right to manage a loved one's affairs, where the loved one has lost his or her mental capacity. To reinforce the message that legacy planning is relevant for all Singaporeans, regardless of age, we are expanding our partnerships to reach out to even more individuals and families in the next phase of our campaign, such as by having students from Institutes of Higher Learning conduct LPA talks and develop public education materials and incorporating nudges at different life milestones. By encouraging younger Singaporeans to participate in legacy planning, we hope to normalise intergenerational conversations about legacy planning among our families and, in turn, alleviate potential conflicts between loved ones or next-of-kin in future caregiving situations.”
“As part of regulatory requirements imposed by the Early Childhood Development Agency, preschools must ensure that closed-circuit television footage is recorded and stored for a minimum of 30 days.”
“We have a network of youth support programmes to engage our youths with varying needs, such as the Youth GO! Programme, which supports at-risk youths. Youths and their families may also seek help from Family Service Centres if they are facing social issues. Mentorship, such as through the Mentoring SG movement, can also support and guide NEET youths to navigate life transitions and challenges. For NEET youths with mental health needs, they are supported through community mental health services like Youth Community Outreach Teams and Youth Integrated Teams provided by social service agencies or CHAT, a national youth mental health outreach and assessment service. We encourage NEET youths, including female NEETs, to take up the opportunities and support available to grow their education and career journey.”
“The rate of youths who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) in Singapore has remained low at 4.1% in 2023 and is much lower compared to other developed countries. Regardless of sex, their NEET status is mostly transitional and short-term. Over 70% of NEET youths are taking a temporary break or switching between jobs. These were also the key factors for female NEET youths. It is important for us to first support youths through their education years. Schools proactively reach out to support students with personal needs and connect them and their families to community and other resources. Throughout their schooling years, students receive Education and Career Guidance (ECG) through lessons and advising by ECG counsellors to help them discover their strengths, interests and sense of purpose. Students, including those who require more guidance, have opportunities to attend industry immersion programmes, learning journeys and career talks to learn more about the different pathways available. NEET youths who wish to return to education can reach out to the respective educational institutions or to the ECG Centre @ MOE for ECG advice. For employment support, all NEET youths, including females who are seeking to enter the workforce, can tap on a range of career matching and reskilling programmes and services offered by Workforce Singapore (WSG). They can also tap on career advisory and coaching services provided by WSG’s Careers Connect and e2i’s career centres. WSG’s MyCareersFuture portal also provides job opportunities and a CareersFinder feature to help jobseekers explore potential career and upskilling options. We recognise that some NEET youths may face complex issues, such as conflictual family relationships.”
“The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) manages the building of mosques to meet the religious needs of the Muslim community. Those that are already built also need to be rejuvenated over time. The overall plans on mosque developments, such as upgrading and lease renewal, are centrally coordinated and take into consideration demographic changes and the development of new towns and estates across the island. The Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF), which collects contributions from working Muslims in Singapore, supports the building and upgrading of mosques in Singapore. Over the years, these funds have been used to build mosques in new residential estates, such as Sengkang and Punggol, as well as in more mature estates in Jurong and Woodlands, which have seen an increase in demand for prayer spaces, in coordination with the relevant agencies. Leases were also renewed with the MBMF. MUIS will be prudent in applying MBMF to support the various religious needs of the community. MUIS will also continue to work with the agencies to assess the need for the development of new mosques or to rejuvenate existing ones.”
“In assessing ComCare applications, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) does not consider debt repayments by the household and the information is not collected in the application. Hence, MSF does not have the data requested. The Member appears to be suggesting that higher income households who have debts should be eligible for ComCare, because their expenses include debt repayment. This would be difficult to justify on principled grounds. While the desire to relieve the burden of debt is understandable, we cannot ignore the real and high likelihood that this creates the wrong incentives. We should not inadvertently induce households to make rash decisions to take on higher debt, while expecting that tax-funded social safety nets will bail them out. This would undermine the social compact and public support for a social safety net for Singaporeans. The Member raised a second scenario, involving households that face financial hardship supporting their elderly dependants. For such cases, they may approach the Social Service Offices for assistance. Where necessary, clients with long-term care needs will be referred to Government agencies and community partners for the relevant support. The household can then direct their income towards the needs of other members of the household.”
“The extension of Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) Youth Home Orders to older youths aged 16 to below 18 cannot be implemented without considering infrastructure, programme and curriculum changes. When the legislative changes are brought into effect, we expect to cater to 40% more youths in MSF's Youth Homes. Existing facilities have to be enhanced to accommodate older youths safely and without compromising the rehabilitation of the younger youths. Works also have to be carried out on a secure facility that continues to operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week. New rehabilitation programmes have to be designed or existing ones enhanced in order to provide effective intervention. The older youths also have different education requirements, as most will be in the post-secondary phase. Facilities have to be prepared so that they can be offered an adequate range of academic and vocational offerings. MSF has been working with the Ministry of Education, Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics, SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore. We are making good progress and expect the legislative changes to come into effect in early 2025.”
“Shifting to a five-day work week serves to improve the well-being of early childhood educators and make early childhood careers more attractive and sustainable. This change should not come at the expense of educators’ wages. The total monthly working hours and wages agreed between the educators and employers should remain as stated in their current contracts, unless mutually agreed otherwise.”
“As mentioned in a reply to a similar question by the Member of Parliament in March 2023, the Ministry of Social and Family Development only tracks the number of parents who took more than three days of Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL), as employers only claim for reimbursement for this group. [Please refer to "Take-up of Government-Paid Childcare Leave by Parents", Official Report, 6 March 2023, Vol 95, Issue 92, Written Answers to Questions section.] In 2021 and 2022, an average of 74,000, or 60% of eligible working mothers took more than three days of GPCL 1 each year. During the same period, an average of 77,000, or 50% of eligible working fathers, took more than three days of GPCL each year. Of this group, the average and median amount of leave taken was six days in 2021 and 2022 for both mothers and fathers. Data for 2023 is not yet available.”
“Job coaches will advise employers on how they can create accessible work environments and make reasonable job accommodations to enable employees with disabilities to perform their roles effectively and work well with co-workers. Grants under the ODP also provide subsidies for employers and their employees without disabilities to attend workshops that equip them with the knowledge and skills to interact with, hire, integrate and retain employees with disabilities in their organisation.”
“As of December 2023, about one in 420 public officers and one in 240 private sector employees are persons with disabilities. It would not be meaningful to compare the proportion of persons with disabilities hired in the public and private sector, and even among agencies within the public sector, as the types of jobs in each sector or agency may differ. Since 2019, SG Enable has been facilitating the sharing of best practices in inclusive hiring among public agencies through regular Public Sector Networking Sessions. Today, seven Public Service agencies have achieved the Enabling Mark, a national-level accreditation framework by SG Enable, that recognises organisations for their best practices and outcomes in disability-inclusive employment. As per the recommendations of the Enabling Masterplan 2030 Taskforce on Promoting Inclusive Employment Practices, we will continue to build on this by identifying inclusive hiring champions amongst Public Service agencies to accelerate the adoption of inclusive hiring practices. Champions will share their experience in hiring persons with disabilities and best practices with other Public Service agencies and provide guidance and support for them to do the same. SG Enable also works closely with employers, in both the public and private sectors, to support the employment and retention of persons with disabilities and build their capabilities to do so. Under the Open Door Programme (ODP), administered by SG Enable, persons with disabilities and employers receive support for job redesign, and up to one year of job matching and customised employment support from trained job coaches.”
“Student Care Centres (SCCs) provide a supervised, safe and conducive environment for children and youths aged seven to 14 as an option for after-school care. There are school-based SCCs and community-based SCCs to meet the different needs of families. SCCs do not provide formal education. They provide parents with an alternative to home-based care. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) requires all SCCs, including school-based SCCs, that are registered to have a structured programme with homework supervision and meal provision. On top of these requirements, SCC operators may choose to provide additional programmes. The Ministry of Education also regularly engages operators of school-based SCCs on their programmes offered to provide weekly outdoor programmes and enrichment activities, such as reading, music and art.”
“The annual attrition rate for Early Childhood educators was between 10% and 15% over the past five years. Having a positive and respectful parent-teacher relationship is very important in supporting the holistic development of the child. Hence, the Early Childhood Development Agency has put in place guidelines to promote preschools’ partnerships with parents, as well as programmes like Start Small Dream Big movement for teachers and parents to work together with their children on community projects. The Ministry of Social and Family Development had also provided information on ongoing initiatives to improve educators’ well-being in our reply to an earlier Parliamentary question on 2 July 2024. This included how parents should appreciate the work of our Early Childhood educators and have reasonable expectations of them. [Please refer to "Child Abuse Cases in Preschools and Teacher Support Measures Identified", Official Report, 02 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“Our Enabling Masterplans define “persons with disability” as those with substantially reduced prospects of securing, retaining places and advancing in education and training institutions, employment and recreation, due to physical, intellectual and sensory impairments, as well as developmental needs, including autism. This definition was endorsed in 2004 by the first Enabling Masterplan Steering Committee, comprising representatives of the disability, private and public sectors. Our disability schemes and services are guided by this definition to channel support to those who most need it. The Enabling Masterplan 2030 outlines how children with developmental needs and students with Special Educational Needs which include conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia, receive support for their developmental and learning needs in the early and schooling years.”
“The Singapore College of Islamic Studies aims to develop our future Islamic religious teachers and scholars to provide sound and relevant religious guidance to Muslims in Singapore, in line with our multiracial and multi-religious context. More details about the college will be shared in due course.”
“As of 2023, there were about 2,600 registered social workers in Singapore, the majority of whom work in the social service and healthcare sectors. We expect the demand for social workers to grow with demographic and socio-economic changes and the increasing complexity of needs. As mentioned in the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF's) Committee of Supply 2024 debate, we project to need about 2,000 more professionals in the social service sector in the next five years, including social workers. While Pre-Employment Training programmes continue to be an important pipeline, we are expanding the pathways for mid-career conversions to social work. Social service agencies can tap on the Career Conversion Programmes, which provide up to 90% salary and course fee support for mid-career professionals to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to join the sector. MSF and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) will continue to improve the attraction, development and retention of social service professionals. While financial reward is not the key motivation for social service professionals, MSF and NCSS have developed salary guidelines for the sector and strongly encourage Social Service Agencies to adhere to the guidelines and reward their staff fairly. This is so that the sector keeps pace with the broader labour market. NCSS has also continued to promote the branding of the social service sector, through the Social Service Tribe. We will continue to work closely with the sector to recognise and celebrate the contributions of the social service professionals and ensure that they are adequately supported in their professional journey.”
“From 2019 to 2023, there were no prosecutions against parents for breaching the bond terms signed under a Care and Protection Order. Most parents adhere to the bond terms, ensuring they provide proper care and guardianship for their child while attending counselling or treatment. For those who fail to comply, we adopt a practical approach by discussing the potential consequences of non-compliance with them. If the parents continue to be uncooperative, the Ministry of Social and Family Development's Child Protective Service will take the necessary steps to safeguard the child, including exercising statutory powers to remove the child from the home.”
“The total number of children aged six and below identified to have developmental needs has increased over the years, partly due to enhanced early screening and detection. Children are assessed by paediatricians and referred to suitable programmes according to the level of early intervention (EI) support required. Children requiring medium to high levels of EI support can receive Government-funded services via the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC), EIPIC-P, or the Inclusive Support Programme. The total number of children enrolled in these programmes annually was 3,600, 4,400 and 5,700 in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively. This is a 58% increase in enrolment from 2021 to 2023. In 2023, the average waiting time for a child to be enrolled in EIPIC or EIPIC-P was 7.5 months. Waiting time depends on factors, such as the volume of new referrals, sector capacity and the matching of children’s individual needs to available class types at their preferred EI centre. To improve the waiting time, the Early Childhood Development Agency is increasing EIPIC and EIPIC-P capacity by 1,500 places in 2024, or a 26% increase from 2023, by launching four new EI centres and maximising capacity at existing centres.”
“The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) works with social service agencies (SSAs) to develop stronger leadership and organisational capabilities. For example, the Social Service Institute offers training in organisational development for senior management and board members. These courses include elements on staff motivation and creating a supportive workplace environment, which contribute to staff psychological safety and well-being. These also help to equip supervisors with skills to manage stress and burnout among their staff and colleagues. We encourage SSAs to adopt the good practices on fostering psychological safety in the workplace, as recommended by the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Health and Well-being at Workplaces. In addition to being safe, workplaces should also be fair and harmonious. To this end, SSAs should abide by the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and the upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation. To strengthen their people practice capabilities, SSAs can tap on funding from the Transformation Sustainability Scheme. In addition, NCSS’ online Wellness Resource Hub provides resources for supervisors and human resource practitioners to manage their employees’ mental well-being. NCSS’ Caring for Social Service Professionals Scheme also provides co-funding of up to 90% for SSAs to engage professional providers to offer counselling services for their staff.”
“The Early Childhood Development Agency and Ministry of Education have also recently updated our national learning and development frameworks to guide all preschools in their pedagogical approaches and practices to provide quality care, teaching and learning for children. Additionally, resources such as the Skills Framework for Early Childhood and Leadership Development Framework guide all educators and leaders in the sector to develop the relevant skills and competencies required for their job roles.”
“The Government has invested significantly in the early childhood sector to give every child a good start in life. The average Government expenditure per preschool-aged child has increased by more than three times over the past 10 years, from $3,500 in 2014 to $11,200 in 2023, with a higher amount spent on children in government-supported preschools and children from lower-income families. Our expenditure is channelled towards measures such as preschool subsidies for all Singaporean children, sector-wide manpower measures and funding for government-supported preschools. We provide additional funding to Anchor and Partner Operators (AOPs and POPs) to increase access to affordable and quality preschools. AOPs and POPs are subject to quality requirements such as achieving the Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARK) certification, raising educators’ salaries and supporting their continuing professional development. Our funding also enables AOPs and POPs to keep within monthly fee caps, which are currently set at $680 and $720 respectively for full-day childcare. In comparison, the median monthly full-day childcare fee for non-government-supported preschools was $1,400 in 2023. We are increasing the number of government-supported preschool places so that 80% of preschoolers can have a place in a government-supported preschool by around 2025, to allow more families to benefit from these lower fees. We have also dedicated significant funding to raising the quality of the early childhood sector, through initiatives which benefit both government- and non-government-supported preschools. The National Institute of Early Childhood Development was set up in 2019 to provide training and professional development for the sector.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development classifies the types of abuse experienced by children and young persons into four categories: (a) physical abuse, (b) neglect, (c) sexual abuse, and (d) emotional and psychological abuse. We do not further break down “emotional and psychological abuse” into sub-categorisations.”
“The Youth Court does not track the data requested. Under the law, a breach of the bond terms is an offence, liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.”
“The Government regularly reviews our policies to ensure that preschool out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses remains affordable for families. The Basic Subsidy is only one of several avenues affecting preschool affordability. In recent years, the Government has enhanced preschool affordability in other ways to effectively lower OOP expenses for parents. In 2020, we raised the household income ceiling for means-tested additional subsidies from $7,500 to $12,000 and increased the quantum of additional subsidy across all eligible income tiers. In addition, we keep fees at Government-supported preschools affordable by imposing fee caps on Anchor Operators (AOPs) and Partner Operators (POPs). In January 2023, monthly fee caps for full-day childcare at AOP and POP centres were lowered by $40 to $680 and $720 respectively. With these moves, a median-income household, with a child attending full-day childcare in an AOP centre, would spend 3.1% of their household income on preschool in 2023, which is lower compared to 4.6% in 2019. We will further lower fee caps in Government-supported preschools in 2025 and 2026, so that dual-income families with a child in full-day childcare, in an AOP centre, will eventually pay around the equivalent of primary school and student care fees, before means-tested subsidies. We are also increasing the number of Government-supported preschool places, which allows more families to benefit from these lower fee caps. By around 2025, 80% of preschoolers can have a place in a Government-supported preschool. This is more effective than increasing the Basic Subsidy in enabling the vast majority of families to benefit from lower preschool OOP expenses.”
“Under "The Unlimited" initiative, the United Overseas Bank acts as the private sector catalyst for inclusive hiring, engaging companies to generate interest in the hiring of PwDs. We track the employment rate for PwDs on an annual basis via the Comprehensive Labour Force Survey. We aim to increase the employment rate of PwDs from 32.7% in 2022/2023 to the aspirational target of 40% by 2030.”
“The Government has been working with SG Enable to encourage and support employers to hire Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which make up 99% of all enterprises in Singapore. All employers can tap on the range of support available. Under the Open Door Programme (ODP) that SG Enable administers, PwDs and employers receive up to one year of job matching and customised employment support from trained job coaches. Employers can tap on the ODP Job Redesign Grant, which supports up to 90% of costs incurred, capped at $20,000 per PwD, to redesign the job, purchase new equipment or modify the workplace to be more conducive for their employees with disabilities. The Enabling Employment Credit (EEC), which was last enhanced in 2023, provides up to 20% wage support for all employers hiring local PwDs earning below $4,000 per month, capped at $400. In addition, employers who hire PwDs who have not been working for at least six months will receive an additional 20% of wage support, capped at $400 per employee, for the first nine months of employment. Under the Place-and-Train (PnT) programme, employers of PwDs receive up to 90% wage support and 90% course fee subsidies in the first year of hiring. In December 2023, SG Enable launched the first Enabling Business Hub at Jurong (EBH@Jurong), partnering employers, training providers and social service agencies, to bring job opportunities in the logistics sector closer to PwDs in the West, as well as support inclusive employers in the West region. In addition, SG Enable has targeted engagements with SMEs through partners, such as the Singapore Business Federation, SME Centres, Chambers of Commerce and Trade Associations.”
“Public agencies have adopted the Tripartite Standards for Flexible Work Arrangements and Work-Life Harmony. All officers, including those with disabilities, can apply for flexi-load (e.g. part-time), flexi-place (e.g. hybrid work arrangements) and flexi-time (e.g. allowing later start and end times), where the nature of the job allows.”
“As at December 2023, about one in 420 public officers are Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). Across all sectors, employees with disabilities have generally shared that the lack of disability knowledge, understanding and acceptance among employers, supervisors and co-workers were key challenges they faced. Organisations that have taken steps to address these are able to cultivate a more inclusive workplace environment that supports the integration and retention of employees with disabilities. The Public Sector builds on the national support available for all employers to address the above challenges and will continue to do so to support the employment of PwDs. First, improving disability awareness and knowledge. Under the Open Door Programme (ODP), administered by SG Enable, PwDs and employers receive up to one year of customised employment support from trained job coaches. Job coaches will advise employers on how they can create accessible work environments and make reasonable job accommodations to enable employees with disabilities to perform their roles effectively and work well with co-workers. Grants under the ODP also provide subsidies for employers and their employees without disabilities to attend workshops that equip them with the knowledge and skills to interact with, hire, integrate and retain employees with disabilities in their organisation. Next, fair employment practices. The Public Service is aligned with the Tripartite Guidelines for Fair Employment Practices and does not discriminate job applicants and officers based on their disabilities. Officers are recruited based on their competencies and their performance is assessed based on their work outcomes. Finally, providing flexibility.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development does not track the number of seniors who die alone in their homes. The Government works with community partners on multi-pronged interventions to support seniors living alone to stay connected and age safely in their communities. First, the Silver Generation Office (SGO) under the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) conducts outreach to all seniors aged 60 and above to identify those with needs and refer them to the relevant support or services for follow-up. Second, seniors who need social support will be connected to an Active Ageing Centre (AAC) for befriending and buddying services and receive regular check-ins. At the AACs, seniors can also participate in active ageing programmes to expand their social networks. Apart from the AACs, SGO also assists interested seniors to sign up for activities offered by the People's Association (PA) at the Community Centres and Residents' Network Centres. Volunteers from PA and the grassroots organisations also reach out to seniors who require assistance and befriending. Third, the Ministry of National Development and the Housing and Development Board also support seniors living alone, through the provision of alert alarm systems which they can use to call for help during emergencies, in studio apartments and rental blocks. Beyond these efforts, each of us plays an important role to look out for one another as neighbours and support our seniors to stay connected and age safely in the community. The Government will continue to work with our community partners and agencies to support our seniors.”
“Employers who hire persons with disabilities with an employment contract of at least one year can tap on the Open Door Programme Job Redesign Grant administered by SG Enable. This is regardless of whether the contract was offered on a part-time or full-time basis. The grant has supported over 110 organisations from 2019 to 2023. We do not have further breakdown by part-time or full-time employment of persons with disabilities hired by these organisations.”