Tan Chuan-Jin
Singapore
“A step-parent who wishes to leave any part of his or her estate to a stepchild is encouraged to make a will. Intestacy law would apply in cases where a person passes on without a will.”
“Last year, we reviewed and extended the Child Development Account, or CDA benefits to children of unwed parents. The Government granted CDA benefits, to children of unwed parents born, or with an estimated date of delivery, from 1 September 2016. It is generally good practice to implement our policies prospectively.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) does not track the number of persons who choose to remain homeless instead of being admitted into shelters. When MSF receives information on persons who may be homeless, we initiate contact with these persons on the ground to offer assistance.”
“Our law places the child's welfare and interests at the heart of an adoption decision. We must not forget that such an adoption is a life-changing event because when an unwed mother adopts her child, the duties, obligations and liabilities of the biological father are terminated.”
“The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) works closely with the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to plan for preschools in upcoming Build-To-Order (BTO) developments, including Bidadari new town. To better meet the needs of young parents, new preschools will have larger capacities and also be completed earlier where possible.”
“The Silver Support Scheme under the Manpower Ministry provides an income supplement to seniors who had low incomes through life and who now have little or no family support. Beyond ComCare, we are also expanding upstream intervention to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable families and their children to set a good foundation.”
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“I would suggest that it is not just schools but, I think, every platform, including corporates − doing it for corporate branding reason, corporate social responsibility motivation − notwithstanding that, if done well, it can have a transformative effect. We have seen how it has happened for some, whether in schools or elsewhere. We are working with schools. I, myself, am a parent. I have experienced the various Values-in-Action (VIA) programmes. Some, you know, connect emotionally with the children and you can see that even though children may do it compulsorily because they have to – they have got to clock up the hours, they want to enhance their CV – but, as a result of the experience, it changes them. Which is why volunteering is not just about doing the thing, it is about changing lives. You can imagine the individual wanting to continue to give and to be involved, perhaps, for life. Imagine if every child can leave the school system having some semblance of that. That is a vision that is worth working towards. Is it impossible? Well, I am sure it is difficult to get everyone to be converted that way. But I think it is possible because they are still in school, you have a captive audience. You can run and curate structured programmes where you are able to enable such learning to take place. It is not about forcing it down their throats but by making sure that their journey is meaningful. The school plays a very big part; I think how the school appoints the teachers. It is not just being arrowed to do that, but putting heart and mind into how do you educate the child in the process. My message is also to VWOs as well.”
“First, we make sure that the anchor operators nominate only experienced senior infant educarers with the relevant experience as mentors. We want to make sure that the right person becomes the mentor. Secondly, we also develop the structure in such a way that there is a proper structured framework. There are milestones that need to be met so that the On-the-Job training (OJT) will be very meaningful and can replicate what is really out there. We will work with the pilot centres and we will have visits and make sure that developmental and regulation kind of processes will be in place. With all these, I strongly believe it will help the educarers to focus on their job. With the additional support by the AIEs, this will translate into better quality services for our infants and our parents. 8.00 pm”
“One, is to make sure that the information is available. They know where to go − they can look for the Advisor, they can look for the ComCare hotline or the SSO. The increase in numbers is not just because we have increased our coverage, but because it has become more accessible, a lot more awareness is beginning to arise amongst the public. More are coming forward. We see residents surfacing to us that their neighbours or their friends may be having some of these issues. The key is, when problems arise, individuals must know what is available. We encourage them to step forward where they can. But that is where the community can also play a big part. At the backend, at the agencies, as I have said, what we can do better is between the agencies – watching that space, could we share the information a lot better? This is something that we are working on. We are mindful of confidentiality issues but we are trying to deal with that as well. But as I have said, as we are dealing with this, I am very mindful that we need to strike that balance − how intrusive you want us to be. We can be very, very intrusive but I am not sure that is necessarily a wise way to deal with it. But the main thing is make sure information is available, people know where to go. Please come forward to see us when help is needed. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Essentially, we will make sure that the new approach of training will not compromise the quality. What will happen is that ECDA works with the SEED Institute and the anchor operators to ensure that we train the Allied Infant Educarers (AIEs) carefully and well. There are a few things that we will do.”
“Let me take the first question. I will leave it to my Parliamentary Secretary to take the second question on allied infant educarers. In terms of identifying problems early, there are many indicators in society. For example, we will arrears not just in Town Council, but arrears in terms of utility bills. You also sometimes pick up indicators from the local kindergartens, where we note certain families are having issues paying fees. This is something that we are looking at, how best to tap on information and data. Partly, there is also information protection that we need to deal with across the different agencies. But we are also very mindful, as I mentioned earlier, if we are too proactive, because from time to time, individuals may have cash flow problems, they can deal with it. Do we step in at that stage? We are quite clear that our agencies need to collaborate better at the backend. For example, we are picking indicators as one agency; another agency might be picking up another indictor within their realms of responsibility. When you put it all together, the picture begins to surface that certain families might be facing financial duress, for example. That is something that we are looking at, in terms of how do we facilitate the sharing of information that can better address some of these problems earlier. The other issue to me is the community which is why I think there are efforts that we can put in at the local level to pull in the different stakeholders. We are living there, we are encountering the individuals in different capacities − whether they will be going to the local mosque, to the local church or the marketplace, at the hawker centres, or the GPs. Sometimes, conversations may arise when the individuals are facing some stress.”
“That is where, perhaps, you deal with the issues of self-entitlement; that is also where we deal with the issues of sacrifice, where we deal with the issues of community. Where there is a sense of that, that is where we can truly see that we have an inclusive society. That is when we can begin to build the best home possible for all Singaporeans. [Applause.]”
“Last year, around 300 new companies came on board, which is an increase of about 11% from 2015. In addition, more than 630 companies have increased their SHARE donations. These are improvements but, frankly, we really can and should do more. Many companies are not on board but more of them can be. Please do encourage them to come on board and we will do our part as well. In closing, let me highlight that our VWOs, social service workforce and volunteers collectively form the community that my Ministry and our partner agencies are working to empower, so that each can have a stronger and more lasting impact on society, particularly for those who are most in need. As Ms Tin Pei Ling has noted, values really lie at the heart of all we do. Values, such as care and compassion, resilience, as well as strong and supportive families and communities, these will stand us in good stead as we face the various and many challenges that are looming ahead on the horizon. We need the concerted effort and commitment of the people, private and public sectors to come together, to work hand-in-hand, to overcome these challenges. Through the process, we will forge stronger bonds between the sectors, stronger communities, stronger families, more resilient individuals and we will create the bonds that will bind us as a society. That is the kind of resilience that we will need. Together, we will build a more inclusive and caring society. It is really about enabling us to be not just compassionate, but to look at ourselves as a community. To not just look at "my own interests alone", but to look at "us" as a community, not just for the present but for the long term.”
“VWOs, GPs, childcare centres, merchants and other independent groups are examples of stakeholders who may be able to pick up early indicators of problems of people in need and then we are able to then match them with sources of help, to be more attractive and to be able to deal with it upstream. Dr Lily Neo talked about recruiting volunteers to reach out to lonely seniors. MSF and MOH have been funding befriending programmes for seniors, such as the Caring Assistance from Neighbours, or the CAN programme, Befriending Service and the Community Befriending Programme. As part of these programmes, volunteers pay regular visits to seniors, befriend and engage them. This helps to reduce social isolation. These three programmes have almost 2,000 volunteers serving over 6,000 seniors. MOH's Community Befriending Programme is currently found in 33 constituencies, with plans to expand to 50 constituencies by 2020. Ageing, we all know, will be a significant feature of our landscape. Without volunteers, it is very difficult for us to just depend on healthcare and social workers to deal with all the needs that we know will be facing us in the community in the years to come. Secondly, let me talk about Share as One where we can rally and mobilise corporates and other organisations. As Members know, last year, ComChest launched the Share as One programme to encourage more individual giving and create more workplace giving and volunteering opportunities. Under Share as One, the Government will provide dollar-for-dollar matching for all new and incremental donations to the SHARE programme till March 2019. Please spread the word. Encourage companies to come on board. In 2015, 2,590 companies participated in SHARE.”
“NCSS is also working on an app to better match interested volunteers to opportunities at VWOs. Many people want to help but are not sure where to go, what to do. NCSS targets to release the app at the end of the year. Volunteer work takes many forms. With SG Cares, we aim to work with various community partners to facilitate collaboration. In our schools, we want to make volunteerism a way of life for all our children. For example, the WonderKids programme is a partnership between student leaders at Hai Sing Catholic School and the Pasir Ris Family Service Centre. As part of this programme, the students befriend and mentor children from lower income households. They interact through games and study sessions. Besides benefiting these children, Hai Sing students have also grown to have a deeper understanding of community needs. In the workplaces, we are helping corporates to partner with VWOs within the same neighbourhood, making it easier. We want to facilitate long-term, meaningful partnerships to meet real needs in the local community. For example, the Singapore Power Group partnered TOUCH Senior Activity Centre in Geylang Bahru. Located in close proximity, staff from Singapore Power Group are able to commit to regular visits to the Centre and accompany the elderly for their morning exercises and then prepare and serve them breakfast. We would like to see more of such local partnerships leading to long-term and meaningful impact. At home in the community, we are working with community Advisors on how to grow a network on the ground. Collaboration is key. We need stakeholders to come together, share information and coordinate.”
“First of all, we can catalyse, support and publicise volunteering initiatives using Singapore Cares (SG Cares) as a platform. The Singapore Cares movement aims to involve more individuals to get them involved in building a compassionate and inclusive society. Jointly coordinated by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) and NCSS, Singapore Cares seeks to create an environment where we all feel empowered to make a difference. We want to mobilise the community to meet real needs. We celebrate ground-up efforts. We can also help by fostering partnerships between corporates, non-profit organisations, schools and other partners. The biggest partners in this movement are the volunteers. By organising ourselves better, by sharing information and by enabling volunteers through training and effective use of technology, we can not only help more but help more effectively as well. SG Cares is not a Government scheme. It is really about more giving and volunteering by individuals and groups, and a lot of this is already taking place in the community. SG Cares provides an overall umbrella to encourage and support these efforts, to help and facilitate even more outreach. Why be part of SG Cares? For one, we can help with training of volunteers. Secondly, we could share information that can help groups be more targeted and effective, avoiding wasteful duplication of efforts that we often see on the ground. To facilitate the volunteerism efforts, NCSS is launching an e-learning module for volunteers on "Working Effectively with Youths" later this year. Other e-learning courses will also be developed to equip volunteers to work with persons with disabilities, with the elderly, children with special needs and so on.”
“With the troubles he faced at home, his self-esteem was affected; he nose-dived. He was involved in bullying, fighting with other boys and even teachers. Along the way, he was selected by his school for the ""Uth" Power!" Programme. This is a motivational support programme by CARE Singapore, a VWO, which aims to help at-risk students stay in school. Derek, who is a CARE Singapore staff, reached out to Shafik and spent extra time with him after school. Shafik refused to respond for more than a year, but eventually came around owing to Derek's fatherly presence and persistence and the continual support of the volunteers that supported this programme. After graduating, Shafik volunteered with CARE as often as possible. In 2010, he was employed by CARE as a youth support worker and continues to grow as a professional. He is aiming to complete his diploma in counselling in June this year. He is also planning to eventually obtain a degree and a masters in counselling. He has touched the lives of many students, first as a volunteer, then as a professional. His journey was made possible through the support of many members of the community, including those who played the role of volunteers. I strongly believe that as we care through volunteering, we are tending to the soul of the nation. Why? It is in giving that we receive. It is in receiving that we change. It is in changing that we become better people. It is in having better people that we begin to become a more caring and inclusive society, a better society. That is why we must find ways to grow our community of support and encourage even more to volunteer. It is not just about helping the disadvantaged, the disabled, the elderly. It is very much about helping us all change.”
“Both MSF and NCSS are working with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to develop this framework. Professionals, such as social workers, psychologists, early intervention teachers, youth workers and care workers, will be able to use this to guide their growth in the sector. We aim to complete this in 2018. We are also working with MOH in developing a Skills Framework for therapists. Secondly, we will contextualise and implement SkillsFuture initiatives in the sector. In 2015, the SkillsFuture Study Award was launched to enable Singaporeans with some working experience to deepen their skills in the social service and early childhood sectors. Last year, we also launched the SkillsFuture Study Award for persons with disabilities and disability employment professionals. As Assoc Prof Dr Faishal Ibrahim mentioned, we will extend the SkillsFuture Study Award later this year to support preschool teachers who are embarking on the new Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching and Learning. To date, a total of 122 individuals in the social service and early childhood sectors have received the SkillsFuture Study Award. Thirdly, it is the volunteers. Mr Amrin Amin and Ms Tin Pei Ling highlighted the important role that the community and volunteers play in complementing the work of our professionals. During the Budget debate, a number of Members talked about growing the community network of support. Indeed, VWOs need to work with the members of the communities they serve for them to be effective. Everyone can play a part. 7.45 pm Let me share with you Shafik's journey. Shafik was a Secondary 1 Normal (Technical) student at St Gabriel's Secondary School. His father was incarcerated. His mother became the sole breadwinner, working two jobs to support Shafik and his three sisters.”
“The first phase of the system was implemented last year. With the system, teachers now have more time for teaching and supporting their students' learning and development. I encourage more VWOs to also make use of the available VCF resources to gear up for the future. To continue our support for VWOs, the Government and Tote Board will commit additional funding to the VCF, up to $100 million over the next five years. In addition to the existing areas of support, we encourage the sector to utilise the VCF to scale up adoption of capability and productivity initiatives. Ms Chia Yong Yong asked about support in project scoping and the use of consultants. For some key areas of capability building, NCSS will pre-select consultants to work with our VWOs. This was done for the on-going People Practice Consultancy that I mentioned earlier. And in the later part of this year, NCSS will also launch other pre-scoped consultancy projects, in areas with potential productivity improvements, like financial processes and space utilisation. Secondly, let me talk about the social service workforce. We have care workers who tend to the daily needs of clients, professionals who deliver specialised interventions and executives who head the VWOs. All of them play critical roles in caring for the vulnerable in our society. Some of you asked how we are developing them and improving their competencies. Firstly, we put in place clear career and competency maps through the Social Service Sectoral Skills Framework. This framework will provide more information on the job opportunities available and the qualifications required. It will also inform social service professionals on the career development pathways and the skills required to perform the key jobs.”
“Through the VCF, VWOs can grow and they can develop their organisations. Ms K Thanaletchmi asked if the VCF could be directed towards talent attraction and retention. This is done through the Professional Capability Grant. VWOs can apply for subsidies for their staff to undergo local or overseas training, upgrade their professional qualifications and introduce supervision frameworks for professional development. With stronger skills, they can make better progress in their careers and take on larger job roles. The Organisational Development Grant supports VWOs in improving their effectiveness as organisations. VWOs can engage consultants to help them in strategy development, as well as review and improve internal work processes, such as HR practices and service delivery. The Innovation and Productivity Grant helps build a culture of continuous improvement. It funds applied research that leads to improved services and productivity gains. These include IT systems and other efforts to make better use of resources. All these grants are open to all NCSS members regardless of their size. Over the past five years, the VCF has benefited around 400 organisations. NCSS has enhanced its website over the past year to improve the availability and clarity of information on the VCF. It will also be sharing information on past projects supported by the VCF on its website, so that VWOs can consider relevant ideas or collaborate with one another. Allow me to share one example. The Association for Persons with Special Needs, or APSN, tapped on the VCF Innovation and Productivity Grant to develop a Student Management System. This would automate previously manual tasks, such as class and academic management, at the Special Needs Schools and Centres that it runs.”
“To ensure that the salaries remain competitive, the benchmarks are pegged to professions in the main competing markets, for example, the healthcare and public sectors. The salary guidelines for social workers take reference from those in the Civil Service. As we all know, beyond salaries, other factors contribute to retention. NCSS launched the People Practice Consultancy last year to help VWOs improve their human resource practices. These efforts at the organisational level continue to be important. Well-run organisations are better able to retain their professionals and provide better service to their clients as well. While we have made progress on some fronts, the sector faces certain challenges going forward, such as – and we are all familiar with them − an ageing workforce, slower workforce growth and increasing complexity of demands. These challenges raise questions on whether our service models are sustainable and whether our skills will remain relevant in future. We also need to prepare our workforce for these challenges. Achieving our vision of a caring Singapore in this environment requires all of us to play a role. The three key groups are the VWOs; secondly, the social service workforce, and lastly, volunteers. Let me deal with the first − VWOs. There are over 450 VWOs registered as members of NCSS. They ensure that social services are able to meet clients' needs even as resources get leaner. Mr Png Eng Huat asked how we are helping and funding VWOs, especially the smaller ones. MSF and NCSS have been supporting VWOs in strengthening their organisational capabilities, so that they can be more effective. The VWOs-Charities Capability Fund, or VCF, was started in 2002 to support these initiatives.”
“Sir, I would like now to talk about how we will develop the social service sector, and how all of us, both within and beyond the sector, can be a vehicle for social change. MSF and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) have worked steadily with partners on a number of fronts. First, developing manpower pipelines. We expanded these, for example, by starting the UniSIM full-time Social Worker degree programme last year. This programme has the capacity to produce up to 50 social work graduates a year. We also expanded professional hubs for therapists and started one for psychologists. Second, up-skilling the workforce. In the areas of manpower development and skills upgrading, the Social Service Institute under NCSS has expanded its range of courses and learning platforms and, today, offers close to 700 courses for social sector leaders, professionals and volunteers. Third, improving career prospects. We enhanced career development opportunities in the sector. And this helps retain our professionals and attract more to join the sector. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked about improving wages for social workers. NCSS publishes salary guidelines for the social service sector and these are updated every year to ensure salaries keep pace with wage movements in the market. Every three years, there is a major review of salary benchmarks for the different professions. The last major review was in 2015 and the recommended salary increases for social service professionals ranged from 3% to 19%. In between the major reviews, there are salary guidelines that incorporate a recommended salary increment. In 2016, this was about 4%.”
“While I have elaborated on the upcoming new initiatives under the Enabling Masterplan, I think it is important for us to note that the on-going support for persons with disabilities range from early intervention, special education, wage support to supporting caregivers. And it straddles across many, many different Ministries and agencies as well. Together, the key thing for us is to make sure that these schemes are able to come together, are able to be interwoven effectively to enable the holistic support to be provided. Sir, a truly inclusive society requires commitment from the wider community to play their part which is why I have reiterated some of the principles earlier. As a society, we all must subscribe to that, rather than to just turn to the Government, agencies, VWOs, and ask: what are you doing about it? Because all of us can play a part. 7.00 pm We need to be more aware, we need to remind ourselves, ask ourselves what role we can play to be more inclusive towards persons who have more needs than us, or whose capabilities differ from ours. It is our people that make this country special, and inclusiveness for the less fortunate amongst us should be an abiding value of our society. I hope that we remember that even as we provide initiatives to help those who are disabled, those who have special needs, those who are disadvantaged, really, it is not just about helping them. In the process, it is about us helping ourselves change. Because when we participate in the process, that is the change that will happen. I do urge all of us, that, in this effort to build an inclusive society, it is not just about coming up with the schemes, it is not just throwing money at the problem, building infrastructure. It is about the people being involved.”
“As I mentioned earlier, the more we are able to interact, the more we are consciously able to learn, the more we are able to be empathetic. This is one reason that employers are still apprehensive in hiring persons with disabilities. There are many little things that we can do to start creating greater inclusiveness. Employers, for example, can look at designing more inclusive workplaces. Our schools and communal places are natural settings, as I mentioned. For starters, my Ministry will work with MCCY to provide more opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in sports, cultural, community and youth activities. MSF and our partners, NCSS, SG Enable and VWOs in the disability sector will continue to promote disability awareness and support efforts to bridge the social distance between members of the public and persons with disabilities. Of course, we can bridge that gap as well. But as much as we create the opportunities, again, for the rest of us, we must take that step. There are limits to how much we can force this down all our throats. We create the opportunities, create the platforms but we must step forward and be there, be present, be involved. It does not take much. Those who have been involved have found it enlightening. They began to have greater insights and that is the start of that journey. I think we are progressing but surveys show that we still have a long way to go. There is every possibility that we can make good improvements on this front. As shared by the Finance Minister, including existing initiatives, we expect to spend around $400 million per year in supporting persons with disabilities.”
“When they are out and about in the community, you see them. But when we are less than sympathetic, when their children act up, when we are less empathetic, and we react in ways that are insensitive, it does not help at all. It makes them retreat into their own shell. They dare not come out; they are reluctant to come out. How do they then draw on support? But the more we are able to actively involve them on a day-to-day basis in our community activities, let us deliberately plan for it, bring them out. If we are able to provide some form of care for their children or their family members, at least a couple of hours, half a day here or there, that can go a very long way in terms of making a real difference. That is something all of us can do. We do not need to mandate that from the agencies. That is for us, as leaders in the community; that is something we can do. And we should think about how to embark on it. Over the years, in terms of building community capabilities, my Ministry has introduced initiatives to build up the capabilities of our community partners so that they can do their work more efficiently and effectively. In the next phase of the Social Service ICT Master Plan, we will look into the automation of work processes in terms of case management, transition management, as well as case monitoring. VWOs providing disability services would be able to reap the benefits of having a holistic view of clients and timely delivery of services enabled through technology. Just as we embark on Smart Nation initiatives, the Smart Nation initiatives must be all-encompassing in every facet of our lives; no difference in this space as well. Studies have also shown that Singaporeans are unsure about the appropriate behaviour when interacting with persons with disabilities.”
“SNTC will also collaborate with key community partners, such as the Institute of Financial Literacy, in their outreach efforts. Earlier, Ms Denise Phua touched on the range of residential living options for persons with disabilities. The family, as I mentioned, is the first line of support. The majority of persons with disabilities today are living with their family members. Some are supported by home-based or community-based services. For a small group of higher functioning persons with disabilities where family support is unavailable, we have Adult Disability Hostels and the Community Group Home. For those whose only option is to stay in residential care facilities due to high support needs, the Adult Disability Homes provide them with the required care and support. My Ministry will continue working with stakeholders to expand the continuum of support for persons with disabilities living in different residential settings. Together with MOH, we will explore synergies across the health and social services. This would require collaboration amongst VWOs in areas of manpower training and transition management. I would say that one part that all of us can play is really in the community because persons with disabilities live amongst us. Their families live amongst us. This is where, I think, the community can play a very active role, whether in terms of volunteers, whether in terms of the local neighbourhood, because we are there in the community with them. We would urge that, even as we look at NCSS' initiatives, we look at the Government, the VWOs, I would remind us that, apart from the family, the community plays a very big part. We can go a very long way in terms of providing support and respite for caregivers.”
“So, this is something that we will help to ensure – that information and resources are made available to families. This will also enable caregivers to, more importantly, be able to care for themselves, even as they care for their loved ones. VWOs and Family Service Centres in this network will help to link caregivers for further assistance based on their needs. Caregivers will also have access to support groups that offer emotional support. VWOs will also provide caregivers access and connectivity with specialised services, such as counselling and specialised training. As part of this network, NCSS will establish the Disability Caregiver Support Centre. Ms Chia Yong Yong has asked about this. The Centre will focus on new caregivers or caregivers of persons with disabilities who are currently not accessing services. Adopting a "Hub and Spoke" model, the Centre will link these caregivers to VWO service providers in their community and other resources. The centre will also explore new support initiatives needed by caregivers. We agree with Ms Denise Phua that this network has to be forward-looking. NCSS will ensure the Centre stays open to incorporating new care-giving ideas, innovation and practices. In order to make sure that it is forward-looking and it remains innovative, we ask stakeholders in the community to step forward and provide us some of these inputs and to work closely with NCSS on this front. One foremost concern by caregivers is what would happen to their child with special needs when they no longer are able to care for them. The Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC) will provide more assistance in future care planning and trust services and step up its outreach and engagement efforts to assist caregivers.”
“As at December 2016, $59 million in Special Employment Credit has been given to employers of about 10,000 eligible persons with disabilities. Twenty-eight million dollars in WIS has supplemented persons with disabilities' salaries in low-wage jobs. Some special needs children graduating from the education system might not be able to enter employment, and they require longer term care services. For older adults with disabilities, their elderly parents who are their primary caregivers may find it harder to continue to care for them. So, a gap in caregiving may also be more keenly felt. As I have mentioned earlier, our families are becoming smaller. The call for more support for caregivers is a key area of focus in the Third Enabling Masterplan. The role of a caregiver is physically and emotionally demanding and they can really be at risk of burn-out. In fact, it is not a risk. Burn-out is very likely to happen. The National Council of Social Service (NCSS), together with VWOs in the sector, will develop a network of support for caregivers. I do note Ms Denise Phua's point about the need to be clear about the needs in the sector. We will work with various stakeholders to tap on their experience in this particular space. This network will enable better access to information and resources, services, such as respite care, and capability-building resources, so that caregivers can perform their role with greater confidence. This is important because, sometimes, the stress comes from a lack of awareness. They feel that they may not be getting the support they need when, actually, some of these measures are available. A lot of it is about improving training and providing awareness. The greater the awareness, the lower the uncertainty. It also helps in managing stress.”
“This was introduced in 2003 to defray the cost of assistive technology devices. In our recent review of the ATF in 2015, Mr Faisal Manap will be glad to note – and he is aware of it as well – that we doubled the lifetime cap from $20,000 to $40,000. We raised the monthly household per capita income from $1,500 to $1,800. We broadened the scope of coverage. Persons with disabilities can now use ATF to purchase devices for rehabilitation or for assistance in daily living, in addition to work and education purposes. With these changes, the number of supported ATF applications went up from 175 in 2014 to about 1,600 in 2016. For those who still face difficulties in financing their purchases, our VWOs will work with them on a case-to-case basis. We will monitor the needs of persons with disabilities and consider further enhancements in future. Mr Faisal Manap suggested to keep prices affordable by aggregating demand. I think that is a useful idea; we will study the matter further as many AT devices are used by persons with disabilities. While some are standard, some actually do require customisation as well. Sometimes, bulk purchases may not be quite so applicable. But this is something worth pursuing and we will study it. Ms Thanaletchimi asked about wage support for companies employing persons with disabilities. The Special Employment Credit (SEC) scheme was introduced in 2012 to support companies that employ persons with disabilities earning $4,000 and below a month. These employers receive support of up to 16% of employees' wages, capped at $240. For persons with disabilities in low-wage jobs, the Wage Income Supplement (WIS) scheme further supplements their income and savings through cash payments and CPF in Workfare.”
“The programme will be expanded from supporting about 30 students last year, to about 60 work-capable students a year by 2019. Training and lifelong learning are also crucial for persons with disabilities to keep current and relevant in this changing economy. It is challenging for us, but more challenging for those with disabilities. Since 2014, more than 1,400 persons with disabilities have enrolled in training courses and more than 2,200 employers and co-workers have undergone training to learn how to recruit and integrate persons with disabilities at their workplace. This effort at the workplace is important. Let me share an example. Mr Shahidir was diagnosed with mild autism at a young age and has difficulty in verbal communications. Following a vocational assessment at Autism Resource Centre (ARC)'s Employability and Employment Centre in 2015, he was trained in work-related hard and soft skills. His job coach recognised his strengths in reading and ability to follow visual instructions, and matched him to an administrative role in DataPost Pte Ltd in April last year. His employer has been pleased with his consistent work performance so far. Shahidir, like many of his peers, are assisted through job placement and job support services by SG Enable and its partners, and managed to become independent through employment. SG Enable will work with training providers to enhance the availability and affordability of training. Persons with disabilities are now able to use their Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA), in addition to SkillsFuture Credits, to offset costs across a wider range of courses, such as those offered by SG Enable. Persons with disabilities can also tap on other schemes to enhance their independence, such as the Assistive Technology Fund (ATF).”
“Children with special educational needs (SEN) who are able to benefit from formal education will be supported to access mainstream or Government-funded Special Education (SPED) schools. Employment is integral to enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and integrate with society. It is something that also weighs on the minds of all parents with children with disabilities. We share Ms Denise Phua's and Mr Desmond Choo's concerns on employment opportunities. We will continue to do more to improve employability and employment options and support the acquisition of relevant skills. Over the past three years, SG Enable and its VWO partners have collectively placed more than 1,200 persons with disabilities into employment through job support and placement assistance, mainly in the hospitality, food and beverage, retail and administrative support sectors. SG Enable has also supported internships for about 80 tertiary students with disabilities in our Institutes of Higher Learning. MSF, together with MOE and SG Enable, has piloted the School-to-Work Transition Programme with five SPED schools in 2014. This programme provides counselling, motivation, soft skills training and work trial opportunities for SPED students before they are matched for employment. The feedback has been very good. I am heartened to hear the feedback from students, parents and employers about how the programme has allowed students with special needs to acquire work skills, develop good work habits and build a sense of self-worth and confidence to carry out daily activities on their own. I am pleased to announce that we will extend the School-to-Work Transition Programme to more SPED schools and students who are work-capable but not work-ready. This will include those with higher needs.”
“We are also studying how it can be enhanced to support children with moderate developmental needs. We will build up the capability and capacity of the preschool sector. This includes training a pool of 200 preschool teachers called Learning Support Educators or LSEds, over the next five years. LSEds provide targeted intervention for children with mild developmental needs and they support classroom teachers in integrating these children with typically developing children in a group setting. 6.45 pm We will also promote greater inclusiveness within the educational setting. So, we are looking at the feasibility of an inclusive preschool model that enables special needs children to attend preschool with other children. Such a model will need to be supported by LSEds and early intervention teachers. We are keen on earlier detection and clearer classification of developmental needs to facilitate timely and appropriate intervention. In Singapore, this is something that we can do. Personnel in the health and preschool sectors, they actually form a network of early touchpoints for our children. These include doctors and family medical practitioners as well as preschool teachers. We will work with MOH to see how to better train these personnel to pick up signs of developmental delay and also to raise awareness and to deliberately look out for some of these indicators so that the children can be noticed at the early stage. And where it is appropriate, they can be referred for early and quicker intervention and appropriate support. The earlier the intervention, especially for those with issues, the better it is. MOE will introduce Compulsory Education for special needs children from 2019.”
“Focus group discussions were carried out with many stakeholders − persons with disabilities, caregivers, VWOs providing disability services, employers and members of the public. I would like to place on record my thanks to the 22-member Steering Committee, which comprised the people, private and public sectors, including persons with disabilities and caregivers, for their hard work and recommendations. The recommendations highlight the importance of building an ecosystem of support for persons with disabilities. This ecosystem starts with family members and encompasses the larger community, such as health, education and social services and the society at large. We will focus on strengthening this ecosystem to enable more holistic help and a smoother transition for persons with disabilities at different stages of their lives. Let me share some upcoming initiatives in early intervention, education, training and employment, adult care and also caregiver support, which Dr Lily Neo and Ms Denise Phua have asked about. I will also touch on the plans to build the community's capabilities to better support persons with disabilities and their families. Early intervention will remain a key area of focus for children with developmental needs. Timely and appropriate support in the early years can maximise their potential. The Developmental Support Programme (DSP) provides learning support and therapy for children with mild developmental delays, such as speech and language learning difficulties and behavioural issues. The programme is available in the mainstream preschools. Since its inception, it has helped about 4,000 children across 350 preschools. DSP will be expanded to another 50 preschools this year.”
“They can also get more holistic help with employment goals tied closely to social assistance. Much as we want to help, individuals must walk that last mile themselves. Many of us who have been in this field, working with individuals, we will also meet individuals that, for one reason or other, somehow, are not prepared to embark on that. How do we nudge them on that journey, especially when they are work-capable? So, we will train our officers to provide employment assistance. This is just one example, amongst various others, that we will need to continue to pursue to make sure that we can provide help as effectively as possible but also in a manner that helps the individual retain his dignity and, at the same time, not to erode the importance of self-reliance and also to include the families because family support remains important and, again, the community, which is where we are in. We have also a responsibility in our local community to look out for our neighbours and our residents. There are many different ideas and schemes that can actually work on the ground, and many of us have tried that. All of us play a part. Let me move on to persons with disabilities. The Enabling Masterplans are five-year blueprints that guide the development of policies, programmes and support services. The third Enabling Masterplan Steering Committee concluded their work in 2016. They seek to improve the quality of lives of persons with disabilities, importantly, to support caregivers and also to build up the community's capabilities and chart the way forward in building a more inclusive society. The third Masterplan builds on the progress of earlier Masterplans.”
“So, having technology to help streamline that so that there is a common database will help to go a very long way to prevent social workers from asking the individuals to repeat some of these instances. These experiences, we know, can be demoralising and can diminish their will to follow through with their action plans. In the first place, for many, I would suggest do have a great deal of dignity and self-reliance, which is why sometimes they actually come to us rather late. But because of that, it is also very painful to keep repeating why you are needing help. That is something that we recognise and, through SS Net, we are trying to address some of these issues. Also, the processes at the backend, I think we can do better and we will. So, we will constantly explore better ways to be more client-centric. One area of focus, to illustrate, is employment assistance to enable job stability. Some of our SSOs are co-located with WSG or e2i Career Centres, and clients can immediately follow up with WSG or e2i for employment assistance. Two SSOs − Taman Jurong and Kreta Ayer − have social assistance, family services and employment services all under one roof. At these two SSOs, the same SSO officer provides both social and employment assistance, an arrangement that clients have found helpful. At the other SSOs, separate appointments for employment assistance are made for clients to see the WSG or e2i officers who come to the SSOs once a week. This year, we will extend the pilot delivery of both social and employment assistance by the same SSO officer, to three more SSOs. For clients who are unemployed but able to work, this will provide easier and quicker access to employment assistance.”
“They do not organise their lives according to the way we organise ourselves in the Ministries and agencies. So, we, at the backend, need to see how to wrap around services to support them. For those with multi-faceted needs and challenges, clearly, financial assistance is just one part of the solution. It does not solve everything. There are other difficulties − family problems, relationship problems at home, challenges in finding and holding down stable employment, health concerns, mental health issues and so on. Therefore, our SSO officers need to work with them on an action plan to achieve financial and job stability, link them up with other agencies and community partners that can help them address their other challenges, such as childcare placement. So, as mentioned earlier, I think we can do better in trying to make this as seamless as possible. If you have one individual who is able to do everything, it will be challenging, because I do not think he will have that level of competency. So, you do need to leverage on the experts that are providing those services within the community. But what we can do is to link them up much better. Basically, it is a team attending to the individual − but how do you help them navigate and how do you hand them over from one individual to the other and, collectively, try to address these issues? I think that can go a very long way and that is something we can do better. We recognise that it is very taxing. These individuals and families are already having a lot of emotional stress, a lot of concerns on their minds and then they have to approach multiple agencies for help, and to repeat their stories.”
“It is also important for us to surface problems earlier so that we are able to step in, because a range of assistance schemes is available to help families, rather than let them try and figure out solutions on their own, incurring more debt and, thereby, creating much more complex problems for themselves. So, this is where the community needs to step in to support them, surface the problems, so that we can step in and see what we can do, early on. We do need to be forward-thinking. We need to try new methods because social safety nets also need to evolve with changing conditions. So, I am keen for us to be as proactive as we can to go upstream to pre-empt issues. At the same time, it is also important to reiterate that we have to strike a balance in terms of being resilient and preventing a sense of entitlement. Because by being so proactive, before you surface a problem, you come in and help somebody. I am not sure that is always a wise thing to do either. So, it is a balance that we need to strike, but I am very mindful that I would like to look at prevention as far as I can. Prof Michael Sherradan, a distinguished professor of social development at the Washington University in St Louis in the US, described Singapore as "a relatively young and very tiny nation, but it has some of the most innovative social policies in the world". He has also said that "social policies can never be perfect − trade-offs are always involved − but overall Singapore has made thoughtful and effective choices." I actually believe we can do better, especially in the way we provide more seamless and holistic help to individuals and families. When you meet individuals, they have a range of different problems and it is multi-dimensional.”
“And these efforts will resolve some of the pressing issues for many of them. However, ComCare cannot be used for the repayment of debts, to ensure we also do not erode the values of personal responsibility. Can you imagine a scenario where, if you are in debt and, therefore, public monies are then re-directed to service your debt? Invariably, you can imagine the kind of behaviours that this can create. But we are also aware that, for some families − and I do face them, I think many of us in this House face them − where for whatever reason, the mistakes that they made, wrong decisions in life, they end up mired in quite serious debt and it seems almost impossible to break out of that cycle. So, in these instances, we would refer them to VWOs who are looking at these issues from a more specialised perspective where they provide debt-related support and advice, or refer them to organisations like the Institute of Financial Literacy and Credit Counselling Singapore. Basically, exploring different ideas to see how best to equip our social workers with the ability to integrate financial advice into their intervention plans for vulnerable families. So, we welcome partners who are keen to explore such solutions. I am aware that Methodist Welfare Services provides some of these. I think it is early days yet. I think it is too early to conclude. And for those who are operating in that space, they would realise it is not quite so straightforward either. But we are mindful that, for a number of families, this is a serious issue, and we are looking at whether there are better ways to support them. The ideal way is to prevent them from getting into that position in the first place. That is where providing better financial planning advice and education early would be important.”
“And if you do meet individuals who seem to have some of these challenges, do flag it to us and let us know because we will be quite happy to adjust as we do make those accommodations. As we all know, on the ground, the stories that we receive are not always necessarily complete. But, when in doubt, surface it and we will be more than happy to assess it. So, we do look at it from a needs-based approach and we consider all sources of income. Ms Sylvia Lim also asked about Silver Support. For those on Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance, there will be some that are not receiving Silver Support. Some of those who receive Silver Support do not need Short-to-Medium Term Assistance. But for those who are on Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance but are also eligible for Silver Support, in these cases, we do compute the Silver Support quantum into the overall assistance. Because, otherwise, the quantum increases quite significantly. We are also quite mindful as to how to calibrate the amount. So, Silver Support is factored in for the Short-to-Medium-Term assistance recipients. Ms Denise Phua asked about families facing problems with debt and arrears. In fact, I was just having a discussion on this recently with an expert from overseas. These families can approach their nearest SSO. The SSOs will work with relevant agencies, such as Singapore Power, HDB, Town Councils, to see if the debt can be restructured. That is a very simple step, but it goes a very long way and, for many, it makes a lot of difference. For example, it allows these families to go on instalment plans. Concurrently, our officers will assess the family's situation and they will look at ComCare to support their basic living expenses, if necessary.”
“But the space is accorded to them to make some of these discretionary calls. Our officers will then calibrate both the amount and the duration of Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance according to the different needs of families. For one-off and ad-hoc expenses, as mentioned by Mr Faisal Manap, they also exercise flexibility and also tap on community resources to assist. I think many of us are familiar, at the CDC level, initiatives are initiated by us, working with the various stakeholders − the local merchants, the local VWOs. Collectively, we also help to provide some of these means to assist individuals on a need basis. We do want to help families get back on their feet, but some will progress faster than others. Ms Sylvia Lim asked, "How do you measure?" The honest truth is that it is actually quite difficult. Is it about the numbers we are talking about? By extending the coverage, we do have more numbers of those we are assisting. Is it about how long they remain on help? But the reality is that it really depends. Some are temporary because they have lost their jobs, so they need something to tide them over. Others have more chronic family problems, but they are not work-capable; some have health issues and that is a bit more long-drawn. But the key thing is: when they need help, are we able to provide help? And even though it may be short or medium-term, it does not mean that after a few months, we will cut it off. We do have the capacity and we do actually extend it when they continue to have those issues. Of course, those on long-term assistance are very different. We will review them from time to time. For those on Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance, we will adjust accordingly and will not cut off the assistance prematurely.”
“It is also important to realise, as I mentioned earlier, that the SSO does not exist on its own. It works very closely with the local Family Service Centre where the social workers will then follow up with the individual clients. There are also other players, such as the SAC and other stakeholders where the partnership is established. So, the social work community that exists on the ground comprises SSOs and the key partners who work together to try and address some of the needs that our residents face. Mr Faisal Manap and Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the ComCare Scheme. We have extended the coverage to more families. Since 2014, we have increased the monthly household income cap for families seeking Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance from $1,700 to $1,900, and the cap on income per person was raised from $550 to $650. So, basically, we have extended the coverage in terms of those who may need ComCare assistance. We have also increased the quantum of Long-Term Assistance. The most recent enhancement was last year, where financial support for one-person households on Long-Term Assistance was increased from $450 to $500 a month. The rates were also increased for larger households. Households may also receive additional support to meet other needs, such as medical consumables, adult diapers and one-off items like commodes and wheelchairs for their frail elderly. So, these are some of the ad hoc needs that may sometimes arise and assistance can be provided. These are system-level improvements and scheme enhancements. At the individual-level, SSO officers are empowered to exercise flexibility when providing social assistance to low-income families under the ComCare scheme. That is something that is important. It is important for officers not to just follow a rule rigidly.”
“We have those options available. Being forward deployed, SSOs develop a good sense of the local community's needs and enjoy better collaboration. The SSOs are not the only players in the community. There are various stakeholders, VWOs, FSCs, so the partnership with them also enables the SSOs to get a better feel of the situation on the ground. What are some of the products as a result of these partnerships? For instance, one of the SSOs has partnered North East CDC to pay for pest control services to assist rental flat residents deal with their bed bugs. In Bukit Merah, for example, our SSO initiated a Spooner Road POW WOW platform where all partners could coordinate their action plan for vulnerable families in the area. This enabled clients to be better served in a holistic manner and avoided duplication of effort among the agencies. The various partner agencies continue to meet through this platform to share best practices and resolve complex cases. This is something that we want to encourage, we want to see it happening on a wider basis. Some of us, as advisors, are playing an active role trying to pull together the different stakeholders. It is important for the stakeholders to get together because when they talk, they build relationships, they exchange information, that is when there is real coordination and the real coordinated work happens on the ground. It is much more effective that way. 6.30 pm Mr Faisal Manap also asked about the training received by SSO officers. One out of six officers have social work training. Officers also undergo training in areas pertinent to their work, such as engagement and interviewing skills, the assessment of needs and financial literacy.”
“Just providing and disbursing help is the easy part in some sense, but helping them to break out of the circumstances so that they can fundamentally change their circumstances, that is where the important work lies. Another group that we will strengthen support for are persons with disabilities. They face different challenges and, invariably, have less options than the rest of us. In the past few years, we have made good progress in areas, such as early intervention, education, employment and in raising awareness and recognition of persons with disabilities. The recommendations in the third Enabling Master Plan set out quite a few areas where we can further strengthen support over the next five years. I will elaborate more on our plans, starting with how we intend to support those who need financial help. In recent years, we have progressively strengthened our social safety nets. Let me provide an update on the Social Service Offices (SSOs), as requested by Mr Faisal Manap. The SSOs are the cornerstone of our social assistance framework. In 2013, we started rolling out a network of SSOs to bring more accessible and coordinated social assistance to Singaporeans. By 2015, we had set up the full network of 24 physical offices across the island. Today, 95% of SSO clients live or work within two kilometres of an SSO. For seniors who may require social assistance but are unable to travel to the office, our officers can conduct the assessment at their homes. For immobile seniors who are already on our schemes, our officers can also directly credit the payment to agencies for their household bills if there is such a request or when officers assess that doing so will be helpful to the seniors. Ms Sylvia Lim asked about some of these possible arrangements.”
“My Parliamentary Secretary will speak on how we will strengthen and support families through better childcare and infant care services, as well as early intervention measures for young families. He will also outline how we will help families to mend fractured ties, and how we should deal with domestic violence. Thirdly, we will enrich our social assets by Strengthening the People Sector. Our community partners are doing very, very good work and I urge them to continue. Given the nature and complexity of needs, all of us need to play our part to provide holistic help to those in need. This way, we can achieve greater impact and we can scale what we do. When you scale, you can begin to go upstream and look at preventing problems and not just dealing with problems when they happen. So, developing our social service organisations, as well as enabling and empowering caring communities, continues to be an important priority for MSF. At the end of the day, all our efforts − family, community and Government − contribute towards our vision of a caring and inclusive society. For this first section, I will elaborate on our work in building an inclusive society. Individuals who are disadvantaged and have complex needs will feel the challenges of livelihood most acutely. If displaced from their jobs, they might not have sufficient savings or other sources of income to tide them through these rough patches. Those without family support will require greater support from the community and the Government. It is not only about extending more help. We need to be innovative to help them more holistically and try to break the cycle of disadvantage.”
“At the same time, we still have to pay attention to sustainability, to ensure that resources are going to where they are most needed. My Parliamentary Secretary and I will be elaborating on the Ministry's work in three key areas. Firstly, to Build an Inclusive Society. An inclusive society is one where each Singaporean is enabled to lead a fulfilling life, regardless of their starting point. Developing this sense of inclusiveness is and has to be a whole-of-society effort. Beyond initiatives and programmes, we need a mindset shift in the way we support the needs of fellow Singaporeans, the way we look at them, especially those with more disadvantaged circumstances and different abilities. Secondly, it is about Strengthening Families. The family plays a critical role in preserving a closely-knit society and in serving as a pillar of support for individuals. We want to ensure that Singapore remains a great place to raise children and give them a good start in life. We want to establish stable family units, while supporting families that do face difficulties. A strong family goes a long way in helping individuals overcome challenges. I am talking not just about immediate family, but also the extended family. As individual family units come under strain, such as through difficult life events like illness, extended family members can play an important role in providing support, especially when family units are becoming smaller. However, there will be families whose ties have been weakened and help from within is not immediately available. It will happen. And that is where the Government and community partners, neighbours, can help them to resolve their issues and rebuild their ties.”
“So, I would like to reiterate these principles and values that I believe should guide us. Firstly, dignity and self-reliance. Every Singaporean must be able to stand on their own two feet and live a life of dignity. Enabling those who can work to work helps to maintain self-respect and empowers one to improve his or her circumstances. We must not only help individuals with short-term needs, but help them to help themselves in the long term. Secondly, family support. Families, we all know, form the foundation of any society and, definitely, in our society, and they should be the first line of support. Family bonds help us get through tough times. Fostering strong families is a key imperative. Imagine a society where, when there are troubles, the first thing people ask is not so much what are the families doing, what is the individual doing, but what is the community doing about it. I think it would represent something that we should be worried about. But I think these are values that many of us continue to hold true today. Lastly, community support. The wider community plays a part, which is all of us here, as leaders in our own respective spaces. I think different players − some of you have suggested about how volunteers can play a part − and, certainly, different players like VWOs, grassroots, philanthropists and volunteers from all walks of life – can and should come together to provide care and support in big and small ways and they, definitely, augment the support provided by the Government. So, we need to prepare for the future. While the underlying values and principles that guide us do not change, we do need to redesign assistance to meet changing and diverse needs.”
“But like many sectors, getting more manpower to keep pace with demand remains a continuing challenge. During the Budget debate, Members spoke about new economic realities, such as evolving business models, disruptions and labour market uncertainties. What does this mean? It will probably mean that more persons will require support and, probably, for longer periods, during job transitions. Therefore, it is imperative for us to take a whole-of-Government approach to enable all Singaporeans, including the vulnerable, to adapt to these changes. Keeping our economy healthy with good jobs growth remains key because it helps our people stay employed. Work, I think, in many ways represents the best form of welfare because it enables dignity and self-respect. Secondly, we will continue investing in education and training, to ensure our workforce remains skilled and competitive. We will also help workers to upgrade their skills on an ongoing basis, so that they remain relevant as the economy evolves. We will also help with job matching where we can. While seemingly economic in nature, I would suggest that many of the measures taken by CFE and with SkillsFuture have a lot of bearing on our social well-being as well. But, lastly, invariably, where individuals fall on hard times, this is where the social safety net − by which I mean families, the community and the Government − will all have to come together to strengthen support. We believe that, as we help, we must foster hope for the future and a very real improvement in lives. If Members noticed, and many of us often ask, what is MSF doing, what is the Government doing? But I think it is important for us to realise that we all have a role to play.”
“There are many opportunities ahead for us to improve the quality of our lives, and extend our help to vulnerable ones. To achieve our vision of a caring society, the Government's efforts alone are not enough. I would like to encourage more people to step forward and work with us in making Singapore a more caring society. 6.15 pm (In English): Mdm Chairman, I would like to thank all Members for sharing their thoughts on fostering a more caring Singapore. As we progressed economically in the past 50 years, we created opportunities for Singaporeans to pursue their dreams and to provide for their families. Individual effort, strong families and active involvement by the community remain important principles. Our growth also allowed us to enhance support for families and to give our children a good start, regardless of background. We increased assistance to those who need help and improved the quality of life for the elderly and persons with disabilities. We also strengthened protection for the vulnerable. We now have better support for young couples as they plan to start families and raise their children. Now, looking ahead, we face different challenges: ageing population, shrinking family sizes and more people working abroad have resulted in fewer members within the family to share the care-giving load. While our elderly enjoy longer life expectancy, they also require sufficient resources to see them through their twilight years. More of them are developing disabilities as they age. Family structures are evolving as we have more choosing to remain single or childless, or living alone. We are also seeing more remarriages and intercultural marriages. More children are being diagnosed with autism earlier. Social services, therefore, have been expanding to meet these needs.”
“Family members form the core in the ecosystem of support. The larger community, comprising the health, education and social services and the society at large, provides the other layers of support in the ecosystem. My Ministry will continue to work on strengthening this ecosystem in enabling more holistic support and a smoother transition for persons with disabilities at different stages of their lives. We will also continue to ensure Singapore remains a great place to raise children and form stable families. For families facing challenges, we will continue to support them at critical junctures of their lives, to strengthen both immediate and extended family bonds. It is every parent's hope that their child can start off on a strong footing. We, too, want every child to have a good start in life. This is why we piloted KidSTART for low-income and vulnerable children who may need additional support since last July. KidSTART seeks to proactively identify children aged six and below, provide them with early access to health, learning and developmental support, as well as monitor their progress during their early years. Under KidSTART today, some Anchor Operator centres are provided additional manpower to engage Child Enabling Executives to work closely with parents of low-income and vulnerable children enrolled at these centres, and, if need be, work with parents to improve their children's attendance. Today, we have supported more than 300 children in three pilot sites. Parents and partners have responded positively to the support provided under KidSTART so far. We have also been receiving encouraging feedback on improved parent-child interaction and preschool attendance. While good efforts have been made, we know very well that our work is not finished.”
“The majority of our SSOs now are standalone SSOs that are not co-located with WSG and e2i. At these SSOs, appointments are made for clients requiring employment assistance to see WSG or e2i officers who come down to the SSOs once a week. At some SSOs, the wait time can be two to three weeks or more. Last year, we experimented with bringing together social assistance and employment services under one roof at two SSOs. This year, we will extend the pilot delivery of both social and employment assistance by the same SSO officer to three more SSOs. The goal is to provide unemployed clients who are able to work easier access to employment assistance so that they can get back to work sooner. They can also get more holistic support and assistance, with employment goals tied closely to social assistance. This is one of the many ways that MSF innovates to make service delivery more client-centric. We will continue to explore other possible ways to make it easier for those in need to get the help they need and to do so in a manner that does not diminish personal responsibility, self-reliance, as well as family and community support. We are making progress in better supporting persons with disabilities. The third Enabling Masterplan submitted by the 22-member committee to my Ministry in December last year put forth a number of recommendations. The recommendations range from improving the quality of lives of persons with disabilities and supporting their caregivers, to building up the community's capabilities in supporting them and charting the way forward in building an inclusive society. The recommendations highlight the importance of building an ecosystem of support for persons with disabilities in enabling them as integral and contributing members of our society.”
“Sir, I would like to start my speech by speaking in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to thank Members of the House for the suggestions on making Singapore a more caring society. My Ministry is on a constant lookout for new ways to make our social support system more responsive to the changing needs of Singaporeans. The global economy is slowing and we expect greater uncertainties in the labour market. Naturally, some of us may be concerned about the challenges in the coming years. I would like to assure everyone that my Ministry is ready to respond to these challenges, through the existing schemes and upcoming initiatives. In the coming years, my Ministry's efforts will remain focused on these three areas. First, we will stay committed towards building an inclusive society in Singapore where no one will be left behind. Second, we will also work on strengthening families so that families can continue to serve as a pillar of support for individuals and the basic building block of society. Third, we will continue to enhance the capabilities of the people sector, so that they can continue to do good work for our community. Amidst the economic uncertainties, MSF stands ready to provide the necessary additional support to the families and individuals who have fallen on hard times and are trying to bounce back. We believe that for those who can work, apart from tiding them over difficult times in the short term, the best support we can provide for them is to enable them to find and sustain work. Only then can they be empowered to improve the situation of their families and themselves. We will try to do this through our Social Service Offices (SSOs).”
“SG Enable was established in 2013 as an agency to support persons with disability for employment and training, access to schemes as well as provision of information and referral to disability services. SGE is governed by a Board of Directors who provide strategic guidance on the delivery of programmes and services for persons with disabilities as well as ensure proper management of resources of the organisation. Currently, two of the 13 Board members are persons with disabilities. Many of the Board members are also involved in programmes and services that support persons with disabilities. These members provide insights on the needs of persons with disabilities and how SG Enable can play a part in supporting the group. Apart from its Board members, 6% of SG Enable's workforce comprise persons with disabilities and this is above the national average of 0.55% amongst the resident labour force. In addition to being an inclusive employer, SG Enable believes that this group of staff have enabled the organisation to better understand the clients they serve and to be pro-active in meeting their needs.”
“While there is still a professional fee involved to engage a certificate issuer to act as a witness to the donor's statement in the LPA and issue the required LPA Certificate, there is also a social service agency, Lifepoint, which offers help to senior citizens. They organise LPA sessions and work with lawyers to help the elderly get their forms certified at a lower cost. The OPG website also identifies a list of accredited medical practitioners who are the most active and may offer applicants a more competitive rate for most of the cases they see. Families in financial difficulty can also seek legal assistance from the Legal Aid Bureau under the Ministry of Law to file the deputyship application. Applicants will have to go through a Means Test and Merits Test to qualify for legal aid. When choosing to make an LPA, it is important that the donor appoints someone he trusts, and whom he knows can make the best decisions on his behalf in future if he should become vulnerable one day.”
“The second lawyer was suspended for one year. These lawyers can no longer practice law during the periods of suspension. The MCA has also a "whistle-blower" clause to protect the identity of a whistle-blower in a report of ill-treatment of a person who lacks mental capacity. Thus, anyone who knows, suspects or believes that a person who lacks capacity is not properly looked after and/or needs care or protection can report this to the OPG. The same whistle-blowing measure applies for deputies who have been appointed by the Court. In addition, deputies have to submit an annual report containing information on major decisions made by the deputy in the past year, for the Public Guardian's review. If there are areas of concern highlighted through a report, the Public Guardian will take the appropriate action to safeguard the person’s well-being. These few cases form a very small proportion of the thousands of LPAs made, accounting for only about 0.003% of all LPAs submitted. The vast majority of all certificate issuers act diligently and honestly in carrying out their professional duties. We also need to balance against having excessive safeguards measures which makes the LPA less accessible to many Singaporeans. This is why we encourage donors to choose their donee wisely, and to inform their families and loved ones of their decision. My Ministry also understands that there are costs involved in the making of an LPA. In order to encourage more Singaporeans to make an LPA, the application fee waiver for Singaporeans putting in place a basic LPA has been extended till 31 August 2018.”
“An LPA certificate issuer is required to sign on the LPA certificate to state that he had seen the donor and is of the opinion that the donor understands the purpose of the LPA and the scope of the authority conferred under it. He has to satisfy himself that no fraud or undue pressure was used to induce the donor to make the LPA and there is nothing else that would prevent the LPA from being created. Due to the crucial safeguarding role played by an LPA certificate issuer, the OPG has engaged the Law Society, the Singapore Medical Association and the Singapore Psychiatric Association so that their members understand the roles and responsibilities of a certificate issuer. For doctors who are not specialists in psychiatry, they are also required to undergo an online course administered by the Singapore Medical Association before they can be accredited by the Public Guardian. OPG takes a serious view of breaches made by certificate issuers and will not hesitate to bring them to Court or report them to their professional bodies if they breach their professional duties. To date, OPG has reported one case of professional misconduct of two lawyers to the Law Society, for their investigation. The original LPA application signed by a first lawyer was rejected because of her relationship to the donee. She then asked a second lawyer to sign off on the LPA as the certificate issuer, which he did without meeting the donor. After the OPG report, the Law Society started disciplinary proceedings against the lawyers involved in this one case. The matter was determined to be serious enough to be referred to the Court of Three Judges. The Court found that both lawyers had acted improperly and suspended the first lawyer from practice for 2.5 years.”
“Since its inception, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has processed around 1,000 Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) revocations as at end January 2017. This represents approximately 4% of the LPAs accepted as at end January 2017. The overwhelming majority (98%) of all revocations are due to death of the donor or done, or because the donor decided to make a new LPA. Section 17(3) of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) allows for the Court to make a determination on an LPA if the Court is satisfied that fraud or undue pressure was used to induce the donor into making an LPA. To date, the Court has not revoked any LPAs under this clause. To better protect those without capacity, the Ministry introduced a new section (section 36A) of the MCA in March 2016. Now the Public Guardian can go to Court and apply for a suspension order to preserve the donor's assets where there is clear evidence that a donee or deputy has acted in a way which compromises the interests of the donor and there is no one else to protect him. Once the Court makes the suspension order, OPG will annotate on the original LPA that the LPA is suspended. This information is uploaded on its website so that third parties can check and not proceed with any transactions. The appointed donees and deputies would no longer be able to make decisions and act on behalf of the donor for the time period as stipulated in the Court order. Since the amendments came into effect, the Public Guardian has acted in two cases. She has applied to Court in one case to suspend a donee’s powers and revoke the LPA. She has also filed an application to revoke the powers of a deputy. As both cases are still pending in Court, we are unable to provide more details of the cases.”
“The professional is required to see the donor and has to, in his professional opinion, ensure that the donor understands the purpose and content of the LPA, and that he is not forced to make one under pressure or duress. The certificate issuer does so by signing off on the LPA Form. OPG also takes a serious view of breaches made by certificate issuers and will not hesitate to bring them to Court or report them to their professional bodies if they do not conduct their duties in a proper manner. If anyone has knowledge that a certificate issuer had not carried out his duties properly, he may inform the OPG or alert the respective professional bodies so that the matter can be looked into.”