Committee of Supply – Head I (Ministry of Social and Family Development)

Thank you, Chairman. As social needs grow, it is important for the Government and the community to partner each other to better meet these needs. I had earlier spoken on the power of community in terms of delivery of social services. We can harness the same power in partnership.

During COVID-19, especially during the circuit breaker, many of such partnerships between the Government and community demonstrated their value in meeting increased social needs, such as the PEERS Network and the Charity Food Workgroup.

Even as we take care in terms of fiscal prudence, audits and careful use of public monies, we must also count in the intangibles that such networks bring.

How does the Ministry intend to strengthen such partnerships? What are some of the safeguards and audit measures we can bring into play No one likes an overweening state – and help comes much faster, and in much a friendlier form, when organised and implemented by people we know.

We need strong partners in the community and it is useful to see how much the people and public sector can work together.

Singapore's social safety net was the first and strongest weapon we had against the pandemic. This net – which allowed us some measure of certainty in a very precarious situation, comprised financial assistance, as well as social support such as employment assistance and jobs creation.

It is thanks to this that we dodged many of the bullets that we now see, even in developed countries – the long queues of people at food banks, the homeless on the streets, the disproportionately larger load of poorer people in hospital due to COVID-19.

It may seem here that COVID-19 hurt the poor and the rich equally hard, at least in terms of vulnerability to the virus. However, we must open our eyes to the fact that in any downturn, any downturn, it is the poorest among us who are the most vulnerable.

MSF most recently launched the COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG). Can the Minister provide an update on the CRG, as well as how the CRG is designed to help its recipients get back on their feet? Can the Ministry also provide an update on job creation efforts in the social sector?

We need all of us to emerge stronger from the pandemic – not just the strongest, but the weakest among us too. I think we did right in focusing the bulk of our help to help businesses preserve jobs, but I think we must also work at the social end of the stick – take stock of how well the measures worked, what more we need to do, and what we need to change. Let us focus on the outcomes, I would like an update on that.

Chairman, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Government has moved quickly and decisively to strengthen our social safety net to support Singaporeans who have lost their livelihoods.

The expansion in our financial assistance schemes, as well as the strengthening of our social support systems, in areas such as employment assistance and jobs creation, have been helpful in assisting the vulnerable segments of our society.

MSF recently launched the new COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG) to support lower to middle income employees and self-employed persons whose livelihoods continue to be financially impacted by the pandemic. Can MSF provide an update on the CRG – how many have applied, the average success rates, as well as reasons why applications have been rejected – and share more on how this grant is designed to help the recipients?

Sir, the pandemic has also affected our care-givers, particularly the informal care-givers who perform their duties full-time but without an income. Care-givers are an important pillar of our social safety net, performing their duties invisibly, to prevent vulnerable Singaporeans from falling onto the Government's social safety net.

We need to provide better support to the invisible hands that help us to stich the safety nets above the state's current resources. What are the Ministry's plans to better support care-givers, and to alleviate some of the current burdens that they face?

Lastly, can MSF provide an update on job creation efforts in the social sector? Is there a need to increase the number of jobs in this vital sector, so that we leave no vulnerable Singaporean behind?

Chairman, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the important role of our social service delivery. I would like to take this opportunity to put on record my heartfelt appreciation for the staff at our Social Service Office (SSOs) and partner Social Service Agencies (SSAs) and the volunteers and donors who contribute their time and money. I would like to ask a few questions about the Ministry's plans to strengthen the delivery of social services by the SSOs and SSAs.

In order for our social service delivery to reach the needy, we must increase public awareness and boost our detection mechanism. Awareness is the beginning of the delivery process. Awareness of where and how to get help will draw those who need it. On the other hand, there are people who need help but do not or are unable to seek assistance for various reasons.

If the SSOs or the communities are aware of them, we will be able to reach out to them. I would like to ask if the Ministry would share an update on its measures to strengthen its capabilities on these two fronts.

Next, many disadvantaged families and individuals have a range of needs which require intervention by different community agencies. However, not all their needs are always presented to the officers and volunteers. How will the SSOs and SSAs improve on their abilities to detect such issues to ensure that their cases receive holistic help? When encountered with complex cases, how do the various teams of professional staff and volunteers coordinate their work? What procedures are in place to minimize duplications and blind spots?

Another point I wish to make is making it easier for the applicants to access help. Hence, I would like to suggest that we locate mini-SSOs in areas where rental blocks are sited as most of the residents who need help reside in our HDB rental blocks. The mini-SSOs can pull in the necessary resources from the neighbourhood or nearby precincts to help the varied needs of these vulnerable families and provide them with holistic assistance. Help can be more targeted as they cater to these few rental blocks in this particular precinct.

Finally, how is the Ministry leveraging on technology and IT systems to increase efficiency and productivity in social service delivery?

Chairman, Sir, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, we witness many acts of kindness especially the lost, the least and the last in society. I work with some of the best social service professionals from MSF and social service agencies, grassroots and non-grassroots volunteers in my district.

Despite this, there are still gaps in the last mile of social service delivery that need to be addressed. I will touch on three Cs – Coordination, communication and ComLink.

Coordination. A common sight on the ground especially in rental housing estates is an overlap of services such as free distribution of food, masks, groceries, health screening and even home cleaning. During a recent long weekend before the Lunar New Year, I met six groups, some are regular and some are ad hoc, distributing lunch bento boxes to the same group of rental residents. Is there a more effective way of coordination so that there is less overlap, less wastage and better allocation of precious resources?

Next, communication. Sir, it is not uncommon to read from social media anecdotes of vulnerable persons such as the homeless, tissue paper sellers and "beggars" sometimes outside places of worship where there are many kind devotees. Yet, from my work with many Social Service partners, including volunteer groups, such as Mummy Yummy, Homeless HEARTS and Keeping Hope Alive, I know that many current help channels do exist. Can the Ministry facilitate a national communication plan at both strategic and tactical level, so that many more know where to get help or to help signpost where help can be obtained? My CDC, of course, would be a willing partner.

Finally, on ComLink or Communication Link. ComLinks are piloted to bring together various service partners to provide holistic solutions to vulnerable families with children. In Central District which I oversee, there are many elderly singles and couples living in rental flats. Can ComLink be scaled to include these households although the elderly, for example, are technically under MOH. Can Government give more resources to MSF so that can comb entire rental housing blocks and not only specific profiles?

Chairman, I would like to urge the Government to consider implementing a seamless application process for the disadvantaged children who require financial assistance to attend schools. Social Service Offices’ records about their families can be shared with MOE and schools, so that the children do not need to apply for the Financial Assistance Scheme, school pocket money fund and other related programmes separately.

For the underprivileged families, the adults are already struggling with a multitude of problems. Navigating assistance schemes is not easy for them, much less for their children. As a Smart Nation, we can tap upon information technology to make the process easier for all stakeholders using data integration. The seamless integrated financial assistance application process will need more proactive and closer collaboration amongst the involved Ministries – MSF, MOH’s NEHR MND as well as the approved financial service centre's database on kids studying or staying in the rental HDB units.

Chairman, in 2019, MSF announced that it will be setting up four social service hubs, to be named ComLink, at Jalan Kukoh, Marsiling, Kembangan-Chai Chee and Boon Lay over the next two years. These clusters were selected due to the sizeable number of families and children living in rental flats in those areas.

According to MSF, this pilot project announced at Committee Of Supply 2019 provides proactive and integrated support to an estimated 1,000 families living in rental flats to help them achieve sustained stability and social mobility." This includes supporting families with the potential for homeownership. Minister Desmond Lee mentioned in Parliament that, "Most importantly, ComLink will develop a sense of community and mutual help, with neighbours supporting one another in their journeys."

Since its inception, has the pilot succeeded in meeting its intended outcomes? Moreover, are there any learning points to be taken away from this pilot project? Also, are there any plans to extend this programme to leverage local community partnerships to support the needs of the families? If so, how will this programme be scalable on a national level in the coming future?

Chairman, I just realised it is quite apt that the mask I am wearing today has a 招财猫 on it because my next cut is about money and donations.

Chairman, while donations for specific causes such as supporting those affected by the pandemic have increased, many other organisations have experienced a reduction in donations due to COVID-19. This could hamper the ability to deliver essential social services on the ground and Deputy Prime Minister Heng himself has noted that, and I quote, "Some charities even had to dip into their reserves to keep operations going. This affects the help that goes to those who need it." As such, what are the Ministry's plans to encourage more giving despite this on-going challenging times?

Thank you, Chairman. Under the new Change for Charity Grant, a $20 million fund will be set aside to match Community Chest’s donations raised through spontaneous acts daily. It was also mentioned that ComChest will be partnering businesses to provide opportunities for customers to donate to Community Chest through their payment platforms. This could not be more timely as we know many charities, VWOs and social service agencies are currently facing a challenging environment caused by COVID-19. We should certainly encourage individuals to give as part of their daily lives; ComChest should also partner and make it convenient for businesses to provide opportunities for customers to donate through their payment platforms. We all know that Singaporeans, everyone here, has a big heart. So, if we make that facility available, convenient and accessible, I think great things could come out of it.

I would like to ask Minister if he could outline more details on how to ensure the success of this scheme? Now putting on my hat as the group CEO of NTUC Fairprice, I want to assure Minister that we will certainly give this scheme a full consideration and do our part to make lives better for the community.

COVID-19 has caused a significant amount of disruption for the pre-school sector, especially during the circuit breaker. We often think little children spend most of their school time in physical activity and play – which many do – and rightly so. However, the experience of the pandemic has taught us that there will be occasions when pre-school students will have to stay at home for long periods as well.

How will the pre-school sector be supported to emerge stronger from the experience of COVID-19?

Pre-school teachers may benefit from more training, which will enable them to explore innovations in online teaching methods. They could also be supported with grants and new hardware as well as software, so as to allow them to contribute to their students’ development, even when teaching from home.

Second, can we also explore how pre-schools administration can benefit from greater digitalisation, including providing their staff with remote working and learning opportunities. Our pre-school teachers are some of the most imaginative and dedicated in Singapore. We have quite a few of them in our NTUC First Campus. We must help them to succeed in a digital world.

Chairman, although ComCare has helped many low-income persons and challenged families and is a critical social support programme, the number of families helped and the amount spent on ComCare has not reduced, in fact increased, since its inception.

It tells me that ComCare, although it is very helpful as a support, is not getting people out of poverty permanently, and this is not a solution built to last. Without capacity-building of families who are on ComCare, it serves only as a band-aid solution that continues to deplete our financial resources. I am not saying to lower the budget for it, but I am saying we need a clear strategy to supplement ComCare, aimed at empowering families beyond surviving, to facilitate their thriving and reduce their recidivism back to financial support.

And to do this, we need more people who are well-versed in discovering and harnessing the assets and strengths of the community, and to transform the current recipients of aid into active contributors in the community and also pave their way towards higher employability.

I would like to ask if asset-based community development is the intended approach by ComLink, and whether there are plans to dovetail ComLink efforts with the National Jobs Council efforts?

I ask this because I see a ripe opportunity for the transformation of our social services sector. An opportunity to develop empathy and empowerment at scale, to better harness the strengths within our challenged individuals and families.

While I am grateful for the numerous COVID-19 support schemes that have been given out so far, frontline administrators in our SSOs are over-stretched and inundated with very onerous but necessary task of administrative checks and gatekeeping. And we need to help them out, and we can, by augmenting the sector with more personnel, trained professionally in asset-based community development.

With many professionals impacted by lay-offs and a surge in community spirit brought by COVID-19, we now have a pool of highly qualified people, who are seeking more meaningful careers that can be harnessed for the social services sector.

While I feel very encouraged by the announcement of the Community Capability Trust to help SSAs develop capacity, it will be more timely to complement the efforts of the National Jobs Council if MSF can bring this forward to this year instead of commencing only in 2022.

I hope MSF can accelerate its support to the sector and enhance ComLink’s efforts by appointing qualified Social Service Agencies with good track records to train mid-career entrants in community-building and assets discovery work. Trained personnel can then be hired and deployed through SSOs or grassroots organisations. This will help SSOs to enhance its function beyond administrators of support schemes and connectors within the community to become effective community builders.

With that, I would like to convey my high hopes for ComLink, and I look forward to more job creation in the social services sector, to enable the empowerment of our ComCare recipients into a community that thrives.

Thank you. The community, including the social service agencies (SSAs), community groups and corporates, play a critical role alongside the Government in supporting the social needs of Singaporeans. Amidst the disruption caused by COVID-19, we saw many SSAs that rose to the occasion and adapted to the new operating environment to deliver social services to those in need.

However, it was also through this crisis that we have learnt that we will need to have better coordination amongst different SSAs to leverage on one another’s strengthen and expertise to deliver targeted assistance to families to better identify specific needs with the most appropriate solution at the right time. We have also learnt that we need to further strengthen our outreach capabilities and ability to communicate with those in need, especially remotely via teleconferencing. Many SSAs can reap productivity gains if they have had deployed suitable toolkits and platforms within their organisations. However, many lack the resources and the capacity to develop and maintain these capabilities.

To build a better eco-system of social and welfare support, what are the plans to help SSAs further unlock productivity and strengthen resilience?

COVID-19 is one of the first major crisis in the lives of many youths. Due to the disruption in routines and social activities, many youth’s mental health and well-being were affected. However, prevention is always better than cure. Education, awareness and timely persistent community support are important aspects to ensure that our youths develop resilience, understanding and pathways to better manage their own mental well-being. Friends, family, loved ones and those around, must have a keen ability to identify symptoms. In other cases, a better understanding of the youths' environment can help identity risk factors and mitigating measure early.

Can MSF update on how the youth mental well-being network can help support our youths' mental health and well-being through future crisis and COVID-19 and beyond?

In 2019, the Ministry introduced four significant updates to the Children and Young Persons Act.

First, changes were made to enhance the safeguarding of abuse on neglected children; second, the rehabilitation and re-integration of youth offenders was strengthened; third, parents with difficulties managing their children were to apply for family guidance orders replacing the formal BPC or Beyond Parental Control orders; and fourth, community resources to support vulnerable children were increased.

These amendments are very significant.

One of the key changes was to amend the definition of "child" to include youths, not exceeding 18 years of age in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which Singapore has signed. This increase by just two years would require real adjustments by the various agencies involved to cater to the older youths between 16 and 18 years of age.

Another significant change is the new FGO regime which provides for compulsory attendance at family programmes even before parents can file a court application. The amendments were effective in July 2020 and I appreciate that only half a year has passed.

Nevertheless, what is MSF's interim assessment of the impact? For instance, how have the juvenile rehabilitation centres cope with increase and different caseload? Have children been better served under the FGO regime compared to the BPC regime?

Mr Chairman, Sir, youths continue to feature significantly in the crime trends involving drug abuse, secret societies and criminal activities. Recently, there was also a disturbing report of a youth being self-radicalised to become a terrorist.

How do we help such youths through their families and other partners such as schools, self-help groups and social service agencies to build up their resilience to guard against such negative influences, ensure that each of them will be given opportunities to realise their full potential? What has been the outcome of the measures put in place to assist youths at risk thus far? How effective are they? These are the focus areas of my speech.

In 2016, the Government put in place the Youth-At-Risk Engagement (YARE) Framework to support youth-at-risk (YAR). It was to have lasted three years, with the aim of helping 900 young people through 10 service providers. These agencies would then be trained and use standardised assessment tools to their work with young people.

In 2018, the Government set up the National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recividism (NCPR) to oversee national efforts to prevent offending, re-offending and enhance rehabilitation of offenders. The scope of NCPR includes at risk children and youth. I am a member of NCPR.

Working with people whether young or old, requires a human-centred approach, being sensitive to specific home contexts as well as the personality of the youth. Our current programmes include mentorship and sports. Mentorship was a topic that the hon Member of Parliament Miss Rachel Ong touched on during the Budget debate last week when she proposed that youths at risk have long-term mentors. I agree with her. It will be good to understand what has been the outcome of these programmes to date? Do we need others?

Relatedly, do we have enough youth workers, and do they receive enough support? What emerging threats does the Minister see among our young people today that we need to guard against?

Chairman, our youth today are woke about mental health and well-being, not only for themselves but also in terms of how all of us as a society have a role to play to support and journey with those who are coping with mental health challenges.

Our youths are woke about acting on mental health, acting on the reservoir of stigma that still persists today and woke about encouraging and making sure that all those who need help actually come forward to seek help.

How can the Ministry better support our youths in their efforts to advance and champion mental well-being and, specifically, the Ministry has set up a Youth Mental Well-being Network? Can I ask what is the role of this Network, what has been its progress, especially in terms of outcomes and what are the Ministry's future plans for the Network?

Chairman, according to MCCY, our youth volunteerism rate has gone up from 23% in 2008 to 40% in 2018 for youths aged between 15 and 24 years old as well as 13% in 2008 to 27% in 2018 for youths aged between 25 and 34 years old. Moreover, youth participation in social groups has generally gone up from ages between 15 and 34 years old from 2010 to 2016. Besides the increase in youth volunteerism and participation rates, our youth have also made remarkable contribution to our community.

In 2018, then Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Minister Grace Fu, underscored the story of Kenneth and Yin Loong who were among the 15 youth who received Meritorious Youth Award at the People's Association Youth Movement Awards and Central Youth Council Installation ceremonies. Both Yin Loong and Kenneth have been volunteering for more than a decade. Through the Day of Giving series, Yin Loong in Kolam Ayer CCYEC organised food ration contributions and movie screenings for the disadvantaged. In 2017, Day of Giving mobilised 200 student volunteers to make 8,000 cupcakes for old folks' homes island-wide. Therefore, besides the increased rates of youth volunteerism and community involvement, our youth have made deep and everlasting impact on our social fabric.

In light of heartening trend of youth volunteerism and community development, how have we empowered and supported our youth to build a more resilient and inclusive society together?

Chairman, I understand that by around 2025, 80% of pre-schoolers can have a place in a Government supported pre-school, up from about 50% in 2019. While the Government has increased the number of infant care and childcare places over the last five years, this is still woefully inadequate in towns such as Sengkang, which has the highest number of young children across Singapore by planning area with 17,000 0 to four-year-olds and about 17,000 five to nine-year-olds as of June 2019.

As such, while there may be vacancies in the system today, this may not be so for particular areas with high concentration of young families. What is the target total number of centres and places that will be offering infant care services and childcare services in 2025 and where will these be located?

Chairman, the efficiency of our nation is powered by many hardworking men and women who work around the clock to support us – the workers who start packing your online orders in the warehouses at midnight, the healthcare staff who tend to our sick and wounded as our city sleeps, the fishmongers who collect our seafood supplies from Jurong Fishery Port, the list goes on.

For shift workers who do not have family support and cannot afford to hire a foreign domestic helper, getting evening and overnight childcare services for their young children is a big challenge. There have been cases where lower Primary school kids are tasked to look after younger siblings or where children are entrusted to incompetent babysitters.

Will the Ministry consider setting up an islandwide network of evening and overnight childcare services for shift workers to ensure the safety and well-being of their vulnerable children?

Chairman, as the early years of people’s lives have such a big impact on their lifelong health, cognitive and psychological conditions, great care should be taken to nurture and develop our children. The Government has committed significant amounts of resources to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of all our pre-schools. However, a child’s development is also heavily dependent on the home environment.

For disadvantaged children, the Government has implemented various initiatives to support their families and enable them to give their children a good start in life. With holistic assistance measures and more conducive home surroundings, these children will stand a better chance in our competitive economic and social environment.

I am heartened that under the KidSTART programme, the development of children from vulnerable families will be monitored and nurtured from the day they were born. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), which leads this programme, provides support for child development and coordinate the social services for the needy families.

Can MSF share the progress of this programme and its expansion plans? How many more regions will KidSTART expand to and how many more children are expected to be covered? Will the Ministry also provide an update on the status of the "Growing Together with KidSTART" initiative? What has been the feedback from the beneficiaries so far?

ECDA partners the Social Service Offices, Family Service Centres and hospitals to support this group of underprivileged children. Will ECDA consider partnerships with suitable community organisations in the proximity of the children’s homes and with the private sector to widen the scope of programmes which can benefit not just the children but also their families?

Thank you, Chairman, I will take my both cuts together.

Chairman the importance of early childhood care and education through pre-school cannot be over emphasised in a country like Singapore, where the quality of our human resource has significant impact on our national success. With the increasing Government spending on early childhood care and education of more than $1 billion annually and growing, it is an investment in the right direction. It is still a small fraction of what Singapore normally spends on education system.

Sir, more must be done to ensure a good start for every child in Singapore. I am glad that the shortage of pre-schools in Singapore has been acknowledged and expansion efforts been put in by the Government as early as 2012.

During both the 2017 and 2019 National Day Rallies, Prime Minister Lee also spoke about the initiatives to further develop and boost the pre-school sector. Plans announced so far, including increasing the number of Government-supported pre-schools from about 50% to 80% and enhancing pre-school subsidies for more families to be eligible, are all welcomed but may not be sufficient.

While the Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework, or SPARK, is also a good tool to continually enhance and assure quality education in pre-schools, only about 50% of pre-schools are SPARK-certified so far. This may leave parents, whose children are attending the other 50% of pre-schools, wondering about the quality of education that their young children are receiving.

In a few housing estates with high childcare demand, parents are still experiencing waiting times that can range from a few weeks to a few months. For parents needing to return to work and having no alternative help, this can be a daunting wait. In my constituency, where there are new Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, such as in the Buangkok Crescent area, I regularly receive requests from young couples seeking help to ensure that they can secure a pre-school place for their children in order for both parents to return to work. I constantly assure them that a place will be availed to them as soon as possible.

Sir, in Germany, they introduced reforms guaranteeing a place in childcare for every child aged one and above in 2013. Its purpose was to influence peoples' decision to have children in a rapidly ageing society and tackle the nation's long-term demographic change.

Singapore faces the same demographic challenge. To battle Singapore's stubbornly low total fertility rate, we must do more to give assurance to couples that they will not have to worry about having a pre-school place when they give birth to more children. We need to accelerate the pace of the roll-out in regions with a higher proportion of younger families.

Sir, I will like to ask for an update on the progress towards the goals and timeline set to close the demand, supply and quality gap in pre-schools in Singapore. Knowing that a reliable pre-school can be counted upon to look after their children will be paramount for many young couples to have the confidence to have more children.

Every child is precious, notwithstanding what background they come from or what abilities they have. Appropriate early-years intervention and support have proven in many research studies to be critical for children with developmental needs. Children with developmental needs deserve a good start in life, the same as any children in Singapore.

I will always remember fondly of the times that I visited the various Early Intervention Programmes for Infants and Children, or EIPIC, run by the social service agencies during my days in the National Council of Social Service. Despite their different abilities, seeing these children being given the opportunities to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills was heartening.

However, I have always hoped for the day when all our pre-schools will be fully inclusive so that our children, with or without disabilities, can learn and grow together. This will not only assimilate children with disabilities or developmental needs to other children of typical growth earlier in their growing years, it can also develop awareness and empathy in children with normal growth to include their peers with different abilities in play and in activities. Research studies also indicate that typically developing children in inclusive settings perform comparably with or better academically than those in non-inclusive programmes. Sir, I would now like to speak in Chinese.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.]  Every child is precious, notwithstanding what background they come from or what abilities that they have. Appropriate early-years intervention and support have proven in many research studies to be critical for children with developmental needs. Children with developmental needs deserve a good start in life ‒ the same as any children in Singapore.

During my days in the National Council of Social Service, I participated in various Early Intervention Programmes for Infants and Children run by social service agencies. Despite their different abilities, seeing these children being given equal opportunities to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills was very heartening.

I have always hoped that, one day, all our pre-schools will be fully inclusive so that our children, with or without disabilities, can learn and grow together. This will not only assimilate children with disabilities or developmental needs with other children of typical growth earlier in their growing years, it can also develop awareness and empathy in children with normal growth. Research studies also show that typically developing children in inclusive settings perform comparably or even better academically than those in non-inclusive programmes.

(In English): Sir, back in English, please. The move for Early Childhood Development Agency, or ECDA, under MSF to oversee early intervention services and pre-school services from the end of 2020, with the transfer of early intervention functions from the Disability Office in MSF to ECDA is an encouraging move towards inclusive pre-schools.

MSF has also launched an inclusive pre-school workgroup to strengthen the support for children with developmental needs. I will like to ask for an update on the plans and implementation for having more inclusive pre-schools in Singapore.

As the third Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021 will come to an end this year, I would also like to ask MSF how it will engender more creative and impactful ways of nurturing children with disabilities from their early childhood period to better achieve their fullest potential as integral and contributing members of our society.

Mr Chairman, for lower income families, coping with children with special needs is particularly difficult. These families are already struggling financially and with children who require more care, their ability to work and earn income is further reduced. In addition, therapies and intervention cost money and exert more stress on the families. I urge the Government to expedite and increase financial care assistance for them so that they can seek the appropriate therapies for these kids.

For many cases, regular intervention at the earliest opportunity can make a significant difference to their lives because young minds and bodies are pliable and have great potential to receive and retain treatments. With children, we have a "golden period" to help them reduce the severity of their conditions, so we should help the families seize the opportunity without hesitation. The funds spent on the therapies will be well-invested, subject to the guidance of the Government, who must draw up a list of qualified practitioners.

In addition, I would like to ask if all applicants for Special Student Care Centres (SSCCs) are able to enroll? Is there any shortage of vacancies and, if so, how many more places will be made available in the upcoming years?

Since July last year, MSF had increased the subsidies and broadened the income criteria so that more families qualify for the Student Care Fee Assistance (SCFA) scheme. Would the Ministry share an update on the impact of these changes and a summary of the profiles of the families and the children it has helped?

Mr Chairman, in the Parliament Adjournment Motion I filed in October 2020, I called for society to change the way it views persons with disabilities, or PWDs. I called for several key gaps to be addressed, for more progress reporting and for more inclusion of the voice of PWDs in policy-making.

I wish to speak on two other topics today.

First, on Enabling Masterplans for the Disabled. The Singapore Government has supported the development of three five-year Enabling Masterplans for the Disabled. These plans list recommendations to enable PWDs to realise their potential and to become integral and contributing members of society. The current plan will be expiring this year and a new one is expected.

I would like to seek the latest update for the current third Enabling Masterplan. Next, I would also like to propose suggestions for the next Enabling Masterplan.

The current Enabling Masterplans take a life-cycle approach and cover general disability issues. But the needs of different disability groups are not homogeneous. I hence propose that the next masterplan also incorporate the inputs of each major disability group. The autism group, for example, where I help and volunteer, has just completed their own enabling masterplan, which I hope will be supported by the Government and the rest of society.

By encouraging each major disability group to take ownership, study the landscape, prioritise their top needs and invite solutions and partners, the national Enabling Masterplan will be all the more relevant and richer in content.

Masterplans that are five years long also should be constantly updated and reported to reflect the latest achievements and challenges. The last published third Enabling Masterplan (EMP3), for instance, was not updated with the most significant change of our time—the COVID-19 pandemic.

Next, on strengthening disability social service agencies, or SSAs. Many of the early intervention, special education and services for PWDs are run by these social service agencies. They provide disability expertise and harness the support of the community assets.

Beyond programme grants, the Government has been supportive through measures such as the Government matching of charity donations through the 250% tax exempt benefit and the latest Change for Charity initiative. I call for the Government to provide more tailored support to its partner SSAs.

Smaller SSAs will need greater support in resources such as shared services in fundraising, human resource, volunteer management and financial reporting and compliance. Larger SSAs too will need support. It is a fallacy that larger charities do not need help nor that they will naturally do well on their own.

Just as Deputy Prime Minister Heng has encouraged the support of large local enterprises (LLEs), so should the same be considered for these larger SSAs.

Some specific ways of support include the following.

Identify their needs and support larger SSAs as they scale or develop deeper capabilities to move into new essential territories. Seed and better support the social enterprises of these SSAs so they can help meet targeted social bottom lines that are important for the community such as jobs in sheltered or supported worksites.

Next, pay or co-fund corporate services such as the CEO and key financial, technology and human resource positions so that these SSAs can focus on and excel in their core services. Most donors do not fund important corporate services, but these are essential for compliance, for growth and for governance.

Help the larger SSAs safely generate better returns from their reserves, which are sometimes large because of the need to save to pay for recurring high-cost services such as day activity centres. Consider setting aside a percentage of Singapore Savings Bonds or infrastructure bonds for the larger SSAs.

Sir, in conclusion, the only way to predict the future is to help create it. The disability sector needs as much help as it can get. The Government cannot do it alone.

Mr Chairman, I gave birth to my son, Ayden, in 2017 and having him is one of the best things that has happened in my life. Ayden has Down Syndrome and was also recently clinically diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. There are some challenges for the family but I have so many things to be grateful for and I am glad for the support that I receive to raise my child.

I am grateful for a Government that cares. The Enabling Masterplans and their evolution over the years reflect the efforts of the Government in creating an inclusive environment for persons with disabilities (PWDs). This is an on-going effort and we need to continue building on existing initiatives, but I am grateful for the effort of the team at MSF, who continues to look at various ways to support PWDs and their families.

I am also grateful for activists and advocates who have blazed a trail for many PWDs and their families. Take hon Member, Ms Denise Phua, for example. Her years of advocacy and labour of love opened the doors for discussions and reviews and led to many meaningful initiatives that have made an impact to the sector.

I would also like to mention Dr Lim Hong Huay and the team at Caring SG. I would declare at this juncture that I have been asked to sit as an advisor to this organisation, but I must sincerely say that I am heartened by the efforts and their passion to support care-givers of PWDs and provide them with helpful resources.

I am also truly grateful and indebted to family members and friends who have provided unconditional support and love and have made this journey so much more meaningful. Their kindness and graciousness have let me to believe that there are many out there who are open and willing, and are keen to see a more inclusive society, one that embraces different abilities.

In my own experience and through conversations with parents of PWDs and people in the disability sector, there are still concerns about the level of understanding and inclusiveness in our society. Many parents have shared about unkind remarks people have made to them or the rude stares they receive when their child misbehaves in public. Some parents have shared about challenges they had in finding a suitable child care or pre-school in the vicinity of their neighbourhood. I have heard many instances of PWDs, especially those with intellectual disability, being bullied or taken advantage of in school or at work.

Above all, what families of PWDs hope to see is for their family member to be treated with dignity. They are no lesser human beings and are as entitled to be treated with respect, like any of us here.

At this juncture, I would like to offer some observations and thoughts on creating a kinder and more inclusive society. Firstly, I would ask if the Ministry has been tracking the effectiveness of the various campaigns and effort in encouraging the public to be more inclusive? I am heartened by efforts by various agencies like the "See The True Me" campaign and I am always excited to participate in events like the Purple Parade. I believe there is now more awareness and sensitivity, but there is still some way to go before we can say that our community is truly inclusive and embracing of people with different abilities.

Have the different campaigns and efforts to encourage inclusiveness in the community been successful? Do we have indicators in place to help us measure how we are doing as a community and targets which we can work towards? What more can we do to nudge behaviours and encourage people to be more open and compassionate towards PWDs and their care-givers? May be useful to do a review of study so that we could assess a better approach to build on the current efforts.

Secondly, I would like to propose that we take a more holistic approach in looking at opportunities to normalise different abilities within the society, in school, at work, and then the community. PWDs have much to offer society. We should equip PWDs with skills and empower the community so that PWDs may contribute to society in some way.

I had in my speech for MOE's COS debate, shared my thoughts on how this could be done in the school setting. I would encourage a similar approach for the workplace and in the community. For example, I think there is a need to engage extensively and meaningfully with employers to create better understanding of different abilities and provide support for the redesigning of jobs.

I appreciate that there are already efforts on this front and it is a challenging exercise. I feel though, in the long run, there is much value to be gained. Otherwise, we will continue to typecast PWDs, especially those with intellectual disabilities to just do menial tasks and we do not get to tap on their full potential. Another area, I believe we could work on, is to develop various infrastructure within our communities to accommodate different needs. We do see a few inclusive playgrounds, Braille in the lifts, quiet rooms in public places. And that is always very encouraging. However, such awareness and sensitivity to various needs should be more pervasive as we continue to build our common spaces in this country.

Thirdly, I think we need to continue to educate the community on the appropriate norms or social interactions and empower them to embrace people with different abilities. We should create opportunities for PWDs to fully participate, physically and socially, in the community, but I think we also need to learn how to do so meaningfully. I have been to events where PWDs were invited to attend as guests, but they were seated at a separate table or space and there was no interaction with the rest of the participants or guests.

Some families of PWDs would get upset or offended with reactions from the public. I think often people behave the way they do because of ignorance. I believe the Government can play a role in educating and creating understanding, but families of PWDs also need to be open and willing to embrace people who lack understanding, not shun or criticise them. Teach them, tell them kindly about the appropriate vocabulary, the appropriate approach, the appropriate way to interact. I believe that a conscious approach of integration and inclusiveness is necessary at the policy, organisation and individual level. I hope that we will continue to grow as a nation, to be one that truly cares for the vulnerable and embrace differences.

Thank you, Chair. This is the year we have set aside to celebrate women. This may seem, to some of us, to be an artificial effort. Why do we need a year to celebrate women, when they should be celebrated all the time? Or, the word "celebration" – is it not condescending to "celebrate" women, as if it is something conferred by the power of men or by institutions?

All these could be true, but I feel the effort itself has merit simply because despite all the progress we have made in the last 50 years, many of the traditional inequalities still exist. Added to these are new ones of income and inherited wealth.

Sir, in celebrating women, we make gender salient, we confront biases that otherwise would not have been noticed. Unconscious bias is real, and sometimes, without intending, we do great harm. In these conversations, and to make any sort of progress, it is important to have some moral clarity.

One such issue has to do with apologies. It is important to note that when one apologises for a misstep, not just in relation on such gender biases, but in general, we should not hide behind "misunderstood" intentions, neither should we call on the person whom we offended to be gracious and "forgiving" about the matter.

It is time we recognise that the lack of malicious intent offers no shield, no defence against the harm that is done. Indeed, it is the very nature of unconscious bias that it is unintentional. So, when we apologise, we should certainly make the intentions behind our acts known, but we should also recognise that this is the start and not the end of the matter.

Women play many important roles in Singapore. They are mothers, care-givers, workers, and members of our society. And I am encouraged that the Conversations on SG Women's Development is focused on addressing the issues that women face at home, in schools, workplaces and the community in real life.

What are some of the issues which have been frequently raised by Singaporeans in the SG Conversation? In this effort, we must ensure that the interests of all women are represented. What is the profile in the Conversations on Singapore Women's Development?

In addition, this conversation takes place within a society, a society of all of us. How many among these are men? What are their views? I recall when I served on the Board of Directors of Centre for Fathering for some 14 years, we had a number of women on our Board – yes on Centre for Fathering. And the views and insights from these women Board members strengthened the Board and made the organisation better. Actually this year, it is Centre for Fathering's 20th anniversary.

Speaking of Boards, wearing my NTUC Enterprise hat, in preparing for this cut, I also asked for some statistics on the women representation on our Board. The hon Member, Ms Mariam Jaafar, you will be pleased to note that across the boards of eight of our social enterprises, 36% are women. This compares favourably with Singapore Institute of Directors's (SID) target of 30% for Public Listed companies by 2030; we are already 36%. But these numbers show that we have made progress but still have some way to go. And again, amongst the leadership team at the NTUC group of Enterprises, 50% are women. But there is still progress to be made.

One last point. What are some of the practical ways to ensure that women enjoy the same financial freedom as men?

Given that family is the first line of care and support for many Singaporeans, we have traditionally supported and encouraged strong families. The implicit, normative bias is this – our old mindset that "preservation of families" is inherently good. The MSF handbook for example, states that, "The guide introduces readers to Intensive Family Preservation in the Singapore context. This guide offers good practices and intervention strategies. Readers will uncover knowledge and skills to preserve families and protect children and young persons".

The protection of young children is key and unequivocal. But I wonder if we need the moral overtones of "intensive preservation". Can we be more neutral between preservation and creation? Between status quo and change? Can we, make a start at least, in according equal respect to the choice between staying in a marriage and leaving it?

In saying this, I do not mean to undermine our commitment to strong families. Rather, I would like to say that strong families can take different forms. Some strong families lie within marriages, others are not. And we ought to make provisions for both. In so doing, I would like to ask, what is MSF doing to help strengthen familial and couple relations?

In cases where it is not possible to save the marriage, how can we mitigate the negative impact of divorce on children? In cases where risk factors for divorce are observed earlier, how can we provide better support earlier?

Last, given what I have said about the need for neutrality in choices, but also respecting the need for strong families, how can we together forge a strong narrative in line with the larger Singapore identity?

Mr Chairman, our children are often the ones who suffer the most disproportionate consequences in cases of divorce, particularly when the divorce is a high-conflict one and the parents involved are unable to co-parent effectively.

According to the MSF Study on the Inter-generational Effects of Divorce on Children in Singapore, children generally tend to suffer divorce penalties in terms of their income and academic qualifications. They were less likely to get married themselves, and among those who did, they were more likely to get divorced.

Sir, we need to do more to break this cycle, by going upstream to help strengthen the resilience of our family relations and keep healthy marriages intact. According to the latest divorce statistics released in 2019, there were about three divorces in every 10 marriages. Can MSF provide an update on the number of divorce cases in 2020? I worry that the added stress and anxiety from the prolonged pandemic might could cause a further deterioration of relations in unstable marriages.

I would like to ask what is MSF doing to help strengthen familial and couple relations, especially for families dealing with multiple challenges due to the pandemic. Can MSF examine ways to help couples identify early signs of marriage distress, especially for the most cited reason of "unreasonable behaviour" and help resolve such marital issues earlier, rather than waiting till pre-divorce proceedings have been initiated?

Lastly, in unfortunate cases where it is not possible to save the marriage, what is the Ministry's plans to mitigate the divorce penalties on our children?

Mr Chairman, I am the final speaker, but I am speaking on a different kind of ending – ending domestic violence.

Domestic violence, particularly those committed against young children, the elderly and people with mental and physical disabilities must be eradicated. Economic hardships are a trigger for more abuse in a relationship.

During this pandemic, many survivors of domestic violence feel that they can no longer seek refuge at the home of a friend or relative, for fear they could expose them to the virus. How can we encourage an environment of support whereby neighbours, family members and schools, help to look out for the vulnerable group in our society?

We have also to ensure that our Social Service Agency (SSAs) remain financially strong. They may be under pressure from increased demand and reduced number of volunteers coming forward to help. As we track the secondary effects of this pandemic, we must consider the impact on family violence and prioritise services.

What are the plans and recommendations for engagements with stakeholders following the formation of the taskforce to tackle family violence? Would the taskforce also be looking beyond family violence, but also domestic violence in general which would include intimate partner violence and violence against other vulnerable groups like foreign domestic workers and the elderly?