Regulating Care-giver Training Programmes

Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Health (a) whether training programmes for caregivers are regulated to ensure participants are adequately trained to receive the necessary skills; (b) whether there are adequate professional training programmes to meet the needs of the elderly or those with special needs; and (c) whether subsidies and more support can be given for caregiving-related courses.

The Government or Government-appointed entities manage a wide range of training courses to equip both community care staff and informal care-givers with the necessary skills to care for the elderly and persons with special needs. To ensure relevance and quality, such courses are selected or developed to meet care-givers' specific training needs and are conducted by qualified training personnel who have relevant experience.

There is a range of subsidised training programmes that cater to healthcare professionals like nurses, allied health professionals and healthcare assistants. For example, community care staff can attend short courses under the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC)-appointed Learning Institutes or skills training courses under the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications for Healthcare Support. For formal qualifications leading to an advanced or specialised diploma, for example, in gerontology, they can apply for the Community Care Manpower Development Award administered by AIC, which covers up to 90% of the programme fees.

Social service professionals in the disability sector can also enrol in a range of disability-related training programmes offered by the Social Service Institute. These programmes are generally short courses that help individuals develop specific competencies in supporting persons with special needs. Eligible employees working in National Council of Social Service member agencies can apply for the Voluntary Welfare Organisation-Charities Capability Fund to subsidise the training fees.

Family care-givers and Foreign Domestic Workers can apply for the Caregivers Training Grant (CTG), which is a $200 annual subsidy for care-givers to attend training courses reviewed by AIC. These courses range from eldercare, caring for persons with disability, including autism and intellectual disabilities, to psychosocial support. Since 2013, over 40,000 care-givers have utilised the CTG.

We will continue to review the range and support for these training programmes that support community care staff and care-givers to care for the elderly and persons with special needs better.