Positive Environment at Children’s Homes, Shelters and Other Welfare Homes

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what is the Government's overall approach to create a positive learning and personal development environment for children staying at the various children's homes, shelters and other welfare homes.

Mr Speaker, education is a key pillar of social mobility in Singapore. Our schools provide equal opportunities for all students, regardless of background, to access good quality education. This also applies to children who reside in Homes licensed under the Children and Young Persons Act.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development aims to minimise disruption to the educational needs of such children, even though circumstances had led them to be separated from their own families. For example, community case managers in the children’s homes work with the schools to ensure that the children continue to attend school. At the same time, the social and emotional needs of these vulnerable children are provided for, bearing in mind the difficult backgrounds they come from and the trauma that some of them may have experienced. Equally important is character development and the need for the children to be connected and integrated in the community.

In contrast to the children's homes, shelters and welfare homes serve different target groups. Shelters are intended for adults who have exhausted all other means of accommodation or those who face family violence. Children who reside temporarily in these shelters are accompanied by their family, and the shelters partner the family, schools and the community in providing for the children’s needs. Welfare homes do not admit children, and serve only adults who are destitute.

Can I just ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary what is the current capacity in all these homes and what is the occupancy at these homes?

All I can say is that the numbers of children and youths in these homes have been going down. In fact, the capacity has been increasing. In 2015, we had about 798 children; in 2016, it went down to 734; in 2017, it was 701. This is because we are looking at transforming the out-of-home care sector. We are putting more kids into foster families. This is a good development. And I want to assure Members that we take care of these kids because they are our future generations.