Requiring Social Service Agencies to Provide Allowances for Social Work Interns

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Government can consider (i) requiring social work graduate interns to be paid an allowance during their period of internship or (ii) providing Government-funded subsidies for approved social service agencies hosting graduate interns to provide basic allowances during their internship.

For students in our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) who are participating in internships, IHLs provide host organisations with a recommended allowance range and organisations have the autonomy to decide on the allowance provided to the interns.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development encourages Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to provide students with an allowance, in addition to a positive learning experience, as part of their effort to grow a potential talent pipeline for the sector.

We will continue to work with the IHLs and SSAs to improve the support for students on internships, to strengthen upstream attraction to the sector.