Effectiveness of New Measures for Social Service Workforce in Improving Service and Support to Residents

Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of recent announcements to expand and strengthen Singapore's social service workforce, including enhanced study awards and training pathways, how will the Ministry assess whether these measures are translating into improved service capacity and accessibility on the ground, particularly for mental health and family support services.

The recent initiatives announced aim to attract more fresh entrants into the sector and better support the professional growth and development of our social service professionals, which include social workers, counsellors and psychologists in mental health and family support services. They include, firstly, enhancements to the Social Service Tribe Study Award to support individuals pursuing associate-level qualifications; secondly, enhancements to the Professional Development Sponsorship to provide full funding up from the current 75% funding, to provide greater support for existing social service professionals to gain professional qualifications; and thirdly, expanded funding support for the Foundational Leadership grants to include first-time and senior leaders to build their leadership competencies.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development tracks the manpower needs of key services in the social service sector, along with manpower outcomes, such as salaries, inflow, retention and shortfalls of key professions. We will work closely with our social service agencies and partners to monitor the uptake of the enhanced schemes and programme capacity to ensure that our social services, including those for mental health and family support, are adequately resourced and accessible to those who need them.