Awareness Campaign on Potential Negative Impact of Physical Discipline on Children

Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of the September 2024 Domestic Violence Trends Report, whether the Ministry will consider a community awareness campaign informing parents about (i) the potential negative impacts of physically disciplining their children and (ii) less harmful alternatives to physically disciplining their children.

While recognising the role of parents in disciplining their children in the family home setting, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) supports parents by encouraging them to consider non-physical means of discipline as an alternative and foster positive relationships with their children. MSF’s evaluation studies found that the Positive Parenting Programme, also known as Triple P, run by Families for Life@Community (FFLC) agencies has positive effects on parenting and child outcomes in Singapore. Such evidence-backed parenting programmes teach parents effective strategies to manage their children's behaviour without resorting to physical punishment. For example, parents are guided on setting clear boundaries and using positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behaviours. MSF will continue our efforts to encourage parents to adopt non-physical means of discipline through parenting programmes.