Qualifications of Staff Working in Student Care Centres and Centre Policies to Safeguard Welfare of Students

Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether all staff employed by Student Care Centres are required to have any mandatory qualifications related to the care and supervision of children; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider requiring all Student Care Centres to develop individualised policies, procedures and practices to guide the implementation of safeguarding obligations, including those contained in the Children and Young Persons Act 1993.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) does not set requirements for mandatory qualifications for staff employed by Student Care Centres (SCC).

While we have issued guidelines recommending the minimum educational qualifications and training requirements, it is generally up to the SCC operators to decide what qualifications and training are needed for their staff to best meet the needs of their students. This is similar to other services that include provision of a basic level of care to children of school-going age outside of school hours, such as sports and arts activities conducted in the community.

Some SCCs, including all school-based SCCs, are registered with MSF to administer the Student Care Fee Assistance (SCFA) scheme. These SCCs must comply with stipulated standards set by MSF pertaining to the care and supervision of children in the areas of safety, health and hygiene, supervision, physical environment and emergency preparedness. MSF conducts regular audits to ensure compliance with the requirements. Non-compliance with the requirements can result in a revocation of the SCC’s SCFA administrator status.

All SCCs and their staff must comply with prevailing laws, including the Children and Young Persons Act and the Penal Code, and SCCs are expected to have policies and systems in place to ensure this.