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26 Nov 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Reply View - 1
Whole-of-society effort to help homeless

We agree with Mr Sherman Goh that help should be easily accessible to the homeless (Help falling between the cracks, Nov 21). It is a whole-of-society effort, where everyone can play a part to befriend and connect them to available help services. The Ministry of Social and Family Development has been working with community partners and government agencies under the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (Peers) network to reach out to and assist homeless pe......



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14 Nov 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 2
Change law to help non-parent caregivers of children in need

In my line of work as a lawyer, I've spoken to social workers who have encountered many cases of children whose biological parents are uninvolved in their lives and who are being cared for and raised by other families instead. Such "non-parents" do not have any legal relationship with the child and they inevitably face problems in making decisions on behalf of the child, such as in registering for primary school or applying for certain financial assistance schemes. ......



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28 Oct 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 1
Forum: Do more for the lonely elderly

It is quite heart-rending to read about elderly folk who live alone among piles of rubbish hoarded over years, in homes infested with cockroaches, rodents and other pests (Man found dead among piles of trash in his flat, Oct 1). In the old days, an extended family was the norm. Today, such families are the exception and it is common for seniors to live alone. ......



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17 Oct 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Reply View - 1
Pre-schools required to explain fees, charges to parents

We agree with Mr Cheng Choon Fei on the importance of transparency (Drill down to extras charged by pre-schools, Oct 7). The Government requires all pre-school centres to make fees and charges transparent to parents, under the Early Childhood Development Centres Act and Regulations. The regulations guide parents and centres on their rights and obligations. All operators are required to explain their fees and charges to parents, prior to a child's enrolment. Operator......



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09 Oct 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 2
Ensure needy seniors know where to get social assistance

It is not uncommon to see a number of senior citizens serving in physically intensive jobs such as facility cleaners, dish cleaners or cardboard collectors. Some of these seniors appear to be frail or not in good physical shape, and some are limp or severely hunched over. This occurs despite the Government having various schemes that help low-income seniors, which are very beneficial. A team of university researchers from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Pu......



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04 Oct 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Reply View - 1
MSF reviewing contact channels for reporting of child abuse

We thank Mr Adam Reutens-Tan for his public spiritedness and have reached out to him to address his concerns (Make calls for help easier, Sept 20). The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is reviewing our contact channels for the reporting of child abuse cases, and how information on MSF's website can be presented more clearly. Where there are concerns over a child's safety, the public can contact the MSF's Child Protective Service at 1800-777-0000 or an......



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22 Sep 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Reply View - 12
Pre-school to cost less with enhanced subsidies

We refer to the report (330 childcare centres to raise fees next year, Sept 18), which raised concerns that some pre-school operators may be opportunistically profiting from the recent subsidy enhancements. There are about 1,530 childcare centres, run by some 380 operators, both commercial and not-for-profit. About a fifth of them have announced they will raise fees for full-day childcare for Singapore citizens next year. Last year, 540 childcare cent......



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02 Jul 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
View - 2
Duty of care may conflict with counsellor's duty of confidentiality

There has been much discussion on the issue of confidentiality in counselling (Review counselling system in all institutions, by Madam Shirley Woon Li Lin, June 19; and School counsellors need more support, by Mr Kuharajahsingam Karalasingam, June 21). Confidentialit......



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17 May 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 52
Allow foreign spouses to live in Singapore as home makers

I think there is an unspoken policy that foreign spouses should be well educated and able to work in Singapore and earn a high income. This is why the low income locals are not able to marry a foreign spouse and bring them to live in Singapore. I think that this policy is short sighted. It does not recognize the value of home makers. If the foreign spouse is prepared to be a home maker and to raise two ......



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26 Apr 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 8
Pay attention to real needs of young parents

It is worrying that Singapore's fertility rate is among the lowest in the world (S'poreans' feedback sought on marriage and parenthood, April 21). Despite the Government's pro-family policies since 2000, there has been no improvement in the fertility rate, which stands at a dangerously low level, threatening the sustainability of the population. One expects that best efforts have been put into boosting the fertility rate through various......



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28 Feb 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 5
MSF should match adoptive kids to parents

I am happy that society is becoming more open-minded about adoption, but some adoptive parents are turning to parent websites for information and help, and they are subject to risks as a result (Adoption requests pop up on parenting websites, Feb 24). For the adoptive parents, the whole process can be complex. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) website provides useful information. By and large, those who ......



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17 Feb 2019
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Feedback View - 496
Challenge to raise a family

A permanent resident working in Singapore told me. a) They have two children. It cost $2,500 a month to send a child to child care, without any subsidy for permanent resident. This is extremely expensive. They cannot afford the child care, so they have to look after the children at home. b) He does not wish to register his son as a permanent resident as he will be required to serve national service.br ......



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20 Dec 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 2
Clear stance on all forms of surrogacy needed

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) should take a clear stance against all forms of surrogacy in its review of the relevant policies and legislation on adoption and surrogacy (Gay man allowed to adopt surrogate son on appeal; and MSF to consider if policies, laws need to be reviewed; both Dec 18). The High Court had observed that, from 2008 to this year, MSF oversaw 14 applications for adoption which involved the use of surrogacy. Ten cases involved ......



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06 Nov 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 0
Social security schemes need to be kept simple

Our social security schemes are targeted and they are designed to promote self-reliance and resilience (Efforts to lift lower-income group have borne fruit, says MSF report; Nov 2). However, in trying to customise support and services, the authorities have added too many layers and depths to the schemes, and made them complex and complicated. As a result, these schemes are difficult to remember and hard to explain to targeted beneficiaries. That may m......



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05 Nov 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 0
Review divorce cases where shared care was not granted

It is heartening to note the increased attention being given to child abuse cases in Singapore and the work that social sector partners are doing (Social workers lauded for helping to curb child abuse; Oct 22). While the Government and the social sector work at reducing the incidence in this area, every case of child abuse is one too many and it is important to also look at and address the contributory factors. Recent reports and letters on the physical and sexual a......



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27 Oct 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 0
Hold a referendum on section 377A

Desmond Lee said, "Our children have to decide what to do with section 377A". https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/our-children-have-to-decide-what-to-do-about-377a-desmond-lee I consider his response to be: a) Kicking the can down the road b) Avoiding responsibility. What can the minister do? He can h......



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18 Oct 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Compliment View - 1
Give real-life input at parenting programme for divorcing couples

A recent report discussed some of the thoughtful measures the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and Family Justice Courts (FJC) are taking or considering introducing to minimise the impact of divorce on children (Easing impact on children of couples who call it quits; Oct 14). As MSF and FJC work together to help and rebuild broken families, that puzzle can be more accurately and meaningfully assembled if families who have actually gone through the process of a break......



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27 Sep 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 0
More details needed on new Professional Deputies and Donees scheme

At first glance, the Professional Deputies and Donees scheme appears to benefit the public (Professional Deputies and Donees scheme launched; Sept 22). However, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) appear not to have clearly defined the administrative procedures of the policy. The news report states that this scheme focuses more on singles or those who may not have families or close friends. Would this scheme also apply to issues of disagreement in th......



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19 Sep 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Feedback View - 1
More laws needed to tackle ageism in the workplace

I read with great concern the Ministry of Manpower's report on the current state of unemployment (Unemployment up as more look for work amid economic pickup; Sept 14). In a country like Singapore, with a rapidly ageing workforce and an acute talent crunch, one would expect that older workers would be encouraged to remain in employment for as long as possible. Sadly this is far from the truth based on my experience as a human resource consultant and career and transi......



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19 Sep 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Feedback View - 0
Need to address bullying in schools

The report (Republic 'has third highest rate of bullying globally'; Aug 20, 2017) said 15-year-olds here experience more bullying than their peers in 50 other countries and economies. This problem must be addressed and eventually eradicated. The first step is to ask why kids bully. Negligence by parents is a very common reason. A child who does not get enough attention at home can bully his peers in a bid to seek recognition. br......



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08 Sep 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Feedback View - 1
Schemes to help caregivers stay in workforce needed

Over the years, the number of services available to the elderly in Singapore has increased tremendously. These are readily available to both the elderly and their caregivers. But do these services really help caregivers lighten their burdens? My husband and I ar......



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14 Jun 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Feedback View - 1


Help the poor and destitute I suggest that the poor and destitute, who do not qualify for public assistance, should be offered simple jobs that will give them an income to live on. These simple jobs should be within their means, e.g. to keep the park and public places clean.  It will help to distinguish the real needy from those who want to take advantage of the system, They may not be able to get the job from......



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13 Jun 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Feedback View - 0


Help older workers lead more meaningful and productive lives It is encouraging that Mr Ng Chee Meng, the new deputy secretary-general of National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), has suggested forming a tripartite committee to provide better support for the ageing workforce and to help mature workers to continue working if they choose to do so ("Ng Chee Meng pledges to address struggles of low-wage, mature and middle-aged workers", May 15). Indeed, the mind......



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02 Jun 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 390
How to improve the birth rate in Singapore

The birth rate in Singapore is the lowest in the world. The government has been trying to increase the birth rate through various measures, but the effort has been unsuccessful. I wish to suggest the following measure be introduced to replace the current incentives. a. Provide a monthly allowance of $500 for each child (up to a maximum of 3 children) to the mother, until the child reaches age 16. b. This will attract some......



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10 Jul 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Suggestion View - 0
Child care

I asked this question in the Wisdom of the Crowd - Which is the best economic strategy Here are the responses. 73% - Lower the cost of living. 10% - Control cost of property 8% - Increase wages 8% - Leave to the market. 92% prefer the government to take active steps; 8% prefer to leave matters to the market. See the breakdown of the votes in  a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" href="h......



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17 Jun 2018
Ministry of Social & Family Dev
Negative View - 2
Illegal betting on the Internet

With the World Cup matches now attracting strong interest, the government is putting up advertisements that "betting on the Internet is additive and illegal"? Is better in S Pools and the casinos not addictive?  ......



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