Child Safety and Well-being: A Collective Responsibility

ADJOURNMENT MOTION

The Deputy Leader of the House (Mr Zaqy Mohamad): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament do now adjourn."

Question proposed.

CHILD SAFETY AND WELL-BEING: A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY

7.10 pm

Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, let me begin by commending Singapore's long-standing commitment to the safety and well-being of our children.

In 2019, Singapore ranked first in the Global Childhood Report, surpassing Western European nations. We also excel in keeping children safe online, ranking 4th out of 30 countries in the Child Online Safety Index in 2020.

Singapore is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the best interests principle guides all of our policies and services for children. We have made substantial progress in child protection and children's rights, as illustrated in our 2019 report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Amendments to the Children and Young Persons Act, robust screening and reporting tools, the establishment of the Family Justice Courts and investments in Early Childhood Education are just some of our other achievements.

We continue to receive international attention and praise for our success as a nation and public safety and security is at the heart of everything we do. Singapore is forward looking, and we do this well. We are experts at monitoring our landscape, anticipating changes, and planning for the future.

Mr Speaker, in October of this year, the Forward Singapore report was released. The report describes Singapore's road map for the next decade and beyond, and highlights the need to reimagine the Singapore Dream, refresh our social compact, and redefine success as seen from the lens of our younger generation. We are advancing towards creating a better future for Singapore and we are doing this in consultation with the people of Singapore.

I am excited with this progress as this is home not just for me, but also for my children and their children.

As we evolve, we want to ensure the progression of everyone, and especially our children. As a nation, we need to continue to promote and protect the safety and wellbeing of children, and to work together to nurture and support all children to reach their potential.

On that note, let me take you on an adventure, through the lens of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" that resonates with my Adjournment Motion, "Child Safety and Well-being: A Collective Responsibility".

Mr Speaker, as many in this House may recall, in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, magic pervades the story; but, in reality, the magic is Alice's power to dream. And I believe there is no limitation when it comes to dreams.

Mr Speaker, I stand here, not just as an educator or a social worker, but also as a believer in dreams; and one inspired by the many stories of success that I have heard over the years from under-privileged children.

Many of these children succeeded despite great hardship and their success reminds me of the need to set goals and work diligently towards a dreamt future.

As social workers, we operate with a clear vision in mind, and the safety and wellbeing of our clients is our paramount consideration. We also believe in establishing clear goals, for our clients, and it is timely for me to share my favourite quote from Alice in Wonderland: "If you don't know where you are going, any road can take you there."

Since 1999, when I was working as a social worker in a children's home and subsequently as a probation officer, I have observed many changes that illustrate Singapore's strong commitment to protecting children. We have come a long way, and I would like to commend the efforts taken by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), in driving these changes, and for constantly reviewing our social compact. Most importantly, I would like to acknowledge the good work done by those who work with children. In protecting and nurturing them.

At this juncture, I would like to share another quote from Alice in Wonderland, where the Queen says to Alice: "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"

While Singapore has undoubtedly done well, today's Adjournment Motion is about moving forward. And, as the Queen encourages Alice, we need to run at least twice as fast. I would, however, like to stress that this is not merely about running quickly and arriving breathless. This Motion is about defining a goal, setting a steady pace, and arriving at our destination composed and confident.

This Motion is also about considering the principles that augment Singapore's efforts in safeguarding children, adopting a collective responsibility and articulating a united direction and methodology to ensure a better future for our children and our nation.

Mr Speaker, despite all best efforts, children do get hurt. They may fall off a swing in a playground, they may be bullied at school, or they may get abused or harmed by someone close to them.

It is unrealistic to expect a world entirely free from such complexities. Risk is multifaceted, and there is no single solution that can entirely reduce the presence of risk, or harm from happening. However, each of us has a role to play – and it begins with family. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] As we know, and we continue to strengthen this part of our social compact – family is our first line of defence. The family plays a significant role in nurturing and protecting a child. The traditional concept of family, however, is changing – from nuclear families, into reconstituted families or single-parent families or even the no-parent families – and this is a challenge, especially when it comes to differences in parenting and disciplinary style.

Most of us who are parents would agree that parenting is an adventure that comes with many surprises. Parenting demands interpersonal skills and emotional maturity. And yet, there is no one standard rule book for this. Parents tend to replicate the practices of their own parents, which can perpetuate both positive and negative parenting methods, leading to differences in viewpoints within marriages.

We know from studies that inadequate preparation for parental roles contributes to problems like child abuse, neglect and strained parent-child relationships.

In Singapore, most parents need to work to support the family and many of us rely on extended families, helpers and childcare facilities. And yet, the involvement from both parents is crucial in ensuring safety and wellbeing of our children. There is also a greater need for fathers to play a role in child upbringing and this also requires support given to working mothers to balance their role within the home as a wife, mother and excel in their career aspiration.

I am proud that we have various initiatives to strengthen parenting, and create a Singapore made for families. On that note, as we develop our measures, we should consider ways to incorporate our gotong-royong spirit, and preserve our traditional family values of love, care and concern, filial responsibility and mutual respect.

(In English): Mr Speaker, I would now like to suggest three initiatives to assist Singapore to take the next step in promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of our children.

First, Mr Speaker, a national framework for protecting children is a document that clearly articulates how the Government, the social services and the private sector can work together to ensure that children and young people in Singapore reach their full potential by growing up safe and supported and free from harm and neglect.

National frameworks are not just idealistic policy statements, they set clear targets, measurable outcomes and realistic timelines. A national framework will ensure that the best interests of children are at the centre of decision-making and will reaffirm Singapore's commitment to making our nation the best place in the world for children to live and thrive.

Importantly, national frameworks are not designed to address one-off incidents or issues but reflect a systematic, long-term approach to improving the safety and well-being of our children. In Singapore, most children do okay, most of the time. A national framework will help all children do okay, all the time.

Mr Speaker, national frameworks or their equivalent already exist in many other countries and have been shown to have a positive impact on the lives of children and their families, including, in particular, disadvantaged children.

Second, introduce child impact assessments. Originating in Europe in the late 1980s, child impact assessments are a systematic and structured process to evaluate the impact of any proposed law, policy or programme on children. They ensure that decision-makers consider the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children when making decisions, they promote child-centered decision-making, they help governments create laws, policies and programmes that are responsive to the specific needs of children.

Child impact assessments have been endorsed by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and have been successfully implemented in several countries.

Third, establish a dedicated office for children. Mr Speaker, many countries around the world have an office dedicated to the safety and well-being of children. In some countries, these take the form of a Children's Commissioner, a Children's Guardian or a Children's Ombudsman, or they may have a more targeted role such as a E-Safety Commissioner or a National Office for Child Safety.

The first Children's Commissioner was established in Norway in 1981. Since then, a dedicated office for children has been established in more than 50 countries worldwide. Regardless of their title, what these offices have in common is that they are stand-alone agencies with a focus on promoting and protecting the safety and well-being of children, providing impartial advice to the government and advocating for the rights of children.

Finally, I would like to suggest that we speak and listen to our children. Mr Speaker, I note that we have just concluded the Forward Singapore initiative. Forward Singapore was an opportunity for Singaporeans to come together and examine the nation's values and aspirations, build consensus and to refresh the social compact.

As observed by former President Madam Halimah Yaacob when commenting on the initiative at the opening of the Second Session of the 14th Parliament on 10 April 2023, I quote, "We want every person to be treated equally with dignity and respect. We want a Singapore where everyone belongs, and every citizen has the chance to achieve his or her fullest potential. We want a society that values and supports families; where we care for and help one another, and pitch in to make a difference to our community."

As Singapore moves forward, we must speak and listen to our children. We need to bring together different groups of children, tap on their experiences and seek their views and opinions on how we can do things differently and do things better.

In doing so, it is important that we engage with all children, not simply those who are already vocal or active within their community. We need to talk with children like those I met when I was a social worker and who told me repeatedly that they wanted to have a greater say in their future and the future of Singapore.

Referring to the wisdom of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, "Let your need guide your behavior."

Sir, the safety and wellbeing of children is not merely a duty, it is a reflection of our commitment to a better tomorrow, where every child is treated with respect and dignity and where their potential knows no bounds. Our children are not merely extensions of ourselves but unique individuals with their own dreams and destinies. We, as a society, are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and nurturing them, not to mould them into our image, but to help them flourish as the remarkable individuals they are.

We must invest in their safety and well-being, not only because they deserve such care but because they hold the future of our nation in their hands. They are the architects of tomorrow, the visionaries who will shape our society and the stewards of our collective destiny.

As we focus on their safety, health and growth, we must ensure that they have the strength and resilience to face the challenges of an ever-changing world. Let us remember that by protecting and nurturing our children, we are not just securing their future but also the future of our country, built upon the promise of their unique potential.

Mr Speaker: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua.

7.23 pm

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua): Mr Speaker, I thank Assoc Prof Razwana Begum for her speech.

Indeed, we are united in our goal to advance our children's safety and well-being. In fact, it is this approach that enabled Singapore to make strides in online safety, education, security and child protection.

In Singapore, our children are thriving. The National Council of Social Service surveys the quality of life of children and youths, using a common global standard. In its study published in 2022, our children and youths report a high quality of life, comparable to their peers in developed countries. In 2021, the UK charity Save the Children ranked Singapore as the top country where childhood is most protected.

The Government has been and will continue to commit to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. We offer good, affordable and accessible healthcare to keep our children healthy. We also provide accessible, affordable and quality education that starts from preschool. We have developed national mental health and well-being strategies to address risks and promote mental health and well-being for youths with such concerns. We also have robust protocols and processes for our child protection ecosystem.

From this strong foundation, we must indeed move forward for Singapore's children. In doing so, we must not forget that strong families are the bedrock of our efforts. Strong and resilient families nurture children to become strong individuals and active and compassionate members of our society.

As families navigate various milestones in their life journey, we want to ensure parents are equipped with skills to build safe havens for their children.

Families can receive support from the Strengthening Families Programme @ Family Service Centres. These provide marriage support programmes for young couples and family counselling to help families navigate marital and parent-child relationship issues.

We give additional support to lower income parents through KidSTART. KidSTART equips parents with the knowledge and skills to nurture their children's development and helps them build stronger bonds with their children. KidSTART, which now comes under the larger umbrella of ComLink+, helps to better ensure that the needs of the children from lower-income households are met, in partnership with preschools and other community partners.

Through ComLink+, we assign the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) family coaches to journey with these families and partner them in navigating life's challenges and seize opportunities to build a better future. Our ultimate goal is to enable ComLink+ families to achieve stability, self-reliance and, eventually, social mobility.

To ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable children, MSF has strengthened information-sharing and coordination protocols with various touchpoints in the community.

Frontline professionals in preschools, schools, healthcare institutions and social service agencies are trained to identify and report child abuse. The Break the Silence campaign educates and encourages the public to report suspected violence or neglect.

To strengthen protection for family violence survivors, including children, the Family Violence (Amendment) Bill was passed in this House in July this year. The amendments strengthen powers for the Government to rehabilitate perpetrators, which is crucial to helping families reconcile once protection and safety for victim-survivors, including children, have been achieved.

When parents continue to fail or are unable to keep their child safe, MSF's Child Protective Service (CPS) will intervene to remove the child as a last resort. CPS, together with relevant professionals and community partners, works to stabilise and rebuild family relationships so that the children can be safely reunited, wherever possible.

We note the Member's suggestion to set up a dedicated Office for Child Safety. Our efforts over the years have helped to keep the incidence rates of child abuse low, at fewer than three for every 1,000 children. This is much lower compared to other countries, including those that have opted for a standalone Child Safety agency. For example, the incidence rate of children who experienced some form of maltreatment in 2021 was 21 per 1,000 children in Australia and 8.1 per 1,000 children in the United States.

Today, we already have a specialised agency for child protection in the form of the Child Protective Service (CPS). At the same time, we recognise that child safety takes place in the context of a family situation. That is why the CPS is part of a larger Rehabilitation and Protection Group in MSF, which also includes the Adult Protective Service as well as the Probation and Community Rehabilitation Service, to help youths who are in the justice system.

MSF will continue to work closely with agencies and community partners to detect, identify and provide care and support for child survivors of different forms of abuse.

Our policies are also well coordinated in Singapore through an Inter-Ministry Committee that oversees the implementation of national policies relating to children and their progress. MSF, as the lead agency, works with other agencies to ensure that Singapore's policies and practices consider the child's best interests.

We have explained this to the United Nations Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child in our reports to and constructive dialogues with the Committee, with the assurance that safeguarding the best interests of our children is a shared objective that we will continue to uphold vigorously.

To the Member's suggestion to develop a national framework for protecting children, the Government already adopts the principles of the child's best interest and welfare in our laws and policies. These are enshrined in our legislation such as the Children and Young Persons Act and the Adoption of Children Act.

Outside of legislation, the various Ministries set targets and approaches on children-related policies and practices in their respective domains of expertise. For instance, the inter-agency taskforce for Child and Maternal Health and Well-being Strategy and Action Plan reviews and develops approaches to achieve better health outcomes for children. For children with disabilities, the Enabling Masterplan 2030 outlines the Government's priorities to scale up learning support and capacity for preschoolers and students in mainstream schools.

As for the Member's suggestion to introduce child impact assessments, we engage stakeholders who work closely with children to account for the child's perspective and lived experience and we adopt an outcomes-based approach when developing our policies for children to ensure that they are made in the child's best interest. Over the years, we have found this approach to be effective and sufficient.

As a parent of a young three-year-old myself, I appreciate and echo the Member's call for the nation to continue to listen to the voices of our young ones on how Singapore can move forward and do things better.

As the Member noted, the Forward Singapore roadmap recently launched by Deputy Prime Minister Wong is one such example, with numerous consultations held with over 200,000 members of the public over the last 16 months, including youngsters, who voiced their views on issues of concern to them. This is an important part of building a stronger society, and Singapore will continue to engage our children and youth to hear their voices and consider their best interests as we move forward.

In conclusion, I thank the Member for her commitment to improving children safety and well-being in Singapore. All of us have, indeed, a role to play to create a safer and better environment for our children, and support them to fulfil their hopes and dreams. Singapore has done well. And as a society, we will continue to press on to create a better future for our children and for our nation.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn."

Mr Speaker: Pursuant to Standing Order 2(3)(a), I wish to inform hon Members that the Sitting tomorrow will commence at 10.30 am. Order, order.

Adjourned accordingly at 7.32 pm.