Committee of Supply – Head I (Ministry of Social and Family Development)

Head I (Cont) –

Resumption of Debate on Question [5 March 2026]

"That the total sum to be allocated for Head I of the Estimates be reduced by $100." – [Mr Xie Yao Quan]

Question again proposed.

The Chairman: Minister of State Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.

10.34 am

The Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim): Chairman, several Members, such as Mr Xie Yao Quan, Mr Melvin Yong, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Mr Cai Yinzhou, have raised concerns about improving social mobility. This has always been an area of focus for the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). As we saw in the Ministry of Finance (MOF) Occasional Paper last month, Singapore has done relatively well in this area compared to other advanced economies. However, like in other advanced economies, pressures are likely to persist or even intensify. Hence, MSF will redouble our efforts to enhance social mobility.

MSF's goal is to support lower-income families to progressively achieve the three "S" outcomes: stability, self-reliance and, ultimately, social mobility. We are going beyond social assistance to social empowerment by supporting our families through three things.

First, a safety net. When families fall on hard times, we provide a safety net through immediate support. Second, a steadying hand. MSF provides a boost so families can get back on their feet and take the next step forward. Third, a supported ladder. MSF supports families with opportunities to grow their own resources. Such opportunities, when harnessed, will allow families to reach, grab the next rung and pull themselves up. In this way, MSF empowers families to succeed by overcoming challenges, seizing opportunities and most importantly, doing so with dignity.

This is what drives ComLink+.

Today, MSF supports around 11,000 ComLink+ families. We started with families living in public rental housing and we have been expanding to other lower-income families, such as those on KidSTART. Each ComLink+ family has a Social Service Office (SSO) family coach or Family Service Centre (FSC) case worker. They are the family’s greatest champion – someone in their corner who understands their circumstances and walks alongside them towards their longer-term goals.

Mr Xie Yao Quan suggested efforts to address slowing social mobility. ComLink+ seeks to do precisely that by providing targeted support across key domains and over different life stages, such as income security, children’s development and education, housing, family functioning, financial resilience and health. As families’ needs are varied and dynamic, we co-develop an action plan with each family.

As mentioned by Minister Masagos, MSF is committed to invest in research to better understand the impact of these efforts. We do not have all the answers on how to best support families to achieve social mobility. But by learning continuously and applying these insights, we will be able to refine our intervention and update our slate of support.

From a safety net to a steadying hand. When family coaches or case workers start journeying with families, they address the families' immediate needs. This could mean referring the family for ComCare assistance and other financial support for some interim relief. Together, these form our safety net for families.

But a safety net may not be enough for upward mobility. This is where we offer a hand to give families a boost to progress in a steady, sustained manner.

We therefore introduced the ComLink+ Progress Packages to encourage families moving towards their goals. Launched progressively over the last two years, these packages boost families’ efforts through financial top-ups when they take action in four areas: preschool enrolment and attendance, employment, debt clearance and home ownership.

Let me introduce Joseph, a family coach, who has been working with Ms Erna and her husband, Mr Suhaimi, together with their young children, aged one to 10. Joseph remembers when Mr Suhaimi shared his dream to move out of their rental flat and into their own home. Hearing that, Joseph worked with the family to chart out a roadmap and encouraged them along the way to achieve this dream. Acting on the plan, both Ms Erna and Mr Suhaimi are working hard. They are committed to employment and their children’s education. With ComLink+ Progress Package top-ups, they are also able to set aside more savings for their future.

However, as noted by Mr Melvin Yong, some families find the conditions too complicated or difficult to meet. With that, as announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his Budget speech, we are enhancing the ComLink+ Progress Packages this year.

First, all ComLink+ families will now receive a new payout of $500 each quarter. We will call this the Partnership Payout. It reflects the families' commitment to work with us to improve their circumstances. Families will receive this payout after agreeing to be on ComLink+ and will continue to receive it so long as they keep taking steps towards their goals. With steady, predictable support, families can better focus on longer-term goals.

Second, many families work hard to maintain employment and regular preschool attendance. Yet, despite genuine effort, some may not be able to meet their targets due to their circumstances. We are therefore adjusting our conditions to better support families with more complex challenges.

For employment, we will look at the whole family's efforts, rather than the income of each person. For example, Ms Erna's part-time job salary currently does not qualify her for payout on its own. However, with the enhanced progress package, it will now be counted together with her husband's earnings towards their family's employment milestones. For preschool, we will introduce intermediate milestones to encourage families' progress towards regular attendance.

Overall, a ComLink+ family with two preschool-aged children can receive up to $10,000 every year by maintaining a household income of at least $2,000 and regular preschool attendance.

More of the payout will be in cash to better support families facing day-to-day cashflow challenges. At the same time, a portion will continue to be placed in families' Central Provident Fund (CPF) and Child Development Accounts (CDA), so that we support not just today's needs but also tomorrow's security.

As noted by Mr Cai Yinzhou, some families may be hesitant to get on board ComLink+. Together with these enhancements, family coaches will step up efforts to reach out to families by working closely with Government agencies and community partners in their support system.

A supported ladder. Once families get back on their feet and start to move forward, we support them to take charge of their long-term progress. At MSF, our goal is to create opportunities that families can seize for themselves.

Employment is one of the best ways to do this. However, lower-income families often face barriers to employment that are not so straightforward to address, especially with limited financial resources. Even with a stable job, they may need certain educational qualifications or skills to unlock higher wages. We will therefore put in place more enablers to bridge the gap to employment, starting with three enhancements: facilitate job matching, enable upskilling and support caregiving. Allow me to elaborate.

On job matching, MSF is reviewing how to provide tailored support for lower-income families navigating the world of work as they may face more challenges finding suitable jobs. For example, lower-income jobseekers tend to work in service industries, where work schedules are less flexible on short notice. This makes it harder to deal with family emergencies, such as picking their children from school when they fall ill. MSF is thus working with partners, such as Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), AKG and TOUCH Community Services, to strengthen employment support for these families to prepare them for work, find suitable jobs and ultimately do well in their jobs.

We will also provide more support for upskilling. Some ComLink+ families today have younger jobseekers, who with the right skills, can unlock better-paying jobs. While broad-based schemes like SkillsFuture exist, ComLink+ families may benefit from a more targeted approach.

Families bear some costs when they choose to upskill. For example, their income may be disrupted during their studies and it is not certain even that they will get a job with a higher salary after. MSF has observed that this deters some ComLink+ families from upskilling even when they want to do so and even when they have the opportunity to do so.

That is why we rolled out a ComLink+ Skills Upgrading Support Pilot this January. When ComLink+ individuals aged 18 to 39 undergo full-time education or vocational training, they will receive support for basic living expenses. They will also receive an incentive of $500 for every three months that they sustain their education.

On caregiving, parents will have peace of mind to work when they know that their children are being taken care of and meaningfully engaged after school hours. MSF supports this by making after-school care more accessible, more affordable.

As announced by the Prime Minister in his Budget speech, MSF will increase the Student Care Fee Assistance (SCFA) income threshold from $4,500 to $6,500 and update the income tiers. This will benefit around 13,000 students.

We are also giving parents greater assurance of support so that they can plan ahead. Parents can now submit their SCFA applications up to six months before their child’s enrolment in a Student Care Centre. Eligible parents will be granted in-principle approval, which guarantees that they will receive SCFA once they enrol in an eligible centre. We are also extending the maximum SCFA assistance period from 24 months to 36 months.

Mr Cai Yinzhou highlighted that children should have opportunities to continue developing holistically outside school hours. We totally agree. As a parent myself, the time I spend with my children after hours, after work, allows me to bond with them and explore their interests. Lower-income families, who are often stretched in time and resources, could especially benefit from additional support to purposefully engage their children.

10.45 am

As part of Grow Well SG, we have worked with Families for Life partners to provide low-cost activities for screen-free family bonding. Families can enjoy children's books, discounted attractions and community events.

Working towards the 3S outcomes is a long journey for our ComLink+ families. One of the factors that can derail progress is dealing with health issues. When we are unwell, it is not easy to meet our responsibilities at home, at school or at work, let alone pursue our aspirations. And yet, for many ComLink+ families who are busy making ends meet, they tend to deprioritise these health concerns. Over time, this can lead to poorer health outcomes, leaving some families trapped in a vicious cycle where poor health makes it harder to stabilise their lives, and life's pressures make it even harder for them to stay well.

We want to help them break out of this cycle. Therefore, as mentioned by Minister Masagos, we trialled a new model of support in 2025. We tested how family coaches and healthcare staff, together, could achieve two things. First, set health goals and actions that support families to take care of their health even as they juggle competing needs. Second, streamline service delivery, so families do not have to interact with too many officers, which can be overwhelming.

MSF, the Ministry of Health and the healthcare clusters are finetuning the model and will extend it to more ComLink+ families this year. Together with the extension of Healthier SG to younger ComLink+ families, shared by Minister Masagos, we hope families will be empowered to take charge of their health.

Ms Mariam Jaafar would be pleased to know that as we develop more interventions to support families towards the 3S outcomes, families will not face a navigation nightmare. Instead, it has always been the intent of ComLink+ for family coaches to co-develop action plans with families that sequence the interventions in a manageable way. Family coaches will also connect families to the resources and support to achieve their goals. This is how ComLink+ aims to provide each family with a pathway towards social mobility tailored to their needs.

Such efforts reveal how we can do better together, but the Government cannot do this alone. Minister Masagos proposed 3Cs to guide how we partner with others. We will collaborate, cooperate and co-create. Because truly, it takes a whole-of-society effort to uplift each other. We thank our partners for working closely with MSF, like the DBS Foundation, which has been a strong supporter of the ComLink+ progress packages for preschool and homeownership. We look forward to more partners coming onboard.

With tighter partnerships, we can weave stronger safety nets, offer more steadying hands and craft sturdier supported ladders. Together, we will journey with our families to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility. Chairman, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): In these challenging times, many Singaporean families face numerous obstacles. These include rising costs of living, the need to upgrade skills in a rapidly changing economy and various daily responsibilities that often test our families' resilience and perseverance.

Yet we continue to stand firm, facing these challenges steadfastly. As the saying goes, "Effort is the ladder to success" – Every small step taken with a sharp mind, determination and collaborative spirit brings us closer to our dreams.

Families like Mdm Erna's embody this spirit. Mdm Erna's husband, who works as a clerk, is working towards getting his driving licence to secure better job opportunities. Mdm Erna herself works hard, taking on part-time jobs more frequently despite being busy caring for her children. With sustained and comprehensive support, their efforts will bear even greater fruit.

In their journey to improve their quality of life, families like Mdm Erna's do not have to go through it alone. MSF is committed to supporting every family that needs help so they can achieve stability, self-reliance and progress.

We will therefore enhance the ComLink+ Progress Packages to ensure more families can get the support they need for their next steps. With this enhanced package, families like Mdm Erna's can better manage daily expenses and build savings for the future. MSF will also boost after-school care support by raising the income criteria for Student Care Fee Assistance from $4,500 to $6,500. More than 13,000 students and their families will benefit.

Beyond Government support, community organisations play a vital role. MSF has strengthened collaboration with them, particularly in expanding employment support and skills development opportunities for low-income families.

We must stand by those families in need. We value our Malay/Muslim organisations' efforts and hope more organisations will join hands with MSF to build a caring and united society.

Through close cooperation, we can build a caring and inclusive society for everyone at every stage of life.

Let us continue working together to build a Singapore that gives hope and opportunities for every family to become stronger, self-reliant and progress. Strong families are the bedrock of a successful society. This is our shared responsibility.

(In English): Chairman, real support is not just once-off. It is journeying together, step by step. Families, like Ms Erna's, know their strength and hard work will be seen by their family coaches, like Joseph. They will never have to walk alone.

In MSF, we believe that collective efforts by the Government, partners and the families themselves, will turn obstacles into opportunities, trials into triumphs, hardships into hope for families who need it the most. As a society, we need to ensure that no family is trapped by their circumstances, no child is defined by their starting point, no potential goes unrealised and no hope beyond reach.

This is not just a social policy; it is a moral responsibility. As a society, we will empower all families to unlock their maximum potential, for a brighter future. As we move collectively from assistance to empowerment, this future is shaped not by what we give to families, but by what families are enabled to become.

The Chairman: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua): Chairman, a fair and inclusive society does not expect people to fit neatly into our systems. Instead, it asks the question: how must our systems evolve so that every person can flourish?

At MSF, that is the question guiding our work. Earlier, Minister of State Zhulkarnain spoke about uplifting low-income families. I would like to focus on another group of families who carry both immense love and immense responsibility, families with persons with disabilities (PwDs).

When I meet parents and caregivers, one concern surfaces time and again. It is not just about today. It is also about tomorrow. They ask me, after my child graduates from special education (SPED) school, what comes next? Will there be a community? Will there be meaningful opportunities? And most importantly: perhaps when I am no longer around, who will look after my child?

Sir, these are deeply human questions, and under the Enabling Masterplan 2030, we are addressing them in three ways.

First, building capability through lifelong learning. Second, building communities where PwDs truly belong. And third, building lifelong security so families can plan with confidence. Allow me to share more.

For many families, graduation from SPED school is both a proud milestone as well as a moment of uncertainty. Each year, about 250 SPED graduates move into employment or further studies within six months of graduation. Behind each statistic is a young person taking a brave step into adulthood, and parents learning, oftentimes anxiously, to let go. Access to lifelong learning is important to facilitate a smoother transition to life beyond school.

Mr Ng Chee Meng and Ms Denise Phua will be pleased to know that we provide funding support for skills training through the SG Enable Training Grant. SG Enable, supported by SkillsFuture Singapore, will introduce new courses from April this year, adding to the existing 140 active courses curated by the Enabling Academy.

But skills alone are not enough. We need inclusive employers.

SG Enable is partnering employers in sectors, such as food and beverage (F&B) and Health and Social services to curate job roles thoughtfully. And through various grants, wage offsets and the Enabling Mark, our national accreditation framework, organisations can steadily strengthen the inclusive hiring practises.

Inclusive hiring is not charity. It is good business. It enriches workplaces with resilience, loyalty and diverse perspectives. For graduates with higher support needs, centre-based services remain critical. Today, about 3,600 persons with disabilities attend our Daily Activity Centres (DACs) and Sheltered Workshops (SWs). [Please refer to the clarification later in the debate.]

Behind this number are real families, like 21-year-old Mirza and his mother, Mdm Habibah, who simply wants the best for her son.

After graduating from SPED school, Mirza tried a placement with a SW before eventually settling into a DAC at SUN-DAC. I visited Mirza recently. For him, the DAC gives him good structure, friendship and a safe space to grow. Every Thursday, Mirza goes on walks around Bedok. He buys prata, sometimes ice cream, learns how to count money and take the bus. These are meaningful lessons in independence.

For his mother, Mdm Habibah, the programme gives her peace of mind. She can go to work knowing that Mirza is safe and meaningfully engaged, and treasures coming home to hear his story about the day.

But we know the current wait time, from referral to enrolment, is long, over half a year on average. This weighs heavily on families. When the child graduates, six months can feel like an eternity.

We are accelerating expansion. Our pledge was to add 500 DAC and 500 SW places by 2030. But in fact, we have already added 100 shelter workshop places in 2024. A further 520 DAC and 360 SW spaces will come on stream progressively by 2027.

As capacity builds, families on the waitlist are not left alone. Enabling Services Hubs (ESHs) offer activities and serve as community touch points. For recent graduates, the Supported Transition and Engagement Programme (STEP) ensures they remain meaningfully engage with outings and activities at least twice weekly while waiting for placement.

All this, because transition should not mean isolation.

We also heard feedback that moving between SW and DACs can be cumbersome. Re-assessments, transitions – families told us that it felt like starting from scratch each time the needs changed. So, last year we launched the Enabling Skills for Life Programme (ESLP).

ESLP integrates both models – SW and DAC – into a single continuum. More importantly, it introduces individualised curriculum and development plans co-created with clients and caregivers. That co-creation is important because no one knows a person's strengths and aspirations better than the individual himself or herself, and the family members.

As of January this year, close to 770 clients across eight centres have transitioned to ESLP, and we will continue refining the service model over the next three years. Our aim is simple: as each individual grows, the support around them grows too. This means that ESLP clients will have access to more training pathways depending on their specific needs and aspirations.

Sir, skills matter, but belonging matters just as much.

To this end, MSF is piloting two community living models to strengthen support for independent living. The first is the Enabled Living Programme (ELP) pilot, which has started in five locations, and we are doing this in close partnership with appointed social service agencies (SSAs).

11.00 am

Delivered within designated public rental flats, ELP allows PwDs with low to moderate support needs and no to little family support to live independently.

When I recently spoke to Boon Hao, an ELP resident supported by the Autism Resource Centre, he did not talk about policies or subsidies. He spoke about hosting his friends on Valentine's Day – about the dishes he prepared, about the chore schedule he shares with his roommate, Vincent, about grocery runs at Ang Mo Kio Hub. Now, these may sound like mundane things, but for Boon Hao, they represent dignity, independence, friendship.

Through ELP, persons with low to moderate support needs can live independently in public rental flats, supported by coaches and community networks. Residents may not live with family, but they are never alone. Grassroots leaders check in, neighbours build friendships, and Boon Hao is even exploring volunteering. That is inclusion, in action. Living side by side, contributing to the same community.

We will also launch the Home Support Programme in the second half of this year, extending similar support to those already living independently or has plans to do so in their homes, near ELP sites.

Alongside community-living models, we are strengthening neighbourhood support through our ESHs. The idea is straightforward: support should be close to home and easy to access.

Our ESHs in Tampines, Punggol and Jurong have worked with over 300 community partners and volunteers in the past two years: from grassroots organisations to schools and local businesses. They conduct outreach, organise learning workshops and social activities, and link PwDs and caregivers to relevant services.

For families, the ESH can be a reassuring first touchpoint: a place to ask questions, seek guidance and find support without feeling overwhelmed. More importantly, ESHs help communities grow in confidence. Through inclusion workshops and partnerships, neighbours learn how to better welcome and support PwDs in everyday settings.

Because when support is embedded within our neighborhoods, PwDs are not seen simply as clients of a programme, but they are recognised as fellow residents, friends and contributors to the same community they live in.

Chairman, caregivers carry quiet courage. Many worry most not about themselves, but about what will happen after they are gone. We recognise the challenges they face and we must ensure they are well-supported on this journey.

As Singapore ages, this concern becomes more urgent. Caregivers themselves grow older too. Health challenges emerge over time. Future planning cannot wait. As noted by Assoc Prof Kenneth Poon, a chief area of concern for caregivers is how their loved ones will be cared for after they pass. We are supporting families in three ways: first, near-term relief; second, strengthened savings; and third, secure future arrangements.

First, to provide near-term financial relief, Prime Minister announced in Budget last year that subsidies will be increased for adult disability services and extended to more households. Since January this year, subsidies for the Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) were enhanced, and extended to families with per capita income between $2,601 and $4,800. Through the ATF, eligible families can purchase assistive technology devices for independent living. From July 2026, we will increase subsidies for residential and community disability services by up to 15 and 10 percentage points respectively. The income threshold for subsidies will also be raised, extending eligibility to households with per capita income between $3,601 and $4,800.

Ms Denise Phua and Ms Kuah Boon Theng would be pleased to know that these enhancements will provide additional financial relief for 3,600 PwDs accessing our residential and community disability services, including those attending Day Activity Centres.

Ms Phua and Ms Kuah also noted that our funding to service providers impact service access and quality. And that is exactly why we regularly review our funding models for relevance. We last increased funding to Day Activity Centre providers in 2021, and to disability residential service providers last year, in 2025, to account for inflation and enhanced staffing requirements for clients with higher support needs. The inter-agency Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities will explore more ways to keep disability support affordable for families and sustainable for service providers.

Second, on strengthening savings. From January this year, eligible Singaporeans with disabilities are included in the Matched Retirement Saving Scheme (MRSS). This was announced by the Ministry of Manpower at the Committee of Supply last year. Under the MRSS, we dollar-match CPF top-ups for those eligible, up to an annual cap of $2,000 and a lifetime limit of $20,000.

This means that if a parent of a seven-year-old with a verified disability status tops up $2,000 annually to their child's account, we will match by topping up another $2,000 each year. Assuming: one, the parent consistently tops up $2,000 annually over 10 years to hit the lifetime cap of $20,000; and two, a 4% compounding interest, this child would have minimally $320,000 in CPF retirement savings by age 65. This translates to at least $1,700 in monthly payouts for life, from age 65. If a parent tops up consistently from a young age, the compounded impact can be substantial, giving their child meaningful CPF payouts in later life. This is all about dignity in their senior years.

Third, on securing future arrangements. Caregivers need assurance that these funds are secure when they are no longer around. The Special Needs Trust Company can help.

As announced at Budget last year, we will be introducing a dollar-for-dollar matching grant for tops-ups to the Special Needs Trust (SNT) accounts. From 1 April this year till 31 March 2031, families with per capita household income of up to $3,600 can sign up to receive matching top-ups of up to $10,000 to the SNT accounts. [Please refer to the clarification later in the debate.]

Parents can further multiply their financial provisions for their child by buying a Great Eastern Cares Term Plan. This term plan insures parents up till age 100, with coverage ranging from $100,000 to $300,000.

For insurance coverage of $250,000, a healthy 33-year-old mother with per capita household income below $3,600 would only need to make a one-off trust top-up of $10,000 to her child's account to cover the total premiums for the plan. Upon the insured parent's demise before age 100, $250,000 will be paid into the child's SNT account.

As premiums increase with age and the amount insured, caregivers are thus encouraged to start these conversations early with SG Enable. Case Managers, who are social work-trained, will work with caregivers to craft personalised care plans and ensure funds are disbursed in accordance with these plans after caregivers have passed.

These measures offer real relief for caregivers. I recently met Mdm Kitty Li. Kitty is the mother of a child living with autism and she was initially hesitant due to the initial capital needed to start an SNT account for her child. With the Community Chest sponsorship, Mdm Li can start saving in the SNT account to benefit from the Government Matching Grant and use these savings to purchase a Great Eastern Cares Term Plan.

While we work on ensuring our initiatives remain fit for purpose, we agree with Miss Rachel Ong that raising awareness is a crucial part of ensuring that these initiatives have reach. Beyond what is available on their website, SG Enable has developed the Enabling Guide to consolidate information on available support. And they will also continue engaging with partners, such as employers and industry chambers, to raise awareness of inclusive hiring and employment support.

We also endeavour to improve accessibility to our initiatives given the wide range of needs. To Miss Rachel Ong's query, we are studying how to improve deaf access services, including training more Singapore Sign Language interpreters. There are also SSAs like SADeaf, who provide casework and counselling services using sign language. Chairman, please allow me to say a few words in Mandarin.

(In Mandarin): Mr Chairman, promoting a more inclusive Singapore is the shared aspiration of all Singaporeans. We hope to build a Singapore where persons with disabilities can pursue their own ideals and aspirations.

Through employment support, Day Activity Centres and Sheltered Workshops, as well as the Enabling Skills for Life Programme, we hope to help persons with disabilities build lifelong learning capabilities, enabling them to better integrate into society and live meaningful lives.

We implement the Enabled Living Programme, the Home Support Programme, and establish Enabling Services Hubs to strengthen the support networks for persons with disabilities at home and in the community, allowing them to live independently in the community for the long term.

We have not forgotten about the family members and caregivers around persons with disabilities. The existing CPF Top-Up Matching Scheme and Special Needs Trust Company are in place to provide financial security for special needs families, giving them a peace of mind in planning for the future.

We will continue to collaborate with partners from all sectors to ensure that every person with disabilities can find their place in our country and live dignified and meaningful lives. This is our commitment and determination in building a more inclusive and caring home.

(In English): Chairman, as we journey towards 2030, our commitment very clear: to build a Singapore where PwDs pursue aspirations with confidence, where families trust that support will endure.

And we will keep listening and we will keep refining. We thank Ms Denise Phua for her suggestions to the Taskforce, and we will deliberate over her input and share more when ready.

Sir, policies alone cannot create inclusion. Policies remove barriers. People create belonging. Inclusion happens when employers open doors, when neighbours extend friendship and when communities choose to see ability before disability.

PwDs are not defined by what they need. They are defined by the strengths they contribute: resilience, creativity, loyalty, courage. They are not passive recipients of support, much like seniors in our community. They are partners in our shared future.

So let us move forward together: not by asking people to fit into narrow definitions, but by shaping a society heartful enough for every Singaporean to belong. And that is how we advance an inclusive Singapore. One where everyone, truly, can thrive. [Applause.]

The Chairman: Minister of State Goh Pei Ming.

The Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Mr Goh Pei Ming): Mr Chairman, MSF is committed to building a nation that supports Singaporeans in raising strong families and giving every child a good start.

Today, I will elaborate on three strategies to achieve this: starting strong – building firm foundations within the home; starting early – ensuring access to affordable and quality early childhood education; and starting together – working as a community to support our families.

Strong, Early, Together. And if we take the first letter of each, they spell out SET, reflecting our shared commitment to ensuring that families are set to thrive in Singapore.

I will begin by sharing how we are supporting our families to start strong. For many of us, families are our safe harbour and where we turn to in our happiest and also our most challenging moments. An MSF survey in 2023 showed that most Singaporeans have a closely-knit family and believe in its importance.

We will continue to support families to build strong foundations within the home. Mr Gabriel Lam and Mr Melvin Yong asked about support available for the different family types, while Ms Eileen Chong asked about strengthening support for parents and caregivers.

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MSF is committed in our efforts to strengthen all families. Our children deserve to be valued and given equal opportunities to thrive. Benefits that support their growth and development, such as subsidies for education, healthcare, and the CDA, are given to all citizen children, regardless of their parents’ marital status.

To help all families stay resilient, we offer holistic support at every stage of life. These programmes range from financial assistance to family counselling to parenting workshops. For more vulnerable households, by adopting a holistic case management approach, our Family Service Centres help them manage multiple stressors and break out of inter-generational patterns. Minister Masagos has also shared that we will double our family counselling capacity under the Strengthening Families Programme (FAM) by 2030.

To provide better support for caregivers, we have significantly enhanced leave provisions for parents of newborns, increased mandatory paternity leave, and introduced a new Shared Parental Leave scheme, and in total, parents now have up to 30 weeks of paid parental leave from April 2026 onwards. The Ministry of Manpower has also introduced the Tripartite Guidelines on flexible work arrangements to help caregivers.

MSF's latest survey findings show that more than 85% of Singaporean families reported moderate to high family resilience scores, reflecting good ability to bounce back from life’s challenges. Nonetheless, data also shows that our divorced, widowed and separated respondents reported a lower family resilience score compared to married respondents. MSF will continue to track the resilience of families and study whether to provide more targeted support for single parent households.

We also recognise that some children may not have access to stable homes with their biological parents, and may require adoption or fostering. Ms Sylvia Lim and Dr Neo Kok Beng have asked about these arrangements.

Today, there are multiple layers of checks in our adoption processes to detect child trafficking. Challenges remain in transnational arrangements. Singapore has adopted regional frameworks to complement our domestic efforts to protect children. We undertake regular reviews to ensure that our processes, our laws and our international efforts are effective in combating unethical adoption practices and child trafficking.

In fostering arrangements, we facilitate regular contact or access between children and their biological parents to maintain links, wherever safe and appropriate. We have also seen cases where foster parents proactively help children reunite with their biological parents. MSF remains open to considering ways to facilitate this, including co-parenting, recognising also that every case is unique. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all foster parents, including Dr Neo, for their efforts in providing positive family environments.

Finally, we are helping families plan for their later years. Yesterday, I was very glad to share that we will make it free of charge for citizens to file Form 1 of the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). Members of this House have raised this topic, including Mr Yip Hon Weng, Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Kenneth Tiong. We encourage all Singaporeans to make their LPA while they are still healthy and to do so as soon as possible.

We acknowledge Members' feedback about the challenges faced in the scenarios where individuals require Professional Donees or Deputies. We have also heard similar feedback in our public consultations and with our Professional Deputies and Doneess. We will consider them in our upcoming review of the Mental Capacity Act and the Professional Deputies and Donees Scheme.

Building a strong family environment requires creating healthy habits and quality time together – a challenge when screens increasingly dominate family life. Mr Cai Yin Zhou and Miss Rachel Ong raised valid concerns about prolonged screen usage and exposure to AI.

Parents are our first and most important line of defence. For practical support, I will refer parents to the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA's) Digital for Life portal and MSF’s Families for Life Parenting website. They offer guiding materials on managing children’s screen time, and helping them navigate the online world safely and to use AI responsibly. By reducing screen times, we hope parents can create opportunities to bond and form meaningful connections with their children.

Every year, we dedicate the month of June to celebrating families through the month-long National Family Festival (NFF). Last year, more than 850,000 participated in activities like family carnivals, games, and experiential learning activities. With greater community and corporate support, we hope to welcome one million participants to participate in NFF 2026 this year and to create even more memories as a family.

Through our partnerships, MSF has been bringing more quality and affordable family activities directly to local communities. These include kite-making, reading programmes, community lo-hei, since Chinese New Year just passed, as well as discounts from commercial partners for family outings. Families can find upcoming events and good discounts on the Families for Life website.

Next, let me touch on Starting Early, I would like to share how we will further enhance our early childhood education.

Research has shown that the early years are crucial to a child’s development, where preschool attendance from the age of three leads to positive outcomes. To ensure accessibility to preschools, we have increased the number of full-day preschool places from around 135,000 to now more than 220,000 in the past decade. We now have enough full-day preschool places nationally for every resident child aged three and above. We have also achieved our commitment of ensuring that 80% of preschoolers can have a place in a Government-supported preschool. To serve the newer housing estates with more families with more young children, we are on track to adding more than 40,000 full-day places in Anchor Operator preschools by 2029.

Our early childhood services will continue to remain affordable. Since the start of the year, full-day childcare fees have been further reduced to a maximum of $610 at Anchor Operator preschools and $650 at Partner Operator preschools, a reduction of 15% since 2020. This will make out-of-pocket expenses for full-day childcare in an Anchor Operator preschool comparable to primary school and after-school care fees combined. With the revised Additional Subsidy income thresholds announced by the Prime Minister in his Budget speech, many families can expect to pay even lower fees.

Let me elaborate. From January 2027, we will raise the gross monthly household income ceiling for the Additional Subsidy for childcare and Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme to $15,000. We will also increase income thresholds for all the subsidy tiers below to reflect changes in household incomes. This will further improve affordability of preschools for more than 60,000 lower- and middle-income families with young children.

Let me cite an example. A median income household earning $12,500, with two children in Anchor Operator childcare, will see their total out-of-pocket fees for both children reduce by 35% from $730 in 2026 to $470 in 2027.

Mr Kenneth Tiong suggested portable preschool subsidies and additional salary support for non-Government supported operators. Portable subsidies have been raised in Parliament before. We have studied this and highlighted that this approach alone may lead to unintended consequences, such as fee increases without improvements in accessibility or quality, or preschools becoming overly commercial. We have seen this initiative implemented in other countries, only to be withdrawn a few years later.

Instead of one single approach, we take a more holistic, multi-pronged approach. We provide funding to rigorously selected operators to cap fees and to maintain quality. We also provide basic and means-tested additional subsidies, so basic subsidies as well as additional means-tested subsidies, to parents to ensure affordability, with lower-income families paying less. CDAs help parents further offset post-subsidy fees at preschools of their choice. And our schemes have worked well with demonstrated success in our accessibility and affordability outcomes.

In the next bound, MSF will place greater emphasis on the quality of preschools. Today, I will share our vision for "Quality Preschools", where children play, learn and grow alongside their peers, and develop holistically with strong foundations for life. To achieve this vision, we will journey with the sector to enhance preschool capabilities, improve programme and professional quality, foster stronger parent-preschool partnerships, and strengthen research and innovation.

First, for our children, we will cultivate a preschool environment where they can play, learn and grow at a pace suitable for them. We will cater to children of different needs and backgrounds by encouraging play and offering different ways for them to learn and to explore.

In my maiden parliamentary speech, I highlighted the crucial role of play in children's learning and development. Play is a child's natural language. Play teaches children to share, to solve problems, to adapt to new situations, and to manage emotions. Our educators today already provide play experiences. We introduced play-based pedagogies in our earliest curriculum more than a decade ago. In the next bound, we will take it further. We will share across the entire sector best practices they have observed from the operators and intensify the application of play in everyday lessons to make learning more responsive to each child's needs and interests, and to help children enjoy both learning and their childhood.

Next, we recognise that every child has their own strengths and learning needs. International research demonstrates that when educators design lessons that offer children different ways to learn, it improves teaching quality and leads to better outcomes for our children. We are strengthening efforts to equip educators to support every child’s development to help them reach their full potential.

For our parents, we will enable stronger partnerships with their child’s educators. Parents play a crucial role in bridging our children's development across preschool and home. From my preschool visits, the principals have shared that parents want to be involved in shaping their children’s development and learning. However, they are unsure how to partner educators. So, we will work with preschools to strengthen educator-parent partnerships through clearer role definitions and shared best practices.

Educators are at the heart of preschool education, and critical for our children's holistic development. We care for their well-being and want to ensure that more support is given to our educators as mentioned by Mr Melvin Yong. Attracting and retaining quality educators remains a priority for us. We will grow our early education workforce by another 3,500 educators by 2030 to meet sector needs. We will better equip educators through pre-service training and in-service continuous development to adapt to our evolving early childhood landscapes, as they apply more play-based learning and support different learning needs.

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We also acknowledge the challenges that our preschool operators face – given the long hours they spend caring for our children, there is little time to engage in other tasks, such as lesson planning or relevant upskilling. Preschools also do not have school holidays unlike primary or secondary schools. We have been enhancing our educators' career proposition over the years and we remain committed to doing more to ensure they are well-supported.

Together with operators and educators, we are currently reviewing educators' working conditions and workload, such as better enabling non-contact time. We will also embark on a sector-wide job redesign project to review the job scopes, the work processes and support structures in our preschools and to improve work experiences.

For our operators, we will provide more support to strengthen their daily operations and to enhance their programme quality.

Technology is a key enabler. As shared by Minister Masagos yesterday, we will refresh the Industry Digital Plan 2.0 jointly with IMDA to enhance support for all preschools' digital transformation efforts, including non-Government-supported preschools. Through new innovation seed funding and establishing baseline technology requirements, we will support preschools to adopt digital capabilities. We want to streamline routine tasks while facilitating better communication with parents and fostering stronger parent-preschool partnerships.

We will also want to encourage more operators to seek accreditation under the revised Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework 2.0, rolled out last year. As preschools attain a higher banding that reflects better service provision, parents can be assured of better quality. They can look forward to these preschools, which offer an even more enriching environment, to cater to their children's needs and to allow them to flourish.

Finally, undergirding our next bound of quality improvements will be a strong focus on research and innovation.

ECDA will lead efforts and collaborate with research partners to stay updated on emerging research and assess and encourage adoption of effective teaching and learning practices to raise the overall profile of our early childhood landscape.

Quality improvement is a continuous journey. Our focus this year will be to engage and closely work with preschool operators, our educators, our operators and our parents to further develop our plans, as we strive to deliver this vision of quality preschools over the next five years. MSF and ECDA will share more details when we are ready.

I have spoken about the importance of starting strong and starting early. So, that brings me to my final point to ensure that our families are set for life – starting together.

Many parents tell me that raising children is a full-time job, and since many parents have to continue to work, we are often stretched thin and this is where the broader community plays a crucial role in supporting our children's development and makes raising children a joyful experience.

Through the strong partnerships that MSF has built with our community partners to run our Families for Life @ Community initiative, we were able to organise more than 670 family-centric activities across all 24 towns in Singapore last year. These events were supported by over 780 volunteers and benefited more than half a million participants. So, my deepest appreciation goes out to all our volunteers who help make these events possible. Thank you.

These events provide opportunities for local communities to come together to foster friendship, to build support, while teaching our children what books cannot teach them – to care for those people and everyone around us.

Take 11-year-old Capella, who started volunteering with Families for Life because she wanted to accompany her mother. What began as family time has become something much deeper – Capella has become more confident, more empathetic and discovered her own passion for volunteering and helping others. Their shared service not only supported other families; it deepened their own bond. This is the ripple effect we see when families volunteer together – creating meaningful family time while making a difference in our community.

We all have a role to play in supporting families in Singapore. Let me talk about families, our families with PwDs.

I would like to thank Ms Denise Phua and Prof Kenneth Poon for acknowledging the inter-agency Taskforce and your suggestions that the Taskforce can consider, including reviewing the affordability of day activity centres and residential homes, reviewing employment opportunities and supporting PwDs and their families with long-term planning. As Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric has shared, we will carefully consider these suggestions, along with recommendations for supporting PwDs that many other Members have raised through the past week. I am grateful to be leading this Taskforce which will complement our Enabling Masterplan 2030 and go beyond its recommendations to provide greater opportunities and assurances of dignity and stability for them.

The Taskforce has started its work by looking at the life cycle of PwDs of different needs and identifying the pain points and gaps that they encounter in the current system. We will relook how they transition from education to employment. We will grow employment opportunities that tap on their strengths. We will expand capacities of our day activity centres and sheltered workshops to provide stable and secure care environment for more clients and to shorten waiting times, thereby reducing the unnecessary stressful transitions for PwDs and their families. We will review community pathways and healthcare support for them to stay engaged in the community for longer. We will see how to better support our caregivers, by designing the system with them and their PwDs as a dyad and we will review and keep services affordable for all.

The Taskforce's report will be released later this year.

The Government stands ready to invest more to support PwDs and their families. But an inclusive society also means reshaping our systems and attitudes to embrace all abilities, and empowering PwDs to pursue their aspirations, achieve their potential and participate as integral members of society.

Chairman, next, please allow me to say a few words in Mandarin.

(In Mandarin): Building an inclusive society requires whole-of-Government coordination and participation and effort from the entire society. Therefore, we have established the inter-Ministerial "Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities" to explore how to better provide assistance to persons with disabilities and their families in areas, such as employment, community living and affordability of disability support services. The taskforce will also examine encouraging corporates and community partners to provide more job opportunities and community support for persons with disabilities, as well as promote greater social inclusivity, so that they can also pursue their dreams, realise their potential and contribute to society in their own way.

MSF firmly believes that family is the cornerstone of society, so we are committed to building a nation that can support Singaporeans in forming families. Marriage, parenthood – we support Singaporeans through various measures at every important stage of life.

Worth mentioning is our progress in preschool education. Over the past decade, preschool places have increased from 130,000 to 220,000 today. School fees have also become more affordable. Today, every child above three years old in Singapore can receive quality, affordable preschool education, and in the next phase, we will further enhance the quality of preschool education, continuing to give children a good start in life.

(In English): Mr Chairman, at MSF, families are at the heart of all we do. Strong families need effort and they are built by entire communities working together. The Government provides broad-based support to help families start strong, early and, together, setting firm foundations and giving every child a good start.

For families who are more vulnerable, we offer a steady hand and a supported ladder, so that they too can climb and thrive on their own terms. For families with PwDs, we are committed to removing barriers and working with the community to create opportunities that foster inclusion and belonging.

Over the past week, our House has shared our respective visions of a "We first" society. For MSF, this vision comes alive when our social service sector, community and our corporates partner us to create better outcomes for families and individuals that we serve. By sharing in this commitment that "Better Starts with Us", each of us make the difference together.

Let us work towards stronger families, stronger communities, a stronger Singapore. [Applause.]

The Chairman: We have some time for clarifications. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua.

Mr Eric Chua: Chairman, thank you for your indulgence. I would like to set right a couple of points in my speech earlier before Members seek clarifications.

Firstly, I mentioned that enhancements we provide additional financial relief for 3,600 PwDs accessing our residential and community disabilities services, the number should be 3,800. Second, on families who are looking to set up the SNT Account, for these families, we will provide the initial $5,000 capital needed to set up a SNT Account to ComChest Funding. Thank you.

The Chairman: Mr Xie Yao Quan.

Mr Xie Yao Quan: Thank you, Chairman. Just three buckets of clarifications.

The first on the expansion of ComLink+ social health integration pilot. So, this is directed at Minister of State Zhulkarnain, how many more ComLink+ residents is MSF looking to bring on board this expanded pilot and where, which ComLink+ towns is MSF looking to expand this pilot to and also, will family coaches and public health institutions be sharing data to support clients to navigate the system and avoid the navigation, like Minister of State Zhulkarnain spoke about?

Second bucket of clarifications on the ComLink+ skills upgrading support pilot. Again, directed at Minister of State Zhulkarnain, I just wanted to ask if family coaches will be working with IHLs and the course providers to signpost clients to certain courses and also to help them to enrol and get on board these courses?

A third bucket of clarifications on supporting our professionals in the sector to uplift them, even as they care and pour their heart and soul to care for clients. So, this is directed at the Minister, does MSF have plans to enhance the support to professionals for professional development and career advancement opportunities in the sector?

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: Thank you, Chairman. I thank Member Xie Yao Quan for that – all those questions and clarifications.

On social health integration, we focus our efforts on the health issues that are most likely to disrupt the broader social goals.

Last year was the trial for the SHI and about 500 families were involved. We target another additional 500 more. In terms of where the regions will be trialled in, we are trialing in SSO clusters in: one, Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang; two, Sembawang and Woodlands; and three, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Punggol. In terms of the data sharing, MSF works closely with MOH, and the health care clusters so the relevant health information, like the children's mandatory immunisation records would be shared via a system interface with the family coaches.

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The second bucket of questions on the skills upgrading scheme. The family coach works together with the families, closely with the families who express interest to come on board the pilot and it is a very recent thing, the pilot was just in January, we aim for 100 families. We also engage the IHLs on their application, to help them with their application as well.

The Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M): We work with the industry practitioners, including the training providers, education institutions, the professionals themselves and their associations, to put up what we call the skills framework for social service. Within this framework, we lay out the competencies needed for the families of social sector jobs so that professionals know clearly what they need to have in order to articulate and for their career planning. This is very useful for both the trainers, training institutions as well as for the individuals and the associations.

For the individuals themselves, for example, they would know there are scholarships available under the professional development sponsorship, where it covers full tuition fees. They can study, even if they have a degree, of which they have to have one to practise as full professionals in this field – in alternate or related fields, for example, in psychology.

But we want to also look at how we can expand these fields of studies that may not look as related as they were, maybe 10 years ago, but may be relevant today. For example, AI, for example, how they can be related to their work in social service.

There are also of course, short-term grants for individuals to look at, to take up the courses and then to uplift their ability and their skills. Not necessarily to enhance their career possibilities, but also to support their clients better.

In the meantime, SSAs, too, should use this framework, because they may want to attract talents from outside who may not have the requisite professional degrees or qualifications to practise in this sector. MSF also will provide grants for such people and at the same time for our SSAs to plan the career path and articulation for their own staff, those who are within the SSAs themselves.

The Chairman: I see a number of hands, but guillotine time is 12.15 pm. So, as usual, keep your clarifications succinct. Mr Melvin Yong.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas): Thank you, Chairman. I have three clarifications for Minister of State Goh Pei Ming, they are all related to preschools. One, given the critical importance of quality early childhood education in shaping our children's developmental outcomes, how can ECDA further strengthen the capabilities of preschools to better engage parents as active partners in their children's learning and development?

Two, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has introduced a right to disconnect policy so that school teachers are not expected to respond to work matters after school hours. Given that preschool educators also face demanding workloads, could the Minister of State clarify whether ECDA has similar safeguards for our preschool educators?

Three, recognising that continuous professional development is fundamental to maintaining high educational standards, what steps is ECDA taking to enable our early childhood educators to pursue meaningful professional development opportunities, for example, giving study awards or time off for the preschool educators?

Mr Goh Pei Ming: Mr Chairman, let me take the questions part by part. First in terms of how we will build stronger parent-preschool partnerships, we believe that this partnership is important to help bridge the overall development and learning of our children between the home and the preschool. They are not separate entities, that experience has to be collective. Therefore, we want to see more parents participate in our preschools.

In fact, one of my recent visits to My First Skool in Anchorvale, Sengkang, I was very encouraged, it was the day of the launch of the health screening and I observed there was a parent doing a storytelling exercise together with the children. After that I managed to speak to her and she was sharing with me that My First Skool, at least at that centre, regularly sends out messages sharing what are the opportunities for excursions, for storytelling, participating in games, sports or even coming in for rather mundane activities. But these experiences allow for the parent as well as the child to have a common experience that goes beyond the classroom back into the living rooms, over the dining table, where they talk. And in fact, the parent also knows many of the names of the child's friends, and I thought that was very precious, very, very meaningful, and we want to have more of such experiences.

And for this parent, when she walked away, this was sometime about 9.45 am in the morning, I remember being quite encouraged that how come she was able to do this? She told me she was going to work, so I guess some of the flexible work arrangements have also set in, and she is well supported by her employer in this regard.

So, from ECDA's view, what we are hoping to do more, as I mentioned earlier, we want to talk to the preschools, share many of their best practices. We understand within the landscape, it is a little bit varied. All of them have their good ideas. We want to collate and promulgate many of these across. We also want to perhaps set clearer expectations of what the educator is and is not supposed to do, what the parent is and is not supposed to do and also, perhaps in this process, enable digital capabilities to foster this partnership.

The second part of the question on the right to disconnect and understanding that MOE has a similar policy. In fact, in the preschool sector, we recognise the importance of having this. We agree, the workloads of our preschool educators are very heavy, the hours are very long, and this is a policy that we are working now. It is a work-in-progress. We want to formalise this, and we are starting with the co-creation of a parent-preschool charter. Once we formalise this, will promulgate to all. But perhaps my own experience, I also have a preschooler in my home. I do not have the phone numbers of the teachers, nor is it shared. I call the general office, and through there the messages get shared to the teachers when they need to.

The third question pertains to how do we allow our educators to have meaningful professional development opportunities. We recognise it is important for them to be well supported in their journey by ECDA, and to have time to attend to not just the professional but also their personal learning needs. We have mechanisms, such as a Continuing Professional Development roadmap, whereby we help guide and mentor our educators through this journey in terms of what courses that they can attend to upgrade, to upskill, and many of these courses are provided by the National Institute of Early Childhood Development, as well as other training providers, so we allow them a certain scaffold for them to continue to grow and progress in their careers and, of course, with new pedagogies, we hope that they will stay current.

But of course, this requires time and we are studying and, we have in the past, set aside more protected time for them. We designated six preschool closure days – development days, actually – to allow the centre, not only for personal training but also team training. We have also designated Teachers' Day and Children's Day as holidays in 2024, we have also ceased childcare services or early childhood education services on Saturdays from last year onwards.

A few months ago, I met a group of ECDA Fellows. They shared with me, and this is a group of very senior principals, educators and they shared with me some of their feedback, so we are looking into it. We are looking to offer more bite-sized continuous development opportunities. We are also looking into how we can ease the workload, more non-contact time, ensuring there is protected time for professional development, time for reflection, time for individual planning and, more importantly, at the end of the day, all these allow for the development of the educators, which translates into better development and teaching for our children, benefiting our future.

The Chairman: Mr Kenneth Tiong.

Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat (Aljunied): Thank you, Chair. My clarifications are on preschools. One, ECDA itself shifted Anchor Operator funding from a centre-capacity model to a per child funding model earlier in 2025. If per-child funding is the right principle for allocating resources among Anchor Operator centres, then why is it the wrong principle for allocating resources among all licensed centres?

Number two, I thank Minister of State Goh for his emphasis on play-based learning. Ms Loy Wee Mee, who I mentioned in my cut, is a – if not the expert – on play-based learning in Singapore. So, does the Ministry acknowledge that their operator funding model is making the play-based learning expert's schools, and others like hers, unviable? And what is your message to the independent operators?

Mr Goh Pei Ming: Mr Chairman, to the Member's first question on whether per child funding should be extended to all centres. There are two parts to it. We moved from capacity-based to enrolment-based funding, primarily because we wanted to be more equitable to ensure that efficient resources are being assigned to all centres and if the centre is not full, we should not be assigning it based on capacity. And that is also to encourage the centre to improve on quality to attract more parents to come to them, to provide better curriculum, and per child enrolment basis allows for that. However, that is a different conversation from resources for all centres, and I note that Member has over past instances also raised that we should provide funding to be assigned to the child rather than to the centres.

It goes back to the fundamental principle of how we build the early childhood sector. MSF and ECDA's priority is to ensure that families have access to accessible, affordable, quality preschools and today, 80% of all preschoolers are able to enrol in Government-supported preschools. That is the vision. That is the outcome that we have achieved. We have done this, like I explained in my speech earlier, through various means or various funding approaches, both on the subsidy side to the preschools directly; on the demand side to the parents, as well as allowing the parents to have some free choice through the CDA. We believe that the confluence of that allows us to achieve the balance and the right incentives for both the preschools' operators, as well as in terms of our support for the parents.

One particular area that I would like to perhaps talk about is how do we run our anchor operator and partner operator schemes, because I think the point of the Member's question is how do we better support – there is a slice of operators that may not be getting Government funding. The operator schemes, the anchor and partner operator schemes, employ a very rigorous selection process, and these are private operators that we are evaluating, so as to find out who are the best able to advance our early childhood objectives. The operators must be both willing and capable to meet stringent scheme requirements, and these include the provision of affordable quality preschool services as well as the commitment to improve the professional development of their educators.

There can be good reasons why certain operators are not part of the Anchor Operator or the Partner Operator schemes. Some operators simply choose not to participate because of legitimate business considerations, such as they have already established a premium market positioning. Others may be providing a very specialised, a very niche service or programme. They have higher business cost that may not justify for Government funding to go in. And to maintain the quality and sustainability of these programmes, they may also not believe and subscribe to the fee caps that we have imposed through our operator schemes.

Some preschools are also in areas with higher Permanent Resident and foreigner numbers and therefore, Government support is less relevant. Some operators may also not be selected because of the application process. The Partner Operator selection is competitive and factors, such as track record in delivering services, financial sustainability, accessibility of the centres as well as the local preschooler demand in the immediate area where the preschool is located. So, all those are factors that we consider, and we want to do so because we need to be judicious in how we spend Government money.

The second point on play-based learning. Actually, I would like to reiterate the point that play-based curriculum is embedded as part of our preschool curriculum, that all Anchor Operators and Partner Operators already implement across all our centres and, like I said in my speech, we are looking to step it up further. I acknowledge the point the Member raised about Ms Loy. I think we will be keen to talk to her and see how she can help in the sector.

The Chairman: Prof Kenneth Poon.

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Prof Kenneth Poon (Nominated Member): Thank you, Chairman. Let me just get to the point. Future care planning extends beyond employment and financial planning, and it includes residential arrangements, community access and the maintenance of social relationships. So, I would like to ask if the Ministry has or intends to help develop a playbook or have a coach or peer support system to guide family members involved in this future care planning process?

Mr Eric Chua: Sir. I thank the Member for his clarifications. Indeed, future care planning, especially with the person, as well as the caregivers at the centre of this planning process, is absolutely essential. That is a key organising principle for service models moving forward.

Just want to highlight a few examples, so that we can illustrate the point. I have mentioned briefly in my speech that the ESLP, an important component, is the individual curriculum and development plan, for which the caregivers, as well as the PwD themselves are very intimately and closely involved in the creation of the content and the milestones within.

In yesterday's cuts, Ms Denise Phua, also talked about the Family Life Navigator Model, and she likened that to the ComLink model, where we have different families, different ranges of needs being supported by somewhat like a defender. We totally agree with that mission and that vision. What we need is some time, in order for us to assemble the right manpower, with the right aptitude, the right capability and competencies to do this, but in terms of vision, we are well aligned.

The Chairman: Ms Diana Pang.

Ms Diana Pang Li Yen (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights): I would like to ask Minister of State Goh, how would the increase in a family counselling capacity affect the quality of counselling services? And are there sufficient counsellors to support this capacity increase?

Mr Goh Pei Ming: Mr Chairman, there are currently 11 FAM centres across Singapore providing family counselling services. We are working with the various service providers to ensure that there is adequate staffing as capacity expands. We want to make sure that we are expanding while not compromising quality. I think that must be the key principle that we are observing here.

The timeline of 2030 actually allows us to work together with the providers to build up the capacity in sync, as demand grows, and that also allows us to work with the educational service providers to help raise up this capability.

To maintain service quality, there are two key principles or two key prongs that we are going to do this by. We will recruit professionals with relevant credentials and experience. Counsellors in FAM are required to have the relevant tertiary qualifications in counselling, psychology or social work, along with a minimum of three years of experience working with families. Especially in FAM centres, we do need our counsellors to be a lot more experienced, slightly more experienced than usual, to deal with more complex cases.

Those with social work and psychology qualifications also undergo additional training to ensure they have the necessary counselling skills. At the same time, FAM counsellors will receive ongoing clinical supervision to maintain professional standards and to support their ongoing development.

The Chairman: Ms Denise Phua.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): I just want to thank Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric, Minister of State Goh and the SG Enable MSF team for being really sincere and responsive all these years. Two clarifications. Number one is, I am glad that the Ministry has curated some more enabling skills courses, but there is a real urgency because there is a lot of disruption in the AI-driven automation space, and many of the jobs, blue and white collared included, are really at risk, and there is urgency to have more deliberate intentional effort in this. Therefore, that is why I recommended the National Disability Job Redesign Resource/Fund. So, I would like to hear the Senior Parliamentary Secretary's views on that, because there is an urgency, and we cannot wait until all the reports are out.

The second one is: there is a strong need also for those with moderate to high needs, and that it will take a while for DACs to come up, and also, they are also costly. I wonder if there is a possibility of looking at a lighter version of the ESHs, so that these services can be developed at the local community centres or residents' committee, supporting grassroots efforts as well, because I know many of my colleagues really want to support these families as well.

Mr Eric Chua: Sir, I thank the Member for her very passionate interventions over the past years as well. First, on job redesign. Under the existing Open Door Programme, there is a Job Redesign Grant that can already be applied for, so that is one potential avenue that we can point to.

On her suggestion for the lighter version of the ESH – the ESH Minus or the ESH Portable – we are very keen to roll out more ESHs over different parts of the island in the coming years, so please stay tuned for more information.

The Chairman: Mr Cai Yinzhou.

Mr Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Thank you, Chair. I would like to ask how would MSF evaluate project success of progress packages launched? I thank the Minister of State for sharing that families can enjoy community events and attraction tickets at discount, but these activities still require supervision. Money is scarce and time is even more. Are there any other initiatives with supervision that can be formalised across neighbourhoods, such as the Touch Young Arrows Children's programme?

My second question is that I understand ComLink+ families become FSC cases during crisis, and family coaches take a step back. Will the Ministry consider allowing family coaches to continue journeying with the families on the context that in times of crisis, more hands-on-deck is needed and trust and relationship built with coaches can be more pertinent in these moments?

Third question, has the Ministry explored grants to support caregivers with entrepreneurial endeavours with PwDs that they are caring for initiatives, such as Junlefont and Bakes by Ben? They are both started by caregivers with children with special needs, and they continue to provide and allow the children to be meaningfully engaged, yet allowing income generation and flexibility.

Lastly, riding on Member Denise's points to reduce wait time in the pressure valve of DACs, has the Ministry considered pilot integrating senior care centres and DAC for adults, since DAC residents are getting older, and I have also been a care staff in both settings, and care needs of toileting, feeding and cognitive engagement is similar in objectives. A pilot integration could help the pressure valve queue of average six months.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: Thank you, Chairman. I will address the first few questions and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua will cover the rest.

Member asked about the effectiveness of ComLink+ and our evaluation of the success. We continuously monitor ComLink+ and we receive feedback from families that we serve and, of course, from the family coaches themselves, the SSOs and FSCs. Bearing in mind that ComLink+ was only launched in the middle of 2023, and if one looks at the MSF release paper in 2025 "Supporting Lower Income Household Trends", that report showed positive signs in some domains, like employment and housing, compared to the year before, experienced by families who had been enrolled in ComLink+.

Children in ComLink+ Progress Package also had higher enrolment and attendance rates, compared to the children who were not emplaced. But we continually want to do more. Hence, the enhancements to the ComLink+ Progress Packages were made, and these were made based on the feedback from the ComLink+ families and ground practitioners as well. We understand that some families may find it difficult, as I have mentioned in my speech, to meet some of these conditions despite their best efforts, so we are actually working with the families and the family coaches themselves on how to encourage the families to achieve those milestones.

In terms of tracking, we are also working with academics to study the impact of the packages on the families' short- and long-term outcomes. I also referenced that in my speech that we will continually finetune our approach as we have learned more insights.

On the local efforts, these are complementary to our programs already in MSF. Families may take advantage of all the programs in the community. Family coaches also themselves connect our ComLink+ families and their children to such activities. For instance, in Choa Chu Kang and Keat Hong where I serve, we have specific programmes during the holidays for music and pharmaceutical visits for lower-income families.

But MSF also will be looking towards working and understanding the best practices all across Singapore, across towns and try to implement programs at the local level. And I do encourage all Members in this Chamber, if Members have partners on the ground, do come up with innovative programmes to engage our low-income families and their children.

Lastly, on the FSCs, Member asked on the situation when the case is referred to the FSC, whether the family coach can continue journeying with the family, he said "all hands-on-deck" would help. However, this only typically happens when there is a crisis that happens to the family, like domestic violence, there is a divorce. So, in that situation, the priority would always be to stabilise the families. So, achieving milestones, such as employment, may be the furthest thing on their minds.

However, the FSC caseworker will double up and serve like the family coach to the ComLink+ family, so do not worry, for those families that require family services and need more help, and the Family Service Centre caseworker will focus on these more urgent risk issues and prioritise that. And they will also build rapport with the family and, hopefully, build trust, and this also allows one caseworker to be the main touchpoint for each family, and integrate the different support in the community for that family, so that again, the navigational nightmare would be avoided and they have one touchpoint.

The Chairman: Last clarification. Sorry, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua.

Mr Eric Chua: Sir, I thank the Member for his two clarifications on disability inclusion and support.

First, on DACs. DACs are actually meant to support PWDs with moderate to more severe needs and, in fact, the profile of clients in DACs are actually rather young, with many of them coming straight from SPED schools. The focus really is on equipping and getting these clients ready for independent living in the community, but we acknowledge his suggestion and we will take it back to take a closer look.

Second, on home-based businesses. I thank him for raising the point and pointing the spotlight on Junlefont. In fact, I have been supporting Jun Le. My two National Day Parade outfits for the past two years has been designed by Jun Le. And I thank Member Lee Hui Ying for also jumping on board last National Day Parade.

But that aside, we are already working with them. So, for instance, like as part of the i'mable collective, we have curated a whole host of home-based businesses, such as Jun Le, and Jun Le is featured as part of the i'mable collective as well.

Every year end, when we have our Enabling Lives Festival, we do have a marketplace where we feature each of these home-based businesses, like Jun Le themselves, and that is where I got to know designers like Jeremiah, we have Isaac and Sheng Jie, who is so good with the dinosaur drawings, and so on. And I really hope that Members of the Chamber, and also all of us out there – this is my call to all of you to also support these businesses. It is not just about buying a clay or porcelain dinosaur. It is not just about buying artwork. The act is not in the buying, but because that buying is living proof of their dignity, of their ability to also contribute to society and to be an upstanding member of society.

And I behove all Members of the Chamber to also support these home-based businesses, because many of them, for instance, Bakes by Ben and his mum. They are making a living. They are not letting life get them down, and they are saying, "look, I am playing my part", and in a way they are crying out to society to say, "support us as well in this journey". I have come on board and I invite everyone to share in this journey. [Applause.]

The Chairman: Let us all support local talents and local businesses. On that note, can I invite Mr Xie Yao Quan, if you would like to withdraw your amendment?

12.15 pm

Mr Xie Yao Quan: Thank you, Chairman. I thank MSF for responding to our cuts and I seek leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $5,822,529,800 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $259,759,300 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.