Deviation from Protocol for Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse in Case of Four-year-old Who Died in February 2020
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the 2020 death of a four-year-old child from abuse, where Ms Hazel Poa questioned why preschool staff alerted family members instead of properly reporting visible injuries to authorities. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M explained that an incomplete incident report led to inadequate interventions, prompting the Ministry to mandate standardized assessment tools and 24-hour reporting to the Early Childhood Development Agency. For immediate threats, preschools must now contact the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline within two hours and use injury diagrams to ensure more accurate documentation. These enhancements, detailed in an April 2025 Ministry statement, follow systemic reviews aimed at identifying critical lessons and strengthening the child protection ecosystem. This comprehensive framework ensures that all suspected abuse cases are assessed and reported with greater transparency and speed to protect vulnerable children.
Transcript
28 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development with regard to the death of a four-year-old child in February 2020 from child abuse, why the staff at the preschool which the victim was attending in 2019 did not report the bruises they noticed on the child in accordance with the Early Childhood Development Centres Regulations, and instead alerted the child's mother and her mother's boyfriend that any abuse will referred to the Ministry of Social and Family Development, such that the child was withdrawn from preschool.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The preschool had observed visible injuries on the child and submitted to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) an incident report prepared by the community worker from its affiliated social service agency. However, the report did not fully describe the severity of the injuries. This resulted in inadequate interventions by the relevant agencies.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has since enhanced protocols to strengthen the child protection ecosystem. This includes requiring preschools to use the Sector-Specific Screening Guide, a standardised assessment tool, to assess the situation and report any child abuse concern to ECDA within 24 hours. If there are concerns about sexual abuse, noticeable injuries or signs of immediate threat to the child's safety, preschools are required to consult the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline within two hours. To ensure more accurate assessments, preschools are now required to use a diagram to document visible injuries on the child, rather than to rely solely on written descriptions.
The Member may also wish to refer to the MSF's statement on "Strengthening the Child Protection Ecosystem – Learning from the Past" published on 8 April 2025 on the MSF's website. It explains how cases of child deaths are reviewed, with a view to identify critical lessons and systematically enhance protocols to strengthen the child protection ecosystem.