Enhancements to Strengthen Child Protection System for Vulnerable Children
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the measures taken to strengthen the child protection system for vulnerable children returning to their families after discharge from alternative or foster care. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M highlighted the close coordination with community partners on information sharing, safety monitoring, and personalized intervention plans covering counselling and parenting support. These efforts include regular safety checks conducted at least once a month for 12 months or longer post-reunification, with frequency adjusted based on family needs. If parents refuse access, the Ministry invokes powers under the Children and Young Persons Act to mandate access to ensure the child is protected. Such measures safeguard the continued well-being of children who have suffered or witnessed domestic violence upon their return to family care.
Transcript
27 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what are the steps taken by the Ministry, including monitoring and information sharing, together with Family Service Centres, crisis shelters or other community partners or religious organisations, to strengthen the child protection system in order to ensure the well-being of vulnerable children who have suffered or witnessed domestic violence and who are returned to their families after being discharged from alternative care or foster care.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Over the years, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has significantly enhanced our measures to build a robust child protection system, collaborating with community partners, such as the Family Service Centres, Child Protection Specialist Centres, Protection Specialist Centres, Police and schools.
There is now close coordination between case workers and community partners in terms of information sharing, reviewing and monitoring the safety of these children and their families. Personalised intervention plans are developed to address all aspects of the child and family's needs and risks, including interventions, such as counselling, trauma-focused interventions, parenting support, interventions to support healthy parent-child relationships; as well as educational and developmental support for the children.
Regular safety checks and monitoring are also conducted at least once a month for 12 months or longer after reunification, with the specific frequency, nature of these checks and duration of support depending on the circumstances and needs of each family. If parents refuse to allow agencies to sight or access their children during safety checks, MSF will invoke powers under the Children and Young Persons Act to mandate access to the child when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the child or young person is in need of care or protection. Such measures ensure the continued safety and well-being of the children after they are returned to their families.