Ensuring Foster Parents Gain Access to Relevant Education Information of Children under Their Care

14 Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Education what mechanisms are in place to ensure that foster parents are able to access all appropriate and relevant education about the children and young people under their care, including information stored on the Parents Gateway app.

The Minister of State for Education (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, the circumstances related to each child or young person under foster care are complex and unique. Schools work with relevant agencies and foster parents in accordance with the Children and Young Persons Act to share all relevant education information about the child or young person under the care of foster parents. This includes information available on Parents Gateway.

Where possible, foster parents are given access to all such information through the Parents' Gateway app. However, in selected cases, such information will be conveyed through other means, including meetings, emails or hardcopy letters. The Member may wish to surface any specific case she is aware of to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) or the Ministry of Education for assistance.

Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Razawa Begum.

Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim (Nominated Member): I thank the Ministry for its support of foster parents. Foster parents do face challenges, especially with limited access to the Parents' Gateway app. This is the information that I have received from foster parents themselves and this can delay crucial support for children in their care. I believe that this impacts the child's well-being and development.

I understand there are other measures as well in place, but I was wondering would the Ministry consider establishing a support programme within the school setting for foster parents, such as Foster Family Resource Hub, where foster parents can access guidance, counselling and resources?

I was also wondering whether it is possible to integrate the real-time communication tools within the app itself with school staff and, if not possible because of our data protection and all that and natural parents' power and control over their child, would it be possible to develop something else that is separate? A lot of the foster parents are not able to access the information because the natural parents are the ones who are registered under the portal.

Ms Gan Siow Huang: Mr Speaker, I would like to clarify that when foster parents are given access to the Parents Gateway, the child's birth parents will have access to the identities of the foster parents. And because there are different types of child arrangements for foster parenting, it is important that we are sensitive to the needs and circumstances of each case.

Our schools typically will work closely with MSF and assigned social worker on the appropriate way for communication as well as support for the foster parent as well as the child.

On the suggestion to have a support network, certainly. We will look to MSF for such platforms where foster parents, as a community, can get better support and information.

On communication between the school and the foster parents, certainly, if it is in the best interest of the child and, with the support as well as endorsement from the social worker supporting the case, our schools will be most willing to work with the foster parents on that.