Long-term Support for Vulnerable in Community

13 Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the overall measures to assist the vulnerable in the community such as cardboard collectors, beggars, rough sleepers and pedlars; and (b) what are the ways by which the Ministry can better and continually communicate to the public on the help measures available so that longer term sustainable support can be given to these vulnerable.

The Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Mdm Deputy Speaker, there are various schemes and initiatives to provide assistance and support to those in need. For those who require financial assistance, they may apply for ComCare assistance or the COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG).

To support employees and self-employed individuals who have been financially impacted by the current period of Heightened Alert measures, we have also implemented the CRG-Temporary (CRG-T) scheme to provide temporary financial support. For clients who require employment support, we link them up with Workforce Singapore or the Employment and Employability Institute. For clients with housing or other social issues, we similarly link them up with the relevant agencies accordingly to help resolve their issues.

In parallel, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) continues to work with community partners to reach out to and befriend those who may be more vulnerable in the community. For rough sleepers, there is the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) Network. PEERS Network partners engage rough sleepers and may refer them to overnight community-based shelters, known as Safe Sound Sleeping Places. Rough sleepers who require short-term accommodation and onsite social work intervention to secure stable housing can seek shelter at MSF-funded Transitional Shelters. Social workers at the Transitional Shelters work with individuals to address their various underlying social issues and progress towards stable long-term housing.

For tissue sellers and cardboard collectors, befriending groups from the Vulnerable-in-Community (VIC) Network engage them to find out their needs and bring them into the social support system. For example, VIC partners refer individuals needing financial assistance to Social Service Offices (SSOs). If other forms of assistance are required, the SSOs link them up with the relevant help agencies.

MSF regularly shares information on the various available schemes and initiatives, including outreach efforts, through various public communication platforms such as the media, MSF website, MSF Facebook and MSFCares, an electronic newsletter which is disseminated to our partners to keep them connected with news and updates from MSF Family. This includes documentary series and videos which showcase various social issues and the support for beneficiaries.

One example would be news stories on the efforts by our charity food workgroup to tackle the issue of food insecurity and the coordination of food support for those in need. Another example would be MSF's collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic students to produce a video featuring PEERS Network partners, such as Yio Chu Kang Chapel and Homeless Hearts of Singapore, who provide rough sleepers safe places to stay and help them navigate challenges.

We also work with our partners such as other Government agencies, social service agencies, grassroots organisations and leaders, and our volunteers to raise public awareness of available assistance schemes. We have plans to expand our engagement efforts. We will continue to feature the work of our existing partners to inform as well as inspire those who are interested to join our outreach and befriending efforts. We would also like to encourage members of the public who come across a rough sleeper, cardboard collector or tissue paper seller who is in need to contact the ComCare hotline at 1800-222-0000 or refer them to the nearest SSO for assistance.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ms Denise Phua.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): I would like to thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive answer. I also pledge that organisations and ground partners, like our CDCs, will continue to work to assist the vulnerable in the community.

A few supplementary questions for the Minister of State. Number one – obviously, there are many good programmes that are supporting existing vulnerable in the community. But looking at the communications channels listed by MSF, many people who want to help or who need help still would not naturally go to that official MSF channel. So, I wonder if the Ministry could invest even more aggressively and effectively in communications to reach those who need help and those who are willing or want to offer to help, whether in print or social media, or TV and channels and so forth. So, that is one, to invest more.

The second one is to invest more in public education. There are many persons in the community, in the public, who, whatever their intentions are, have the habit of, for example, just taking a photograph or a video, and then posting it on social media, most of the time, without permission. This kind of effort actually does not render sustainable help to the persons in need. So, I think to discourage such habits which are actually not that effective and sometimes, not very respectful of those who need help, I wonder if the Ministry could consider investing even more in aggressive public education in this, so that, more can be helped in a more dignified way.

My third supplementary question is on the ComCare helpline. I tried to call the ComCare helpline myself. I find that the response is in English and by a machine to re-direct perhaps due to the need to triage the needs. I wonder if there is another more effective way of looking into beyond the ComCare line, to ensure that it is more effective. Perhaps looking at different ways of doing it, for instance, setting up call centres that are actually answered by real persons and not by a machine.

So, all the above for the Ministry's consideration.

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. I agree that, where necessary and where possible, MSF would invest more in communications to ensure that the vulnerable in our community know where and how they can get help. I had earlier spent some time talking about befriending and MSF is very grateful to our various partners such as Central CDC and other befrienders who have worked with us. Because we know that many of the vulnerable may not have a fixed abode, they may be moving from point to point. And like what the Member mentioned, they may not automatically just walk into an SSO to seek help.

That is why we rely on our network of partners in the community to reach out to them, so that they see a physical face, trust is built, relationships are built. And in so doing, some of these vulnerables may be more open to sharing about their underlying problems. Only then, can we really address the root issues that led them to the current situation.

The second point that the Member raised about public education, indeed, is a very important point. I know that there are members of the public who feel that they may be helping the vulnerable by taking a photo, putting up a video. But I would urge that members of the public to be cautious when doing so. The most appropriate and effective way really is to introduce, to direct these vulnerable persons to our SSO officer so that professional help is given to the vulnerable persons. Because when you put up a video or a photo, apart from the fact that you might be infringing on the privacy as well as confidentiality of the vulnerable person, sometimes you may be bringing unwanted attention to the vulnerable person which may or may not lead to better outcomes for the person. It might also worsen family relationships which sometimes are the underlying reasons why the vulnerable person is doing what he or she is doing.

On the third point that the Member raised, which is on the ComCare hotline, I will bring it back to MSF to discuss with them. At the end of the day, I would like to assure the Member that if there are vulnerable persons and individuals who need to communicate their issues in the vernacular language, we will make sure that we have an MSF SSO officer who is able to do so and to extend the help that is necessary to him or her.