Mechanism for Pre-engagement Vetting of Individuals like Coaches or Volunteers for Roles Involving Unsupervised Access to Children
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the implementation of pre-engagement vetting mechanisms to screen individuals for past child sexual offence convictions for roles involving unsupervised access to children. Dr Wan Rizal and Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked whether a controlled or consent-based screening facility could be introduced for community organisations, religious bodies, and unregulated sectors. Senior Minister of State Goh Pei Ming stated that screening is currently conducted for roles regulated by public agencies, such as MOE schools, ECDA-licensed preschools, registered coaches, and full-time mosque staff. While unregulated employers are not mandated to verify criminal records, they may request applicants to self-declare past offences. He added that the Government is considering expanding screening scopes, including voluntary certificate-based systems for unregulated sectors, with child safety taking priority.
Transcript
6 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether any mechanism exists by which organisations running activities for children, including mosques, madrasahs, self-help groups and community organisations, can be alerted to, or screen for, individuals convicted of sexual offences against minors, in a manner consistent with court orders protecting victims' identities; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider a controlled screening facility for roles involving unsupervised access to children.
7 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will consider introducing a consent-based, pre-employment and self-voluntary vetting mechanism via Singpass which allows prospective instructors, coaches, tutors and volunteers to generate digital tokens which will enable employers in unregulated sectors, religious organisations and parents to verify the absence of past child sexual offence convictions without disclosing full criminal histories before engaging such individuals.
The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Mr Goh Pei Ming) (for the Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs): My response will also address related questions filed by Members Ms Elysa Chen, Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Jackson Lam for subsequent Sittings.
Today, individuals applying for roles involving sustained contact with children and young persons are screened for past offences, including convictions for sexual offences, if these roles are regulated by public agencies. This includes those applying to be full-time mosque staff, recognised religious teachers under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme, employees in the Ministry of Education schools and Early Childhood Development Agency-licensed preschools, and members of Sport Singapore's National Registry of Coaches.
There is presently no requirement for employers in unregulated sectors to verify the criminal records of employees. However, they may request that prospective employees declare any past offences and take this into consideration in their hiring decision.
The Government has been considering, for some time, the possible expansion of the scope of screening to cover more types of roles involving contact with children and young persons, including whether to introduce voluntary screening for unregulated sectors. This could take the form of a certificate-based system, which several Members have proposed, and the considerations include the practicability of such screening requirements and whether employers, primarily our small and medium enterprises, will be able to handle such screening requirements. However, when it comes to such things, safety of our children will have to take priority. We will share more details when ready.