Targeted Interventions for Children of Incarcerated Parents Based on INTRACS+ Study Findings
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the outcomes identified by the INTRACS+ study for children of incarcerated parents and how these translate into targeted interventions, raised by Mr Victor Lye. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M explained that the study found these children were more likely to offend, though it did not examine educational and employment outcomes. To address these risks, the Singapore Prison Service and the Ministry of Social and Family Development have strengthened inter-agency case coordination through the National Committee on Preventing Offending and Re-offending. This enables ComLink+ Family Coaches and Family Service Centre caseworkers to be notified upon a client's or family member's incarceration to provide timely assessments and support. Additionally, the Ministry of Social and Family Development enhanced the Youth GO! Programme using these study insights to strengthen early intervention and case management to prevent intergenerational offending.
Transcript
28 Mr Victor Lye asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what educational, employment, youth-risk and offending outcomes for children of incarcerated parents have been identified through the Intergenerational Transmission of Criminality and Social Disadvantages Plus (INTRACS+) study; and (b) how are these findings translated into early intervention triggers, case management protocols or targeted programmes for affected children.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Intergenerational Transmission of Criminality and Social Disadvantages Plus (INTRACS+) study found that children whose parents were incarcerated were more likely to offend, highlighting the need to do more to support children and families impacted by incarceration. The study did not examine educational and employment outcomes.
Through the National Committee on Preventing Offending and Re-offending, the Singapore Prison Service and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) have strengthened inter-agency case coordination, so that Family Coaches of ComLink+ clients and Family Service Centre caseworkers will be notified when their clients, or their clients' family members, are incarcerated. This enables them to assess the family's needs and provide timely support for the family.
Besides strengthening coordination protocols, MSF works closely with agencies and community partners to strengthen early intervention for youths. We recently enhanced the Youth GO! Programme, building upon the insights from INTRACS+ to design better intervention and case management approaches for youths who may benefit from additional support.
The INTRACS+ study supports the need to do more to break the risk of intergenerational transmission of offending. MSF will work closely with agencies to build on these efforts to do more to prevent first-time offending.