Tracking of and Reviewing Legislation for Domestic Child Abduction Cases
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Diana Pang Li Yen’s inquiry on tracking domestic child abduction cases and whether legislation will be reviewed to provide for an expedited legal process. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M responded that parents may seek mediation or court intervention to resolve access disputes where a parent unilaterally withholds a child. He highlighted upstream interventions like the mandatory co-parenting programme launched in July 2024 and support schemes like the Children-in-Between Programme. Since January 2025, an enhanced enforcement regime allows for less confrontational measures like compliance bonds and therapeutic programmes through a simplified process. The Minister stated there are no immediate plans for further legislative changes while the Ministry monitors the impact of these recent enhancements.
Transcript
28 Ms Diana Pang Li Yen asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Ministry tracks domestic child abduction cases, where one parent unilaterally withholds or removes a child from the other; (b) if not, whether studies will be commissioned; and (c) what measures are in place or planned to provide timely support and intervention for affected children and parents.
29 Ms Diana Pang Li Yen asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry will consider reviewing existing legislation, or introducing new laws, to provide for an expedited process in domestic child abduction cases.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: For child access disputes, including situations where one parent unilaterally withholds or removes a child from the other, parents may seek mediation or counselling to help them reach amicable resolutions. If such methods fail, parents may apply to the Family Justice Courts for child access, or to enforce an access order if there is an existing order and it has been breached.
We have introduced a few changes in recent years to better support parents and children in child access issues. As an upstream intervention, since 1 July 2024, all parents with minor children who are filing for a divorce will need to attend a mandatory co-parenting programme to help them make informed decisions that prioritise their child's well-being as well as to practise cooperative parenting. There are also other programmes to help children cope with their parents' divorce, such as the Children of Divorce Intervention Programme and the Children-in-Between Programme.
Enhanced measures have also been introduced for the Enforcement of Child Access Order where there has been a breach of the child access order. Firstly, the enforcement regime has been broadened to incorporate less confrontational measures including make-up access, compensation of expenses, mandatory counselling, mediation, therapeutic or educational programmes, as well as an execution of a compliance bond. Secondly, the child access enforcement process is simplified as compared to committal proceedings. Parents seeking access may choose to file an application to enforce a child access order instead of bringing contempt proceedings against the care and control parents. These changes have taken effect since 2 January 2025.
There are also no immediate plans to make further changes, including Member's suggestion to provide for an expedited process for child access disputes at this point, in view of the recent enhancements. The Ministry of Social and Family Development will continue to monitor the situation to assess if further enhancements are needed.