Update on Investigations into Alleged Mistreatment of Children at Centres of Preschool Chain

33 Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether an update can be provided on the findings from investigations carried out into the alleged mistreatment of children at childcare centres run by a local preschool provider reported in August 2023; (b) how will the Early Childhood Education Agency improve the standards of childcare teachers and the overall safety for children attending childcare centres; and (c) how will whistle-blowers reporting alleged mistreatment of children at childcare centres be protected.

34 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what safeguards and regulations does the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) have in place to prevent potential child abuse by early childhood educators on children in the childcare centres.

35 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there is a whistleblowing platform for early childhood educators to report any potential wrongdoings at their childcare centres.

36 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what are the processes put in place in childcare centres to ensure toddlers in the centres' care are not abused and mistreated.

37 Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in view of the arrests of two preschool teachers for their suspected involvement in the ill-treatment of young children (a) what are the measures taken to address the situation promptly and thoroughly; (b) what is the Ministry’s broader strategy to cultivate a secure and nurturing environment in early childhood education institutions; and (c) what are the ongoing efforts to educate teachers, parents and students to recognise and report potential instances of abuse.

38 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of the alleged abuse incidents at preschools (a) what mental health support and counselling services are being made available to the affected children and their families; and (b) how is the Ministry working with preschools to ensure that mental health protocols are in place to address any form of abuse or trauma experienced by children.

39 Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in view of the arrests of two preschool teachers for their suspected involvement in the ill-treatment of young children (a) what are the current protocols in place to screen and monitor teachers working with young children in preschools and daycare centres across the nation; and (b) whether there are any plans to strengthen these protocols to prevent the recurrence of such distressing events.

40 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry will consider bringing forward the deadline for childcare centres and preschools to install closed-circuit television cameras.

41 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether ECDA is providing assistance or support to the children, their families and staff at the respective childcare centres who are affected by the incidents reported in August 2023; (b) if so, in what ways; and (c) whether ECDA will consider (i) reviewing its licensing conditions to require childcare centres operators and staff to report any suspected case of child mistreatment under their care directly to ECDA and (ii) measures to protect whistle-blower.

42 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the Ministry’s position on the ban of the usage of personal devices by staff working in childcare centres and preschools; and (b) whether the Ministry will take action against those that have implemented such a ban.

43 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the penalties of $5,000 and reduced licence tenure are sufficient to discipline negligent preschool operators; and (b) whether there is a need to further enhance penalties under the relevant legislation and regulations.

44 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there will be a guide on acceptable management of children in preschools that is developed by ECDA together with teachers and parents.

45 Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether he will consider implementing mandatory psychological tests for the employment of caregivers of vulnerable persons like young children and the elderly, including (i) preschool teachers (ii) nursing home and senior care centre staff and (iii) helpers for home care.

46 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) when did ECDA start tracking the number of preschools that have CCTVs on their premises; (b) of the preschools with CCTVs installed, what is the proportion of preschools where CCTVs are installed in areas used by children; and (c) of the preschools under the anchor operator scheme, what is the proportion of preschools of each anchor operator that have installed CCTVs on their premises.

47 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) in each of the past three years, how many cases of rough handling or abuse at childcare centres were reported to ECDA for investigations; and (b) what proportion of such investigations eventually led to a dismissal or criminal conviction.

48 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how does ECDA protect early childhood educators who whistle-blow on malpractices that occur at their childcare centres; and (b) how does ECDA intend to boost the morale of the vast majority of exemplary early childhood educators who have been affected by the recent incidents reported in August 2023.

49 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there is a mandatory whistleblowing regime for early childhood educators to report any potential wrongdoings at their childcare centres; and (b) what is ECDA’s position on certain childcare centres banning the use of personal devices by staff.

50 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of the recent incidents of alleged abuses in two preschools (a) how does ECDA intend to prevent similar incidents from happening in future; and (b) how does ECDA rationalise the actions it is taking while balancing the interests of all stakeholders in the preschools including parents, children, teachers, staff and preschool operators.

51 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there is a need to tighten ECDA’s supervisory regime and increase the frequency of its unannounced audit checks on childcare centres.

52 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether ECDA's current standard operating procedure requires the immediate suspension of a teacher accused of abusing a preschooler to prevent the teacher from being transferred to another childcare centre or working for a different operator while under investigation; and (b) if not, whether ECDA will consider doing so.

The Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 33 to 52 on today's Order Paper?

Mr Speaker: Please proceed.

Ms Sun Xueling: Mr Speaker, my response will also cover related questions raised by Members which are scheduled for subsequent Sittings. I would invite Members to seek clarifications, if need be. If their questions have been addressed, it may not be necessary for them to proceed with these questions for future Sittings.

Mr Speaker, when the Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart incident first surfaced on social media, like many members of the public, parents and preschool educators, I was shocked and alarmed. The videos were painful to watch.

This incident and the others at the Kinderland centres should not have happened. Our children deserve to grow up, learn and play in a safe and nurturing environment and our 1,900 preschools and 24,000-strong team of preschool educators are committed to providing this safe and conducive environment, day in and day out.

What we saw is not reflective of the wider preschool sector. Many preschool educators have expressed shock and dismay. They have been dedicating their time and energies in caring for and nurturing our children, putting the children’s well-being as their top priority.

To prevent such incidents from happening, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will work closely with the preschool sector to strengthen our system of multi-layered safeguards which has been built up over the years.

As a sector regulator, ECDA sets out clear policies and requirements that establish the baseline for a safe and positive learning environment in our preschools. There are explicit provisions in the Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDC) Act and Regulations which make clear what actions educators cannot subject children to. And this includes force feeding, corporal punishment – for example, striking a child or any other form of aggressive contact – neglecting the child and causing psychological trauma. These are prohibited actions.

ECDA has also issued a Code of Practice to further detail what preschools have to do to meet these requirements, while stipulating that educators’ interactions with children must be respectful, responsive and reciprocal to support our children’s learning and development. Educators must also use positive and developmentally appropriate methods to manage and communicate with children.

ECDA will take action against operators and educators found to have breached any of these requirements, whether in the Act, Regulations or Code of Practice. For educators, ECDA can issue warnings or bar them from working in the sector. For serious cases where there may be criminal wrongdoing, the case will be reported to the Police for investigation and the individual may be prosecuted in court. For operators, ECDA can impose financial penalties, shorten the preschool’s licence tenure, and in the worst case, revoke its licence.

ECDA recognises that it cannot work alone to safeguard children's safety in preschools. Our system of multi-layered safeguards requires operators, centres and educators to also do their part. Our Regulations thus make clear the obligations of operators, centres and educators in discharging their duty of care for children.

All operators are required by our Regulations to put in place standard operating procedures (SOPs) and appropriate policies within their centres to maintain a safe environment for our children. They must also ensure that these policies are implemented effectively and consistently by all their centres and staff.

Centres are responsible for complying with the policies and SOPs their operator has put in place to ensure child safety. Centre leaders need to ensure that all staff are aware of these rules. This is done during orientation and induction training, with further emphasis at regular staff meetings. They are also expected to carry out regular observations of staff-child interactions and provide timely feedback to the educators on their management of children, as well as intervene when necessary.

All educators must be certified by and registered with ECDA before they can be deployed in our preschools. ECDA verifies their professional qualifications and conducts background checks. If there are educators assessed to pose a risk to children’s safety, they will not be allowed to be deployed. This includes those with previous criminal offences involving children, as well as former educators whom ECDA has earlier barred from working in the preschool sector. ECDA also requires individuals seeking employment in the sector to declare if they have a history of mental illness, and if so declared, the individual must obtain a certification from a psychiatrist that he or she is suitable to work with young children. Like other jurisdictions and many other professions, we do not impose mandatory psychological screening.

We also ensure that our educators are well-trained and equipped to work effectively with young children. The training curriculum for educators strongly emphasises the educators’ responsibility to ensure child safety and equips them with a range of classroom management strategies to work effectively with young children. They learn about children’s developmental milestones and how to interact positively with them to meet their needs and support their holistic development.

The training also lays out what educators must not do, such as corporal punishment and inappropriate child management practices. They are taught that such actions are an offence under the ECDC Act and Regulations. They are also made aware that they can be liable under other laws such as the Children and Young Persons Act.

Moving forward, ECDA will work with the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) and other training providers to strengthen training programmes so that all educators are clear of their duty and obligations to ensure child safety. Apart from expanding coverage of positive child management strategies, training materials will be more explicit in what constitute inappropriate and prohibited methods. This will help our educators be better equipped to call out child mismanagement practices in their preschool.

As part of its enforcement approach, ECDA conducts regular unannounced visits to preschools to check on their compliance with regulatory requirements.

During such visits, officers observe the educators’ classroom management practices and their interactions with children, as well as assess whether the children appear well-adjusted and that the physical environment is safe. ECDA also checks that the centre has implemented policies and SOPs to ensure child safety and briefed their staff accordingly.

Unannounced visits to preschools are conducted on average once a year. More frequent unannounced checks are conducted for preschools that require close monitoring, due to a higher incidence of feedback or incidents. Where non-compliance or breaches are identified, follow-on checks are conducted to ensure that these are rectified.

As part of our system of multi-layered safeguards, there are clear rules on the requirement for incident reporting. As several Members have pointed out, this includes reporting by educators who witness child mismanagement in their centres.

The ECDC Act and Regulations impose a duty on all educators and preschool staff to report child mismanagement or abuse to ECDA. So, for example, if a child is abused at home and observed in the centre to be unusually withdrawn or displaying abrupt behavioural changes, the educator must report this to the authorities. Likewise, if a child is abused or mismanaged in the preschool, the educator is required to report it. Signs of child abuse and the obligation to report to ECDA are covered in the training curriculum for all educators.

At the same time, ECDA’s Code of Practice requires operators to implement a policy for internal reporting of wrongdoing. When an incident affecting the health and safety of children or involving alleged child mismanagement by any staff occurs, the operator must notify ECDA within 24 hours. And educators can also report directly to ECDA.

There are multiple reporting channels. Preschools are required to set up their own internal reporting mechanism, at both centre level and the operator level. There is also a direct reporting mechanism to ECDA via its hotline, email or website. Apart from reports from operators, ECDA also receives reports directly from educators.

ECDA will continue to reinforce awareness of reporting obligations and channels among the educators. It will also get operators to improve and clarify with all their staff what they need to do if they witness any wrongdoing and how to use the various reporting channels.

Some Members have asked about the use of personal mobile devices by staff, in relation to collecting evidence of wrongdoing. I wish to emphasise that any operator’s policy on use of personal mobile devices at work should not hinder their staff from reporting any wrongdoing in their centres. If so, this is a clear breach of the operator’s duty to implement an effective reporting mechanism and ECDA will take action against the operator.

Some Members have asked about the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in preschools. ECDA has announced that the installation of CCTV cameras will be made mandatory in all preschools from 1 July 2024. Members may wish to refer to ECDA’s 31 August 2023 media release for more information.

ECDA did not come to this decision lightly or in reaction to the recent spate of incidents. Since 2022, ECDA has been engaging the sector and in February 2023, it shared with preschools its plan to mandate CCTV cameras. Ms Hazel Poa asked if the deadline to install CCTVs could be brought forward. We fully recognise that some parents may be worried and want the CCTV cameras in place earlier. I fully understand that. However, it is important that we give the preschools the time needed to procure and install the CCTVs correctly so that CCTVs are installed in appropriate venues and the necessary protocols are in place to ensure that privacy of children and staff, even as we leverage on CCTV footages to improve security.

ECDA has provided the sector with a set of guidelines to facilitate implementation and we encourage centres who can achieve the CCTV mandate earlier to do so. So, please install CCTVs earlier, if you can.

To Mr Louis Chua’s question on ECDA’s tracking of preschools with CCTVs, I wish to clarify that ECDA does not track this as CCTV cameras are currently not mandated and it would be unfair for us to track something which is not stipulated. In our earlier engagements, ECDA conducted a one-off survey last year to seek centres’ views on the CCTV mandate, which included the question on whether they have CCTVs.

Ultimately, operators need to foster a strong safety culture where all staff always feel empowered to report to their principal and HQ management team when they see inappropriate practices in their preschools.

Ms Mariam Jaafar and Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked about the frequency of child mismanagement incidents. There are about 10 substantiated cases per 100,000 enrolled children each year and this figure has remained low and stable over recent years. But, of course, every case is one too many and when an incident of child mismanagement happens, ECDA takes it seriously and will take appropriate action. ECDA has established protocols that ensure that every report received, regardless of whether there are visible injuries or not, is promptly followed up on. At the same time, there is a due process in any investigation and time will be needed to ensure the investigation is thorough, robust and objective.

For the Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart case, investigations by ECDA commenced the day after the video footages were received. There was thus no delay in the commencement of investigations. Members can refer to ECDA’s 4 September 2023 media release on the investigation outcomes and subsequent follow-ups. While the Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart case was followed up promptly, ECDA has acknowledged and apologised for a lapse where the educator ought to have been removed from classroom duties sooner, given the clear evidence and severity of the educator’s actions. We will learn from this case. ECDA is reviewing its procedures to strengthen this protocol and ensure better oversight of cases under investigation.

Ms Tin Pei Ling asked about the adequacy of the regulatory actions for the Kinderland cases. When determining the appropriate penalties, ECDA takes into account all the facts of the case and imposes a penalty that is proportionate to the circumstances.

When considering what action to take against errant educators, ECDA can impose administrative actions like warnings or stern reminders, coupled with a requirement to undergo retraining. This is what it did for some of the educators in the recent Kinderland cases. If an educator commits a serious act of mismanagement, ECDA can bar the person from working in the preschool sector, as per one of the educators in the Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart case. This educator has also been charged in Court.

For operators that fail to adopt reasonably practicable measures to ensure that their centres and staff comply with the applicable regulations, ECDA may impose financial penalties, shorten the centre’s licence tenure or revoke its licence. For Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart, the operator was fined $5,000 and this is the maximum permitted under current laws. It also had its licence tenure reduced to six months. The shortened licence will impact the centre’s operations, as it will influence parents’ decision to enrol their child at the centre in the coming year. ECDA has also withdrawn the centre’s Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARK) certification.

Mr Speaker, Sir, colleagues, the current regulatory framework came into effect only in 2019. With the experience gained in operationalising this regulatory framework, ECDA intends to strengthen the framework and review the provisions to see if penalties imposed on operators for child mismanagement should be enhanced, including whether financial penalties should be raised.

As I have said at the beginning, the incidents at Kinderland should not have happened and are not representative of the vast majority of preschool educators. They have worked tirelessly to care for our children and provide them with a safe space to play, to learn, to grow.

I am grateful that Members such as Mr Melvin Yong have acknowledged that most educators are exemplary and that we ought to boost their morale as they have been affected by the recent incidents. These are educators who, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, showed up every day for work at our preschools. They provided an essential service to our frontliners and essential workers, who in turn kept Singapore going because they knew their children were in the good hands of our educators. I am glad to see that parents share this sentiment as well over the past few weeks, both online and in forum letters.

I agree with Ms Victoria Soen Minyi, a parent who wrote to The Straits Times which was published on 8 September 2023: "We should not forget about the rest of the teachers who have been doing their job well. There are many passionate, wonderful teachers in our midst.” We should not let the errant acts of a few tarnish the good work of the whole.

ECDA is doing their part to improve the career proposition and working conditions of preschool educators. In October 2022, ECDA announced efforts to uplift salaries of educators to be market-competitive and commensurate with their growing competencies. We do so because we recognise and take pride in the improvements in the training and professionalism of our 24,000-strong workforce over the years and we want to retain the good quality educators that we have and attract more to join. We have worked with Government-funded operators to implement the increases in salaries this year and will continue to do so in 2024. ECDA also provides resources for educators to take charge of their professional development, deepen their expertise and plan for career advancement.

Some Members are concerned that the workload is heavy and contributes to stress on educators which can lead to adverse incidents. I thank Members for their concern. ECDA has been taking steps to improve working conditions. One major shift we announced in July this year was the removal of the requirement for childcare centres to operate on Saturdays. This is to enable educators to have better work-life balance and sufficient rest to recharge. This will take place from 1 January 2025.

More moves are also being planned, such as ECDA’s review of preschools’ practices on non-contact time. This is to provide educators respite during working hours to refresh and complete non-teaching tasks. The outcome of the review will be shared with the sector soon.

We will need the support of parents to operationalise these improvements in work conditions for the sector. Teachers who are cared for can better care for our children. At the same time, operators must also do their part and take the lead in supporting the well-being of their employees. We encourage educators who may feel overwhelmed to have open communication with their centre leaders or management on their work commitments and well-being.

To help operators support their employees, ECDA has launched a Good Practices Guide to guide them in implementing best workplace and human resources practices to foster a supportive work environment and support the well-being of their staff. ECDA also works with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and the Workplace Safety and Health Council to offer programmes to operators and educators to support their overall well-being.

Mr Speaker, I have met many teachers who have devoted their time and energies to raising our children with love, while putting their well-being as a top priority. I fully understand that it is not easy to care for young children, but it is our teachers’ passion and commitment that spur them to stay the course. Our children’s well-being is at the heart of what they do every day.

The recent spate of incidents of child mismanagement are not a reflection of the state of the preschool sector and educators. In our continuous efforts to ensure the safety of our children and support their growth and development in a positive and nurturing environment, we will learn from recent incidents to strengthen our system of preventing child mismanagement cases.

First, ECDA will strengthen its investigation protocol to ensure better oversight of cases under investigation. Second, we will enhance our regulatory framework, which includes a review of the penalty provisions for errant operators. Third, we will work with NIEC and training providers to strengthen educator training in both prohibited and positive child management strategies so that educators are better equipped to ensure child safety.

We have a system of multi-layered safeguards. Let us work together to strengthen it – ECDA, operators, preschools, educators and parents – to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our children to learn and thrive.

Mr Speaker: There are 26 Parliamentary Questions (PQs) filed on this matter by 18 Members, so I will give priority to the 18 Members who have filed PQs. Can I request all Members to keep your supplementary questions short and likewise, for Minister of State Sun Xueling to keep her answers short. Ms Poh Li San.

Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank Minister of State Sun Xueling for the comprehensive clarification. On behalf of concerned and affected parents, I have two supplementary questions.

Firstly, CCTVs are useful as a deterrent and for investigation, but they will not be fool-proof to prevent child abuse. First question – will ECDA and preschool operators implement programmes to build trust in parents and stronger rapport with teachers? Also, will ECDA provide guidance to parents to detect signs of unusual behaviour in their children that may indicate child mismanagement or abuse and also to update them on the reporting channels?

The second question pertains to preschool teachers facing a heavy workload to teach, prepare lesson plans and reports. Many centres are also short of staff and they face a heavy workload caring for special needs children. Will ECDA introduce a time-out system for teachers who are facing burn-out or mental health issues without being penalised?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her questions. As I have mentioned in my main response, we have a system of multi-layered safeguards. We are not singularly relying on the installation of CCTVs in order to ensure the safety of our children. I have mentioned in my main reply the obligations of operators, centres, centre leaders as well as educators. Our educators also undergo training, pre-service and in-service, to know what are prohibited actions and also what are appropriate child management strategies.

I note the point that the Member has made with regards to the feedback loop with parents. Currently, different centres are employing different digital solutions in order to have an efficient and effective feedback loop with parents. Recently, I visited a preschool under Babilou and they showed me how they have used digital solutions such as a software to monitor their engagements with parents, that feedback with parents, so as to build trust in parents towards their preschool educators.

On the point about no-contact time, I have mentioned in my main response that ECDA is reviewing this area so that we ensure that our preschool educators have sufficient rest, that they are able to make use of this no-contact time to achieve a better work-life balance and also for them to engage in other activities that will help them in their teaching requirements.

Mr Speaker: Ms Joan Pereira.

Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Thank you, Speaker. I have one supplementary question for the Minister of State. I would like to find out what is the Ministry's view on requiring the installation of audio recorders, instead of CCTV cameras, to cover blind spots in preschools such as bathrooms and changing rooms so as to detect and even deter cases of mistreatment?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her question. I fully understand that where she is coming from is to make sure that we do what we can to ensure child safety. But, at the same time, I would like to caution against excessive use of digital devices to monitor the ongoings in schools. We are already taking a first step with CCTV installations, and we will be very careful in how we install, where we install the CCTVs. For instance, we will put them in places where the children regularly engage with their teachers – in classrooms, at very important access areas – and we will steer clear of private areas such as the toilets and rest areas, because we also have to ensure that the privacy of the children and staff are taken of. There are many parents who feel strongly about this as well.

I would like to say that rather than for us to think whether it is better to have a CCTV camera or an audio recorder, so on and so forth, what is important is that we must inculcate from top to bottom – from the operator, centre leaders at the centres down to the educators – this entire concept around child safety, that they live and breathe child safety, that they know what practising child safety means and that they know how to recognise signs of abuse.

So, I would rather that we spend time educating our teachers, be it pre-service or in-service, rather than overly rely on digital means to monitor actions. Some parents and teachers may feel that having audio recorders in the toilet may be an invasion of privacy. So, I would just like to share that this is the thinking. But we will monitor, with the installation of CCTVs, how the responses of educators and parents are and we will be fully committed to ensuring that we provide a safe and nurturing environment for our students as well as our teachers.

Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have just two supplementary questions for the Minister of State. The first is: when exactly did ECDA decide to mandate the installation of CCTVs in preschools? Second, does ECDA know which preschools have or do not have CCTVs installed? For context, the reason why I am asking is because, in July, in response to be Parliamentary Question or PQ, it was shared that CCTVs are not mandatory. Yet, in the 31 August 2023 ECDA response and as shared by the Minister of State, this is something which was planned since last year. Secondly, I think the Minister also shared then that ECDA does not track CCTV installations. Yet, in ECDA's release, it was also said that more than 60% of preschools already have them installed.

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his questions. ECDA has been engaging preschools on the issue of CCTV installation. I mentioned in my reply that they started engaging preschools last year. There was a one-off survey whereby the schools were asked to indicate whether they have CCTVs installed. But there is a difference between conducting a one-off survey to understand where the sector was at that point in time, as opposed to tracking and monitoring.

As I have said in my main response, CCTV installation was not a mandated policy before. Therefore, it would be unfair for us to run after the centres to ask them whether they have installed. Then the follow-up question from that would seem to be, "If you have not installed, then does it mean that it is a bad thing?" So, we do not track and monitor the pace as well as which preschools have installed because this was not a mandated policy before. But now that we have announced that it will be mandatory, we will be working with the operators moving forward, after the installation deadline, to ensure that they comply.

Mr Speaker: Ms Hazel Poa.

Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for answering my question about the CCTV deadline. I understand that the operators will need some time to install the CCTVs. But in this case, the timeframe that is given to them of close to one year appears to me a bit excessive. Can the Minister of State explain why it is not possible for them to install the CCTVs in a timeframe of closer to like three to four months?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her clarification question. As I have mentioned, we announced the deadline for the installation of CCTVs to be 1 July next year. Currently, already 60% of preschool operators have CCTVs and it is almost 100% for EI centres. What we want to do when we announced a policy and something that is mandatory is that we must ensure that operators on the ground are fully equipped to be able to do it appropriately and properly. As I have mentioned in my main response, operators will need time to procure their CCTVs. They will need time to identify where the appropriate places are to install the CCTVs. To this end, ECDA has actually issued a set of guidelines to guide the operators as to where it would be appropriate to install the CCTVs. Of course, if the operators have questions, ECDA will be on hand to be able to engage them to address any concerns that they have.

Over and above that, operators must also have relevant protocols in place and also share that with parents so that parents know under what kind of situations it will be appropriate to ask for CCTV footages and what they can expect the response from the preschools to be. At the end of the day, while we have set a mandated timeline, we are encouraging operators who are able to do so earlier, to do so earlier, because we fully recognise the concerns of parents.

Mr Speaker: Ms Hany Soh.

Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I must first declare that I am also a parent of a preschool-going toddler. I have two supplementary questions for the Minister of State. The first pertains to ECDA's reduction of Kinderland's licence tenure of up to six months and I understand that ECDA will not hesitate to not renew the licence if the centre fails to demonstrate significant improvements. Assuming in the event the licence is not renewed, I understand that the burden will be on the preschool to facilitate and make arrangements for parents to enrol their children in alternate centres. Under such circumstances, I believe that the relationship would have really soured and there will be a lot of mistrust between the centre operators and the parents. I, therefore, hope that ECDA will, under such circumstances, intervene and assist the many helpless parents.

My second supplementary question is in relation to the recent announcements of the mandatory CCTV installations. Following the announcements, some parents still do raise their concerns and share with me that there may be possibilities where the CCTV footages may be tampered with prior to the review of the parents of the affected children, or that there will be situations where the alleged child mismanagement incident actually took place at a blind spot or areas that are not captured by the CCTV. How would ECDA ensure that such parents' concerns are properly addressed?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her questions. Please rest assured that ECDA will stand ready to assist parents of affected preschoolers if they so wish to transfer to another school. Right now, ECDA is already part of the discussions. And I understand that if Kinderland is not able to help parents transfer their children, these parents can write in to ECDA and ECDA will do its best to find placements for their children.

On the second point, it will be an offence to tamper with CCTV footage. The intent to have the CCTV footage to ensure the security and safety of the children is very obvious. So, if any operator were to tamper with the footage because they want to obscure or cover up wrongdoing, please rest assured that the authorities will take firm action against such operators.

Mr Speaker: Ms Yeo Wan Ling.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol): I note that there have been efforts to recruit mid-careerists and persons who have not worked in childcare services to join this industry not only as teachers or educators, but as educarers and even service staff. What has ECDA put in place in the training and assessment of these new joiners to this industry and are these training efforts uniform across all preschools? In the event that there are complaints against these new joiners, what are the steps that ECDA will put in place to ensure that our new joiners are sufficiently protected in the investigation process, given that they could be new and inexperienced on the job?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for the questions. Regardless of whether it is a new graduate from one of our local schools joining the sector or a mid-career individual who has decided to join the early childhood sector, there is available pre-service training and there are also continuous professional development courses, in other words, in-job training. Our operators also have obligations to provide orientation programmes to induct and socialise new staff on the values, mission, expectations and attitudes that staff should have when they join the preschool sector. Operators are also required to conduct ongoing training and provide development opportunities for staff to maintain their knowledge of child-safe policies and also their expected standards of care and appropriate behaviours in relation to children.

I had mentioned in my main response that as part of our regular review and the lessons that we will learn from these unfortunate incidents, that ECDA will be working closely with NIEC and other training providers to strengthen training for our educators, whether or not these are new joiners, recent graduates or these are staff who have converted, moved from another industry into the preschool sector.

Mr Speaker: Mr Darryl David.

Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a couple of questions for the Minister of State. Before that, I would like to declare my interest as being on the Exco of an anchor operator in the early childhood space.

The Minister of State mentioned earlier about protocols regarding the use of CCTVs. Could I just have clarity whether or not the protocol guidelines will be given by ECDA and then the various operators will be allowed to come up with their own protocols following these guidelines? Or will ECDA be prescriptive of the guidelines and expect the operators to actually follow those guidelines in detail?

The second question is: I understand that perhaps in MOE schools, they also have CCTVs that are being used and I am assuming that MOE would have protocols with regard to when and how such CCTVs will be used and accessed when parents come and request for them. Would ECDA consider consulting or engaging with MOE to find out what the protocols there are and perhaps apply them in their guidelines, be it prescriptive or just general guidelines, to the operators in the early childhood space?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his clarifications. I would like to refer Members to the media release that was issued by ECDA on 31 August 2023. This is with regard to the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras in preschools. I have also shared in my main response earlier that ECDA has actually issued guidelines to preschools to be able to guide them as to where the appropriate places to install the CCTVs as well as what are the protocols in place for their engagements with parents should parents wish to view the CCTV footage.

Mr Speaker: There are still many Members who have raised your hands. I will come to you but I am giving priority to those who have filed questions today, in their order. So, Ms Mariam Jaafar.

Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): I thank the Minister of State for giving the data on the prevalence of such incidents in the childcare space, at I think 10 per 100,000, and staying at that level is encouraging.

However, could I get a sense from the Minister of State what have been the ramifications in these 10-odd cases a year in terms of the range of the highest penalty of a fine of $5,000 to actions taken on the school teachers, because I think it is important to communicate to the public that not only are the incidences low, but that concrete action is taken on each and every single one of them?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her questions. As I have mentioned in my main reply, the penalties that have been imposed on the operator include a financial penalty of $5,000 and this is the maximum allowed under the current framework.

I have also shared that ECDA, arising from this case, will be reviewing the framework to see whether the financial penalty is sufficient and if need be, we will be looking to raise this financial penalty.

This operator has also had its Centre's licence reduced to six months. This is a very important, serious penalty because it can affect the impressions that parents have towards the preschool. Do they still want to continue sending their child to a preschool whereby their licence tenure is only six months?

At the same time, this operator is a Partner Operator (POP) Scheme operator. And to receive POP funding, they would have to meet various key performance indicators (KPIs). And one of them is their Centre's licence and their licensing tenure will also be a key factor when ECDA looks at funding for the operator.

At the same time, as the Member has mentioned, there are specific actions towards the individuals who have now been charged for ill treatment of children. ECDA has barred one of the educators from ever working in the childcare sector. This individual is now being charged in Court for a criminal offence under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) for ill treatment of children.

So, we have to look at it as a whole. There are different levels of penalties, financial penalties. There are also directions for the operator whereby they have to assemble a team of non-affiliated members and provide an independent review, with findings and recommendations as to how they can do better to ensure that these incidents do not happen in their centres again.

So, we need to look at, holistically, all the penalties and all the actions that ECDA has taken towards the operator; and also, there is obviously the Courts and the Police who are separately investigating the educator.

Mr Speaker: Mr Melvin Yong.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas): Sir, I thank the Minister of State for her answers. I would like to ask if ECDA is closely monitoring the staffing levels at all our preschools, especially the attrition rate. Because I feel that insufficient manpower and high staff attrition can be potential red flags, signalling the poor work environment at our preschool centres.

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his questions. ECDA has been working very hard at trying to encourage more well-meaning individuals, dedicated individuals, to join the preschool sector. And as I have mentioned in my main response, we have raised salaries, we are trying to improve work conditions. All these would have to be done in tandem with the support of parents. Because when we reduce childcare service provision hours, cutting back from working on Saturdays, for instance, we also need the agreement and cooperation from parents.

So, in answer to the Member's question, ECDA is closely monitoring the state of our manpower, women power of the childcare industry to ensure that our early childhood educators are appropriately remenerated, that there is a skills ladder, that they have a work-life balance. And this is continuous work-in-progress. We are closely monitoring the status of the childcare sector.

Mr Speaker: Before I call on Dr Wan Rizal, I just want to let Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, Mr Gerald Giam, Ms Carrie Tan and Mr Don Wee know that I have noted that you have raised your hand. I will come to you later. Dr Wan Rizal.

Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for sharing her replies. I share her sentiments too on how our preschool educators have worked really hard and they were especially instrumental during the COVID-19 period.

At the same time, I also understand that looking after kids in a classroom setting with varied abilities, does give them an extra burden. In that respect, I would like to ask what is the kind of mental health support that we provide to preschool educators. I understand that for them, with their tight schedules, it is pretty difficult to set up such an arrangements. But with this incident, perhaps, we can move forward and come out with a clear protocol and support that is required for them.

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his concerns on the well-being of our preschool educators. As I have mentioned in my main reply, there are different levels in which we are trying to handle this issue.

First and foremost, we must, at the centre level, make sure that our educators have an outlet, have a channel, to be able to share with their centre leaders their concerns with their work, commitments and responsibilities and if there are any difficulties that they may have. That is why in my main reply, I have said that operators must do their part and take the lead in supporting the well-being of their educators.

At the same time, we are not leaving it as that. ECDA has launched a good practices guide to guide our operators in implementing best workplace and human resources practices to foster a supportive work environment. And ECDA is also working with HPB and the Workplace Safety and Health Council to offer programmes to operators and educators to support their overall well-being.

But over and above what ECDA can do and should do, over and above what operators have to do for their educators, I also hope to reach out to parents that in our engagements with preschool educators, to trust that they are doing their best for our children, to work with them closely to ensure that our children are thriving and growing up in a warm, nurturing environment. Let us all remember that teachers who are well cared for can better care for our children.

Mr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Sir, I would like to ask my question again because it was not fully answered and I also have one supplementary question.

Can ECDA require all preschools to adopt a child protection policy and provide a template to all preschools to customise to their own needs? A child protection policy will articulate the minimum standards laid out in Government regulations and may also include additional safeguarding commitments that are tailored to the school's unique circumstances. It will help all stakeholders to live and breathe child safety, as Minister of State Sun has said just now.

My supplementary question is: is the Minister of State aware that a child protection policy not only protects children but also protects teachers and schools from unwarranted accusations by parents and students by setting clearer boundaries for all parties in their interactions with each other?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his questions. I would like to reiterate that in my main response, I had talked about the multi-layered safeguards that we have in place, that we have built up over the years in order to ensure child safety. I have with me here three sets of documents that govern early childhood development as well as the various policies that are in place to protect our children. This is the ECDC Act that I mentioned, 65 pages. We have the regulations, 66 pages. We have a Code of Practice; this is in its second edition, 75 pages.

All these are policies which we constantly review, which we constantly engage industry and operators on. It is not for a lack of policies. We can have all the policies under the sun, in the world. But what is important is how well it is being executed on the ground.

So, I fully recognise and understand where the Member is coming from. We are all on the same page. We want to protect our children as best as possible and we believe that the best way to do this is, to have multi-layered safeguards. Therefore, ECDA will look at these policies, rely on these levers, to make sure that operators, centres, educators are doing what they should do to ensure child safety. At the same time, operators need to know and truly breathe child safety in their policies and SOPs. Centre leaders and educators have to take their responsibilities seriously.

On the Member's question as to how we can ensure that not only our children's safety is being taken care of but also that we have policies in place for our educators, that is precisely why we have mandated CCTV installation so that when there is feedback, that there are unfortunate incidents in the childcare centres, that we then have evidence to support investigations and be able to give a comprehensive response to parents should they have concerns about their child's safety in preschools.

Mr Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I recall that the Minister of State had mentioned that there was a survey done on the use of CCTV by preschools. May I ask when was this survey done and how many preschools were involved in the survey?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his question. I believe it was June last year. It was definitely last year, but I cannot remember which month. To the best of my recollection, it was in June last year. But I can come back and clarify that with the Member again, after I further check it.

Like I mentioned, it was a status check. It was just to get a sense of where the preschools are. So, it was not a survey that each and every centre responded to. So, for instance, an Anchor Operator (AOP) might have many centres beneath them. So, the AOP from their headquarters responded as to whether they have CCTVs installed. But like what I mentioned earlier, because CCTV isolation was not mandatory at that point in time when we conducted the survey, we did not go down to track and monitor the results or the inputs that they provided through the survey.

Mr Speaker: Ms Carrie Tan.

Ms Carrie Tan (Nee Soon): Thank you, Speaker. Earlier in her statement, the Minister of State emphasised that ECDA do not currently impose psychological screening on preschool educators.

I would like to ask the reason for that. And in line with our common belief that in such cases, prevention is always going to be better than any kind of penalty or remedial action. Does ECDA see the value of putting in place some form of assessment or screening, if not every single preschool educator but at least to the business owners who want to apply for licences and the principals who are running centres? Because the culture of what it means to respect a child is something that needs to come from the leader of centres.

I agree fully with the Minister of State that the preschool teachers need to live and breathe the values and the beliefs of always protecting and respecting a child. I think the enforcement route is necessary, but we should not fall back only on the enforcement route to effectively prevent such cases.

So, my second question is, will ECDA consider putting in a mandatory screening or at least a mindset screening assessment to future or existing current operators and principals to ensure that they are in line with a culture of respect for the child in terms of running their centres and expecting the same of their preschool teachers?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her question. I fully understand where she is coming from and I also know that there many parents out there who are very concerned about the safety of their children.

I had mentioned in my main reply that all educators must be certified by and registered with ECDA before they can be deployed in our preschools. ECDA verifies their professional qualifications. We also conduct background checks, reference checks. And, at the end of day, if there are educators who assessed to pose a risk to children's safety, then, they will not be allowed to enter the preschool sector as an educator.

On the specific question of mandatory psychological screening, I would like to say that this is not done in other jurisdictions and this is not done for other professions. While we fully appreciate the importance placed on child safety and we are taking a firm stance on child safety by having those pre-employment checks that I mentioned earlier for criminal antecedents, whether they have bad references and they must be certified fit and appropriate to work for the sector.

But I would caution against mandatory psychological screening. Because if we take a step back, I think we must also fully recognise that there are individuals – some say that there are many individuals – out there who may be struggling with mental health conditions and, actually, their mental health conditions can be well managed with proper advice, medication from their doctors. So, I do not think that we should exclude these individuals who have mental health conditions if those mental health conditions are well managed from entering the preschool sector.

I would also like to share that currently there is a self-declaration form that potential educators have to fill up and this self-declaration form requires them to fill in whether or not they have mental health conditions and if they so declare that they have mental health conditions, then there will be need for a certification by a psychiatrist that they are able to work with young children.

So, I think that is the balance that we have to put in place to ensure child safety while ensuring that we do not stigmatise mental health conditions in our society.

Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): I have two supplementary questions, both pertaining to CCTVs. I will begin by acknowledging that the Ministry has indicated that they will comply with PDPA stipulations. That said, I think there are still concerns when it comes to children.

For starters, children are generally unable to grant consent or to withdraw it and so one is left to wonder how the Ministry will finesse this issue of obtaining consent along PDPA guidelines. Similarly, do the guidelines limit access to footage, for example, how long such footage is stored and whether deleted footage is actually verified?

My second supplementary question is with regard to the response that the Ministry had put up in terms of the press release – where they stated that a 100% of early intervention centres had already installed CCTVs. Earlier on, Minister of State Sun also explained that it was a survey and, hence, it was unclear whether we could be certain about the statistics. How then is she so sure that a 100% of these early intervention centres, indeed, had implemented CCTVs?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his questions. First and foremost, as shared in the media release by ECDA on the 31 August with regards to the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras, ECDA had shared that parents' access to CCTV footages will only be granted for the purposes of providing an objective reference point to clarify feedback or to assist the investigation of serious incidents within the preschool premises and the request has to be on reasonable grounds.

I understand where the Member is coming from, as to concerns about the privacy of children and that is why when viewing the footage, there is actually a requirement for the faces of the children and the staff who are not part of the investigation and inquiry into the specific instance whereby the parent has given feedback, for the faces of these children and educators to have their faces masked. So, this is a requirement. We will make it very clear to our operators and that is why we have issued guidelines to the operators. And the operators will also be sharing this with parents, so parents know what the boundaries around the viewing of footages with regards to the CCTV are.

On the Member's second question, like I mentioned, the survey was done as a part of various engagements that ECDA did with the preschool operators last year on a variety of issues, of which CCTV installation was one of them. We will have to take the survey responses as they are. I am very sure the survey respondents know that they would have to provide the feedback to the best of their knowledge and that they really should not be providing dishonest inputs to an ECDA-conducted survey.

But that said, I recognise the Member's concerns that even though some preschools may say that they have CCTVs but in actual fact, they may not and that is why we have mandated the CCTV installation by the 1 July. Please rest assured that because it is mandated, there will then be checks as well as monitoring on CCTV installation.

Mr Speaker: We have been at this important matter for over an hour. I am just going to allow one more supplementary question, so that we can move on to the other PQs. Mr Don Wee.

Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have two supplementary questions. Member Zhulkarnain and myself have many young residents who are studying at Kinderland Choa Chu Kang. But at the same time, we also have residents who are teaching at the same centre. One told me that many preschool teachers are demoralised.

What is Ministry's view of certain operators banning mobile phone devices of the preschool teachers in classrooms and would this discourage whistle-blowing? At the same time, does ECDA have a hotline for the preschool teachers to call so that they can whistle-blow, or they have a listening ear to turn to?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his questions. As I have said in my main response earlier, any operator's policy on the use of personal mobile devices at work should not hinder their staff from reporting from any wrongdoing in their centres.

That said, there can be good reasons why educators may need their mobile devices. For instance, they may need to address an emergency that has happened at home and, as I have mentioned, they may need their personal mobile device to record any wrongdoing. So, in these incidents, in such situations, the operator should allow the educator to use their personal mobile device. So, while some operators have a policy on the use of personal mobile devices, it has to be a reasonable one.

I have also mentioned in my main reply that there are various channels for anyone to report wrongdoing – members of the public, educators – there are hotlines, email addresses in which any member of the public and educator can report wrongdoing. And these channels do lead to ECDA.

So, I would like to assure the Member that there are multiple channels of reporting for wrongdoing and that members of the public, educators, parents, they can do so and we would encourage them to do so if they have reasonable concerns about their children's safety.

Mr Speaker: Mr Sharael Taha.

Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mr Speaker, Question No 59? Sorry, Mr Speaker, can I take both Question Nos 59 and 60.

I think you may want the Ministry of National Development (MND) questions to be moved first? Speaker, there is Question No 53 that you may want to call on first, maybe? But I am okay if you want to do Question No 59.

Mr Speaker: You are right. Question No 53. Sorry.