Concerns on social services delivery kick off MSF COS debate
The MSF Social Service Office located at Bedok North Road. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — An integrated office to handle the myriad of social issues, a change in mindsets of the social services sector and more help for adults with disabilities were among calls put forward by Members of Parliament (MP) to strengthen the social services sector here.
As the number of voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and social problems grow by the day, a single ministry’s outreach effort is limited, said Moulmein-Kallang MP Ms Denise Phua, who was speaking at the Social and Family Development’s Ministry’s Committee of Supply debate — which is set to wrap the two-week marathon of debates on the Budget.
Ms Phua, who is also president of the Autism Resource Centre, called for a “community-centric municipal services officer” that works across ministries to coordinate services and study needs on the ground. The current landscape peppered with Social Service Offices, Family Services Centres and other grassroots organisations is “not optimal and can be confusing”, she said.
Nominated MP Chia Yong Yong called for a change in the perception that VWOs should be run like charities. As long as they do not lose focus of their mission and remain beneficiary-centric, VWOs should be allowed to run revenue-generating programmes while retaining their statuses as Institutes of Public Character, said Ms Chia, who urged to government to help the social services sector to generate more revenue.
Several MPs, like Ms Phua and Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang), also asked for more assistance to adults with special needs.
Voicing concerns on the employment future of those more severe in their disability and the lack of day activity centres to care for them, Ms Chua called on the Government to pave the way in re-designing jobs for this group and also suggested that the special-needs workforce be included in the SkillsFuture Masterplan.
Ms Chia stressed that employability of persons with disabilities must be facilitated by public education.
“There is always a concern and a fear that if I employ someone who has a different need, I may have different challenges in having to (accommodate him) ... education initiatives that share with employers what they can do and don’t have to do ... will help a lot,” she said.
Today’s debate also saw renewed calls for greater effort to attract and retain professionals in the social services sector, more help for single parents and red flags raised over preschool operators who may be seizng the government’s subsidies for parents to raise fees.
The debate will continue tomorrow (March 13).
