Singapore to increase family counselling capacity as number of cases grows
The number of family counselling cases has risen over the past few years – from 3,100 in 2022 to 5,700 in 2025.
The number of family counselling cases has risen over the past few years. (File photo: iStock)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Counselling services under the strengthening families programme (FAM) will be expanded to support up to 12,000 cases by 2030, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said in parliament on Thursday (Mar 5).
The number of family counselling cases has risen over the past few years – from 3,100 in 2022 to 5,700 last year.
“We expect this growth to continue and will ensure services remain accessible to those who need it,” the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said.
The strengthening families programme was established in 2021 to support families who may face greater challenges in managing marriage, parenting and other family relationships.
Eleven FAM centres across Singapore provide family counselling to support such families. This includes providing psycho-emotional support and equipping families with skills and resilience to deal with stressors and resolve conflicts.
Families can book face-to-face or online counselling sessions with the centres.
“Preliminary findings have shown that family counselling has improved mental well-being, marital adjustment and child psychosocial functioning of (the programme’s) clients,” MSF said.
Since July 2024, all couples with minor children must go through the coparenting programme run by FAM centres before they file for divorce, Mr Masagos said, adding that this would hopefully prevent disagreements later over child access.
Speaking during the debate on his ministry’s spending plans for the coming year, Mr Masagos said that as MSF works to ramp up capacity, it will continue to make family counselling more accessible and provide self-help resources online to better support families.
MORE DAY ACTIVITY CENTRE SPACES
To better support persons with disabilities, 520 spaces in day activity centres and 360 spaces in sheltered workshops will be available progressively by 2027, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua said in parliament on Friday.
These are part of the 1,000 additional spaces announced by MSF in 2024.
There are currently about 3,600 persons with disabilities who are enrolled in day activity centres and sheltered workshops, Mr Chua said.
Day activity centres conduct social and recreational activities, as well as daily living and community living skills training for people with disabilities with high support needs.
Sheltered workshops provide work skills training in a structured environment for people with disabilities who are not yet ready for open employment.
A hundred sheltered workshop spaces were previously added in 2024.
Mr Chua acknowledged that the current wait time from referral to enrolment is over half a year on average.
He said: “As capacity builds, families on the waitlist are not left alone.
“Enabling Services Hubs ... offer activities and serve as community touchpoints. For recent graduates, the Supported Transition and Engagement Programme ensures they remain meaningfully engaged with outings and activities at least twice weekly, while waiting for placement. All this because transition should not mean isolation.”
