Committee of Supply 2023 debate, Day 6: Masagos Zulkifli on stability, self-reliance and social mobility for all families
More than 20,000 employees in the social service sector are expected to see salary increases of between four per cent and 15 per cent in FY2023. These include social workers, psychologists, early intervention educators and care workers. Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who announced this in Parliament on Friday (Mar 3), said a strong core of passionate and competent professionals for social service agencies (SSAs) is crucial and needs to be given due recognition and support. Measures must be taken to better attract, train and retain staff, he said. Mr Masagos said the Government has completed its review of the salary guidelines for the sector to keep pace with wage realities in the market and account for changes in job responsibilities, as well as salaries of comparable roles in competing markets. He urged SSAs to adopt the guidelines to continue to attract and retain talent. He said funding for programmes by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and National Council of Social Service will be adjusted accordingly. Mr Masagos also highlighted efforts by his ministry to support all families to achieve the “3Ss” of stability, self-reliance and social mobility. The vision is to ensure that families are strong and have the means to weather the ups and downs in life, self-reliant with a strong sense of ownership and have the opportunities to progress, he said. Vulnerable families could soon get the help they need more seamlessly. Those under the ComLink programme will no longer have to liaise with multiple agencies for different forms of support but will have just one consistent touchpoint. KidSTART, which equips lower-income parents with the know-how to help their children develop, will be scaled up nationwide and move upstream to support children from lower-income families. The Families for Life @ Community initiative will be expanded to nine towns by the end of this year and to all towns by 2025. About 4,000 couples and 20,000 parents are expected to benefit every year from 2025 onwards. Persons with disabilities will soon be able to access more community and employment support closer to their homes. For a start, those in the east can look forward to the Enabling Services Hub. As this is the Year of Celebrating Social Service Partners, Mr Masagos urged Singaporeans to applaud their contributions. He said the Government is committed to working with the sector to ensure that everyone is empowered to live with dignity in a caring and inclusive society. “Together we can build a Singapore made for families, where our strong social compact supports all families in achieving stability, self-reliance and social mobility and keep social mobility alive,” he said.
More than 20,000 employees in the social service sector are expected to see salary increases of between four per cent and 15 per cent in FY2023. These include social workers, psychologists, early intervention educators and care workers. Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who announced this in Parliament on Friday (Mar 3), said a strong core of passionate and competent professionals for social service agencies (SSAs) is crucial and needs to be given due recognition and support. Measures must be taken to better attract, train and retain staff, he said. Mr Masagos said the Government has completed its review of the salary guidelines for the sector to keep pace with wage realities in the market and account for changes in job responsibilities, as well as salaries of comparable roles in competing markets. He urged SSAs to adopt the guidelines to continue to attract and retain talent. He said funding for programmes by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and National Council of Social Service will be adjusted accordingly. Mr Masagos also highlighted efforts by his ministry to support all families to achieve the “3Ss” of stability, self-reliance and social mobility. The vision is to ensure that families are strong and have the means to weather the ups and downs in life, self-reliant with a strong sense of ownership and have the opportunities to progress, he said. Vulnerable families could soon get the help they need more seamlessly. Those under the ComLink programme will no longer have to liaise with multiple agencies for different forms of support but will have just one consistent touchpoint. KidSTART, which equips lower-income parents with the know-how to help their children develop, will be scaled up nationwide and move upstream to support children from lower-income families. The Families for Life @ Community initiative will be expanded to nine towns by the end of this year and to all towns by 2025. About 4,000 couples and 20,000 parents are expected to benefit every year from 2025 onwards. Persons with disabilities will soon be able to access more community and employment support closer to their homes. For a start, those in the east can look forward to the Enabling Services Hub. As this is the Year of Celebrating Social Service Partners, Mr Masagos urged Singaporeans to applaud their contributions. He said the Government is committed to working with the sector to ensure that everyone is empowered to live with dignity in a caring and inclusive society. “Together we can build a Singapore made for families, where our strong social compact supports all families in achieving stability, self-reliance and social mobility and keep social mobility alive,” he said.
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