Tag: Ministry of Social and Family Development

Social Service Officer Arrested, Took Funds Meant For Needy
The Police have charged a Social Service Office (SSO) officer, Chia Kwang Hwee, under the Penal Code, Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act and the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.

On 14 August 2014, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) was alerted by a ComCare beneficiary that he had not received his financial assistance payments. Upon investigation, the Ministry found information suggesting that a SSO officer from the Geylang Serai office could have misappropriated funds meant for financial assistance payments. On 15 August 2014, the Ministry filed a Police report.

The Police investigated the matter with full cooperation from the Ministry. MSF also suspended the officer from his duties from the time the Police report was filed.

Immediately following the incident, the Ministry contacted all affected families to ensure the assistance they needed were not affected by the case.

The Ministry’s internal auditor has conducted checks on all the SSOs’ payment records, and confirmed that there were no other occurrences of a similar nature.

The Ministry has also reviewed and strengthened systems, processes and controls at all the SSOs. As part of this effort, the Ministry had convened an independent review panel comprising senior officials from other government agencies to look into the checks and control mechanisms for financial assistance payments in all the SSOs. The Ministry has implemented the Panel’s recommendations. Examples of the changes made include:
- Strengthening the administration of access to our IT system;
- Including additional checks to ensure payments to clients; and
- Allocating cases such that no officer will be allowed to take charge of a particular client for more than two consecutive years.
MSF does not condone or tolerate any conduct that undermines the integrity of our social assistance system and interest of our beneficiaries, and would not hesitate to take appropriate action against any officer with such conduct.

Source: MSF Singapore
August 3, 2016
Proposal – NSFs Receiving Financial Aid From SAF To Be Automatically Referred To MSF After Service

Less well-off national servicemen who receive financial aid from the Singapore Armed Forces may continue to receive help even after they have completed their full-time stints.

Under a proposal by a feedback body to the Government on defence matters, these servicemen will not have to re-apply for financial assistance after their mandatory stints. Instead, they will be automatically referred to the Ministry of Social and Family Development, which will likely to pick up the tab to help them.

This is one of the 18 proposals submitted by the Advisory Council for Community Relations in Defence (Accord) to the Defence Ministry on Wednesday.

They include partnering women’s groups to organise small group information sharing sessions to improve the understanding of defence issues among women; notifying employers and firms earlier when their staff are called up for in-camp training; and grooming ambassadors to promote the SAF Volunteer Corps and encouraging more people to sign-up as volunteers.

The proposals come six months after Accord, formed in 1984 to help shape the efforts of Mindef in getting the buy-in for defence and NS, was restructured into three separate councils to strengthen broader community support for defence and NS.

Accord member Claire Chiang, who sits on the Family and Community Council, said the panel wanted to address the “life-cycle needs” of less well-off national servicemen who might face hardship after NS and might need financial help.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

February 26, 2015
Petition to MSF: Singapore to Offer Adoption of Palestinian Children

Credit: https://www.facebook.com/shahirah.alkaff

Salam R1C,

Heartbreaking pictures of the killings and the families’ anguish circled the Internet and television news stations. People around the world were outraged, including Singaporeans.

The effects of this war are not just in lost lives. According to the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 1660 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged since Operation Protective Edge began. It has resulted in the displacement of 9,900 Palestinians.

In this adult war of obsessive revenge and punishment, it is the children who pay the highest price. It is a war where children become parentless, and parents become childless.

There are many parents in Singapore who have been deeply affected by the Israel-Palestine conflict which resulted in the countless killings of innocents children.

I strongly urge R1C to share a petition created by my friend, and please spread the message to all Muslim and non-Muslim parents who wish to adopt children: now they can push the government to offer adoption of Palestinian children to Singaporean families. By signing this petition, there is a glimmer of hope to help these poor, homeless and parentless Palestinian children. Together we can make a difference in someone else’s life.

Please sign the petition – Singapore to offer adoption of Palestinian children.

Authored by: Mama Gee

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August 6, 2014
Pertapis Children’s Home facing allegations of staff giving children inappropriate physical punishments

Haji Hussaini Abdullah, president of Pertapis with administrator Madam Haloyah Atan on March 22, 2013. Pertapis Children’s Home is facing allegations of children in the home being inappropriately punished physically. — BH FILE PHOTO: MOHD KHALID BABA

Pertapis Children’s Home is facing allegations of children in the home being inappropriately punished physically.

In a media release on Friday, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said it had received some information about some children in the home receiving inappropriate physical punishment from some of the home’s staff members. It filed a police report, and the police are now investigating the matter.

The home was established in 1991 to provide children aged between four and 12 a safe environment under the Children and Young Persons Act. Children may be referred to the home by the Juvenile Court, Family Service Centres, the MSF or other social service agencies. There are now 61 children and six staff members in the home.

In its release, the MSF said the safety and well-being of children is its paramount concern and priority, and its officers are providing the affected children and their families emotional and psychological support.

Source: the Straits Times

February 14, 2014