Legislation & Providing Social Services and Support

Question 1

What is the purpose of Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA)?

Answer 1

The CYPA provides logeal protection for children below the age of 14 years.

Question 2

What are the important provisions of CYPA?

Answer 2

1. An act of child abuse, neglect or behaviours that potentially expose a child or young person to abuse and neglect are offences punishable under the law
   - Penalties include fines not exceeding S$4,000, imprisonment of up to 4 years, or both
2. The court can order the child or young person concerned, and/or the parent or guardian to undergo counselling, psychotherapy, other assessments and treatments
   - Parent or guardian who fails to comply with the court may be liable to a fine of up to $2,000
3. CYPA prohibits the media from disclosing any information relating to any court proceedings that will lead to identification of the child or young person involved in the proceedings.

Question 3

Name the convention relating to children.

Answer 3

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Question 4

Name 3 National Framework and Policies relating to children.

Answer 4

1. Child Abuse and Protection (Ministry of Social and Family Development)
2. Foster Care
3. Homes for Children

Question 5

How does

“Child Abuse and Protection (Ministry of Social and Family Development)”

safeguard the interests and well-being of children?

Answer 5

• MSF is the lead agency for CYPs from abuse and negelct
• works closely with other agencies (gov & non-gov
• forms the Child Protection System that safeguards interest of CYPs
• investigate and intervene cases of CYPs who have been harmed or at risk of future harm
• Includes intervention programme tailored to needs of CYP
• Equipping CYP with self-protection strategies
• Addressing the CYP’s trauma or specific needs that arise from abuse
• Helping the CYP get back on track to the road of recovery
• Support the family with services to improve their functioning and ability to meet the needs of CYPs.

Question 6

How does

Foster Care

safeguard the interests and well-being of children?

Answer 6

• Support children who needs foster care as they lack alternative kinship arrangements
• Children whose parents have passed away
• Parents incarcerated
• Parents have physical or mental illness and hence unable to care for them.
• Been abused, neglected or abandoned y the parents/caregivers
• Families with financial difficulties
• Children been abused, neglected or abandoned by parents/caregivers
• For children below 18 years of age in need of safe, stable and nurturing homes.
• Primary objective is for children to grow healthily
• Not permanent - temporary to meet emergency needs
• Ultimate goal to re-integrate them with natural families

Question 7

How does

Homes for Children

safeguard the interests and well-being of children?

Answer 7

• Residential care programmes for CYPs
• Except for those in Beyond Parental Control
• Short term or long term (long term not encouraged
• CYPs admitted are usually from dysfunctional families and in need of shelter
• Abused, neglected, and in need of care and protection
• Beyond parental control or rehabilitating from at-risk behaviours
• Lacking in parental supervision
• Integrate CYPs back into families and community
• Holistic programmes and activities designed to cater tto well-being of CYPs

Question 8

Name the 5 social services and support (interventions) required by children with social needs and concerns.

Answer 8

1. Physical and Health Conditions
2. Education and Training
3. Psycho-emotional Interventions
4. Social and Recreational Interventions
5. Financial Assistance

Question 9

Elaborate:

1. Physical and Health Conditions

Answer 9

• Special programmes to improve fine motor skills
• Medical attention for health issues such as asthma, obesity, hearing impairment
• Provided by medical doctors, hospitals, Health Promotion Board, other orgs

Question 10

Elaborate:

2. Education and Training

Answer 10

• Special education schools (SPED)
• Association for Persons with Special Needs
• Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore

Question 11

Elaborate:

3. Psycho-emotional Interventions

Answer 11

• For children who have psycho-emotional needs
• Experienced trauma
• Counselling and therapies to heal and recover from traumatic experiences
• Anger management and issues with anxiety, loss of loved one and grief
• Support group and education to help them cope with issues and their emotions
• Child guidance clinic
• FSCs

Question 12

Elaborate:

4. Social and Recreational Interventions

Answer 12

• Programmes that help them strengthen their interpersonal skills, social skills, and relationships with family members and with others
• Typically includes play important for proper growth and development of children
• Family bonding programmes
• Camps, excursions, friendly football matches, games.
• By FSCs and other social service orgs

Question 13

Elaborate:

5. Financial Assistance

Answer 13

• Children from low-income families
• Need financial assistance to attend school
• ComCare subsidies for child carem kindergarten, student care, school pocket money fund

Question 14

What are the factors to consider when providing information to support children?

Answer 14

1. Affordability
   - not all services are free
   - families may not be able to afford specialised services
2. Subsidy required
   - Subsidies are subject to eligibility criteria
   - otherwise, may not be able to afford
3. Private or public, and urgency of need
   - public, less costly, longer wait time to see specialist
   - private, costly but works for urgent needs
4. Physical condition of the child
   - depends on physical condition to participate in programmes
   - malnourished/weak
   - delayed motor skills, cutting/drawing
5. Interests of the child
   - more interested to participate if interested
   - must match interest of child
6. Convenience of location
   - convenient location attracts family and child
   - long travel time and costing more to travel will deter participation