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Public Consultation on the Social Residential Homes Bill

Type: Press Releases

Topic(s): Residential & Shelter Support

Published on 21 November 2024

  1. The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) invites the public to provide feedback on the proposed Social Residential Homes Bill (SRHB), which seeks to uphold quality and consistent standards across the Social Residential Homes (SRHs), for the safety and well-being of their vulnerable residents. MSF targets to enact the Bill by 1H2025. The consultation document can be accessed via REACH at https://go.gov.sg/feedbacksrhb from 21 Nov 2024 to 2 Jan 2025. 
Background
 
  1.  Social Residential Homes (“SRHs”) refer to any premises that are used to provide residential accommodation to persons who require statutory care and/or social intervention. Today, MSF oversees a range of SRHs that provide short- to long-term residential care to different resident profiles. MSF has worked closely with operators of SRHs over the years to raise the standards of care provided to residents. It is timely to codify and harmonise these standards under a common framework, to enable clients to benefit from a robust regulatory regime.
Key Features of the SRHB
 
  1. The key features are as follows:
  • Stronger safeguards for residents’ safety and well-being;
  • More comprehensive enforcement framework; and
  • Appeal mechanism for SRH operators pertaining to MSF’s decisions on the implementation of the licensing framework under SRHB.
Regulatory and Licensing Approach
 
  1. MSF will adopt a risk-based regulatory approach to license SRHs in phases. Specifically, MSF will license the types of SRHs caring for the most vulnerable residents, who are heavily reliant on the SRH to meet their daily needs, as listed below.
  • Children’s Homes
  • Children Disability Homes
  • Sheltered Homes
  • Welfare Homes
  • Adult Disability Homes 
  • Adult Disability Hostels  
  1. MSF plans to commence implementation of SRHB from 1H2026.
  2. For the other types of residential homes and shelters not listed in Para. 4, MSF will closely monitor the landscape, and review the need for licensing in subsequent phases. 
  3. Members of public, including caregivers, clients, operators of residential homes and/or shelters, are welcome to submit feedback on the draft Bill by 2359 hours, 2 Jan 2025 (Thu).
  4.  For queries or feedback on this exercise, please write to MSF_EN@msf.gov.sg.