Introduction
1. Chair, this year, Singapore turns 60. As we look ahead, it is important to consider what society we want to be.
2. A lasting goal for Singapore is to remain a place of opportunities and hope.
a. Many Singaporeans want Singapore to continue to be a place where all families thrive, including lower-income and vulnerable families, and those with family members with disabilities.
3. MSF is committed to supporting these families. And today, I will share the progress we have made, and our way forward.
Supporting Lower-income Families – Shift from Assistance to Empowerment
4. We remain committed to journeying with lower-income families towards stability, self-reliance and social mobility.
5. We started with providing a strong safety net, to support those who need help with basic needs.
a. This is the philosophy behind ComCare financial assistance. While families are our first line of support, some may require additional help from the Government and the community.
6. Over the years, we have enhanced ComCare to reflect the evolving cost and definition of basic needs.
a. Recently, studies from the Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) found that Singapore residents view social activities and the ability to manage minor exigencies as basic needs that the Government and community could share responsibility in providing.
b. That is why, as PM Wong mentioned in his Budget speech, we will now enhance our social safety net by increasing ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance and Long-Term Assistance cash rates to support these needs, alongside our regular review of the ComCare quantum.
c. To Ms Ng Ling Ling’s query, ComCare caters for a range of food options, so that families can buy food items they prefer, without compromising on nutrition. This ensures they need not cut back on food expenditure at the expense of their health.
d. With ComCare support, families can stabilise their footing and better pursue longer-term goals of self-reliance and social mobility.
e. However, social assistance alone addresses immediate needs but may not tackle the underlying causes of challenges or provide longer-term solutions.
f. Moreover, those in need may not have the time or capacity to reach out for support. This is where ComLink+ comes in.
7. Under ComLink+, we go beyond assistance, to empower families to achieve their goals.
a. We proactively reach out to lower-income families and address their needs early.
b. Family coaches journey with them by co-creating action plans tailored to their strengths, needs, and goals.
c. Through the ComLink+ Progress Packages, we boost their efforts, providing financial top-ups to those that take action in preschool enrolment and attendance, employment, debt clearance and home ownership.
8. I thank Mr Melvin Yong, Mr Mohd Fahmi, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Xie Yao Quan for their interest in ComLink+’s progress, including the rollout of Progress Packages and family coach recruitment.
a. ComLink+ is now supporting around 10,000 families living in public rental housing. It has also been expanded to lower-income families not in public rental housing but are eligible for the KidSTART programme or have school-going children at risk of long-term absenteeism.
b. The ComLink+ Progress Packages for Preschool and Employment were launched in August and December 2024 respectively. Close to 1,600 families have been emplaced on either or both of these packages. The ComLink+ Packages for Debt Clearance and Home Ownership will launch in the coming months.
c. To power ComLink+, we need a strong team of committed and professional officers. We now have 260 family coaches and are on track to reach our target of 300 by mid-2025. Each family coach works with 25 to 35 families.
d. Let me share an example of how ComLink+ is progressively making a difference. Mr Riyaz, his wife, and a 4-year-old daughter Inayah live in a 2-room rental flat. A full-time cook, Mr Riyaz is the sole breadwinner, while his wife cares for their daughter.
e. Their family coach, Ms Hazriah, built on their aspirations and strengths, and marshalled resources to support them. Tapping on the couple’s focus on Inayah’s education, she emplaced them on the ComLink+ Package for Preschool, to incentivise good attendance. She also collaborated with KidSTART in providing and supporting Inayah’s child development needs.
f. Mr Riyaza and his wife also hope to find well-paying employment, to provide a better life for Inayah. Recognising this, Ms Hazriah emplaced him on the ComLink+ Package for Employment, and referred his wife to basic English courses, to improve her employment prospects.
g. This is but only one example of how ComLink+ recognises families’ strengths, efforts, and aspirations, and empowers them towards their goals.
9. But we will not stop there. Mr Mohd Fahmi and Mr Melvin Yong will be pleased to know that we will be further integrating services across Government, to deliver even more comprehensive, coordinated, and convenient support to uplift lower-income families under ComLink+.
10. First, we are weaving health and social support together.
a. Being healthy enables us to live, work, and pursue our aspirations.
b. But families trying to make ends meet may find it hard to keep track of medical appointments or need help identifying relevant healthcare services.
11. To this end, we are trialling a new model of support to address the health needs of ComLink+ families later this year.
a. Family coaches will support families in adopting healthier lifestyles through a healthier diet, exercise, and regular health screening, amongst other measures.
b. Dedicated staff from healthcare clusters will help families access services that they need.
c. And for families with complex health conditions, family coaches and healthcare staff will help develop and implement health action plans that prioritise their needs, steps to take, and healthcare services to access.
d. Through this, we hope to improve families’ overall health, such that they can better pursue their other life goals. We will use insights from the trial to support more families in due course.
12. Second, on housing. Many ComLink+ families in public rental housing aspire to own a home, and we are enhancing our support to enable their aspirations in two ways.
13. First, we are partnering HDB to provide ComLink+ families with home ownership planning and guidance.
a. As MOS Faishal shared, from entry to public rental housing, HDB officers support ComLink+ families in working out the income and savings they need for home ownership. Family coaches will journey with them towards these goals and when they are ready to purchase a flat, HDB will help them navigate the process.
14. Second, we are opening more pathways to home ownership through enhancing the Fresh Start Housing Scheme.
a. As MOS Faishal had shared, eligible First-Timer ComLink+ families in public rental housing will be able to buy shorter-lease flats alongside Second-Timer families. The Fresh Start Housing Grant for eligible Second-Timers will also be increased from $50,000 to $75,000.
b. With this, more families can realise their home ownership aspirations.
15. Chair, we have significantly pivoted our support for lower-income families, moving from assistance to empowerment.
a. We will continue to invest our effort in this area, so that families in need can achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.
Supporting Vulnerable Families – Reimagining the Family Services Landscape
16. Let me now turn to vulnerable families facing socio-emotional challenges.
17. Singapore society is evolving.
a. Families are getting smaller. More are staying single. Familial support networks may shrink and weaken over time.
b. With our ageing population, we will see an increase of senior households, social isolation, and caregiving stress.
c. The proportion of dual-income families has grown, and more face challenges balancing family commitments and career demands.
d. Domestic violence continues to be an issue faced by some families.
18. We have already seen an increase in the volume and complexity of family service cases social service professionals deal with. This trend will likely continue. To prepare well for the future, we must grab the bull by its horns,tackle the challenges early, and head-on.
19. But to be sure, it is not all doom and gloom.
a. First, the social service sector is in a position of strength, having grown in professionalism and recognition over the years.
b. Second, Mr Louis Ng would be happy to know that we are stepping up efforts to manage the heavy demands placed on social service professionals today.
i. Imposing a strict cap on caseloads would be unnecessarily rigid, as the sector needs flexibility in manpower deployment to adapt effectively to operational needs on the ground.
ii. We are focusing on other areas and ways to manage the demand, by expanding the sector workforce, and enhancing operational efficiency through technology. For instance, robotic process automation reduces the administrative burden on Child Protection Officers.
c. Third, as mentioned in an op-ed in Lianhe Zaobao, the challenges we face present an opportunity to strengthen and establish a uniquely Singaporean model of family services.
20. Underpinning all that we do is our desire to better servefamilies that we work with. That is why we are working with the social service agencies to strengthen the family services sector.
21. In June 2024, MSF convened the Family Services Review Committee. Professor Tan Tai Yong, President of the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and I co-chair the Committee, to consider ways in which we can deliver services in a more holistic and family-centric manner.
22. Indeed, Associate Professor Razwana Begum, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Mohd Fahmi will be happy to know that one issue the Committee is considering, is how we can provide care that meets the complex needs of families. This ensures that families are served in a comprehensive coordinated, and convenient way, instead of being ‘bounced around’ multiple services.
a. 50 representatives from 28 Social Service Agencies (SSAs) and associations are involved across the Committee and Working Groups. Over 200 social service professionals shared their views over multiple engagement sessions.
b. And I personally visited each of the SSAs and heard from many other stakeholders and partners as well.
c. To be sure, there are many perspectives on how to strengthen the sector. At this juncture, we are keeping an open mind and considering all options and ideas that have been surfaced to us.
d. We are committed to this consultative approach of co-creation. We thank all who have shared their views, and we will continue to listen to you. This is a multi-year, iterative process, where we build upon each other’s ideas, so that solutions that we land on are ultimately robust and sustainable.
23. Our laser focus on better serving our families remains at the heart of what we do. So let us work together, take this sector to the next level, so that we can continue to be that bright beacon of hope, that wind beneath the wings of our families that keeps them safe from the vagaries of life.
Empowering Persons with Disabilities and their Families
24. I will now share our progress and upcoming efforts to support persons with disabilities and their families.
25. We are committed to enabling persons with disabilities to work and live in the community. I thank Mr Baey Yam Keng and Ms Denise Phua for their questions on the EMP2030 and synergy between MSF and our partners.
26. Our fourth Enabling Masterplan, EMP2030, envisions Singapore in 2030 as a place that includes and empowers persons with disabilities to achieve their aspirations.
27. To ensure we are on the right track, Mr Ong Hua Han can be assured that we regularly conduct surveys on the well-being and experiences of persons with disabilities, including in the workplace, through the Disability and Inclusion Panel Study (DIPS) and Public Attitudes Study. These inform our strategies, raise public awareness, and promote inclusivity.
28. Under EMP2030, we want to blunt the post-18 cliff effect that persons with disabilities and their family members face. Therefore, we commit to making progress in two main areas:
a. First, strengthening support for persons with disabilities to pursue employment and lifelong learning.
b. Second, empowering persons with disabilities to live independently in the community.
Employment and Lifelong Learning
29. First, on employment. Employment is not just about a monthly paycheck. It is also a source of social connection, dignity, and is what many persons with disabilities aspire to, as they apply their skills meaningfully through work. The employment rate of persons with disabilities aged between 15 to 64 has increased, from 28.2% in 2019 to 2020, to 33.6% in 2023 to 2024, and we will continue to push towards our goal of 40% by 2030.
30. Our employment strategy starts upstream, to strengthen work-readiness of students transitioning from school to work. We thank Ms Denise Phua and Mr Ong Hua Han for their queries in this area.
a. I am pleased to share that ITE and SG Enable’s internship and employment support programme will be enhanced to provide further employment support to more students with disabilities. This includes pre-employment training, career exploration, and post-graduation job placement with up to one year of on-site support.
b. For those needing more time to prepare for work after graduation from Special Education or SPED schools, we will progressively expand School-to-Work (S2W) and job support in key sectors that already, or have the potential to, employ persons with disabilities.
31. Beyond the transition from school, we are also doing more to support persons with disabilities towards meaningful employment.
32. At the sectoral level, we are taking a targeted approach to curate job opportunities in six key sectors that either already traditionally hire or can offer suitable jobs to persons with disabilities – these include F&B, Retail Trade, and Health & Social Services, amongst others.
a. Within these sectors, SG Enable will identify and develop inclusive hiring champions among Enabling Mark-accredited companies, and SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies to engage and inspire others to hire inclusively.
b. In 2023, we launched the Enabling Business Hub at Jurong which is a showcase of inclusive employment in an industry-specific setting; in this case Logistics. Ms Denise Phua would be happy to note that the EBH provides a longer and more intensive job support for those who need it.
33. At the firm level, we want to ensure that employers and workplaces are inclusive too. Ms Rachel Ong, Ms Denise Phua and Mr Ong Hua Han asked about this. And we do so by providing support through multiple approaches - legal protections, wage offsets, workplace modifications, capability-building, and recognition frameworks.
a. First, in the legal domain, we have strengthened protections for persons with disabilities through the Workplace Fairness Bill that was passed in this House a few months ago. Ms Carrie Tan will also be pleased to know that Tripartite partners are developing a Tripartite Advisory on Reasonable Accommodations to raise awareness and guide employers in adjusting jobs or work environments to better support persons with disabilities.
b. Second, the government provides wage offsets to firms that hire persons with disabilities. As shared at MOM’s COS, Enabling Employment Credit (EEC) will be extended till end-2028, to support the employment of persons with disabilities.
c. Third, employers who are keen to hire persons with disabilities may need to purchase equipment or modify the workplace or job scope. We encourage this and provide the Job Redesign Grant to defray the costs of these modifications.
d. Fourth, to foster an inclusive workplace culture, it is important to build confidence and skills to interact with, integrate and include persons with disabilities at the workplace. Training grants and workshops are available to organisations.
e. Lastly, we recognise and benchmark firms for their best practices and outcomes in disability-inclusive employment via the Enabling Mark accreditation framework.
32. Lastly, those unable to work are also not left behind. Instead, we enhance their opportunities for lifelong learning.
a. Today, such persons with disabilities are engaged by multiple services such as Day Activity Centres (DACs) and Sheltered Workshops (SWs). These programmes can be organised more conveniently and provide opportunities to build up skills for independence.
b. Therefore, the new Enabling Skills for Life Programme (ESLP) Proof-of-Concept will be launched from 2025 to 2028, to support persons with disabilities in lifelong learning.
c. With ESLP, persons with disabilities will be better served with a single service catering to their evolving learning needs. And they will benefit from a curriculum focused on Independent Living, Communication and Language, and Social-Emotional Skills, without needing to move between multiple services.
Independent Living in the Community
35. Our second key thrust of support is to empower persons with disabilities to live and participate in the community. Allow me to share Ms Ann’s story.
a. Ann is a former client of TOUCH Ubi Hostel. After leaving the hostel, she continued participating in TOUCH’s outreach programmes but was only able to do so infrequently due to a long commute.
b. Since October last year, the new Enabling Services Hub (ESH) at Jurong has brought opportunities closer to where she lives. I recently met Ann at Taman Jurong CC. Like my son, Ann loves collecting Pokémon cards. So, I promptly suggested catching up over a happy meal. From our conversation, I learnt that Ann works part-time at Subway, takes part in Continual Education and Learning courses, and makes friends by volunteering at ESH@Jurong’s events.
c. Staying in a job and being in touch with the community has bolstered Ann’s self-confidence, empowering her to lead an independent and fulfilling life.
36. And we want to support persons with disabilities like Ann to live independently in our community. And this is an area that Ms Denise Phua is interested in.
a. Today, most persons with disabilities live with their families and would like to continue doing so. However, many have ageing caregivers who may soon be unable to care for them. Without other options, they may end up institutionalised.
b. To plug this gap, we will launch the Home Support Programme (HSP) in 2026, to support persons with disabilities with low to moderate needs to live at home as long as possible. For example, a person with physical disabilities may live with a caregiver who is frail and unable to provide support with daily living. This family could tap on HSP’s visiting services, such as monitoring and coaching for independent living and social skills.
c. Other persons with disabilities are not able to live with their families and may need additional support for their residential arrangements. For instance, a person with disabilities who is earning a lower income, and whose aged caregivers have passed, may be concerned about long-term living arrangements. For them, we will pilot the Enabled Living Programme (ELP) in the second half of this year to help them continue living in the community. Under ELP, such lower-income clients will live in designated public rental flats, and receive support such as basic supervision, referrals to financial assistance, and coaching on living and social skills.
37. Beyond new community living models, we will strengthen enablers for independent living, starting with assistive technology (AT).
a. Today, persons with disabilities go to touchpoints, such as at public hospitals and social service agencies, for an AT assessment. This can be time-consuming or inconvenient.
b. From 2026 onwards, persons with disabilities can enjoy shorter waiting times for an appointment with the launch of two new Assessment centres supported by SG Enable.
c. These centres will be key touchpoints allowing persons with disabilities to undergo assessment for straightforward AT needs, and to gather more AT information and resources, while Tech Able, jointly managed by SG Enable and SPD, continue to play a central role supporting persons with disabilities for specialised AT needs.
38. Another key enabler is providing convenient services and opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in local communities. To that end, we have begun operations at two more Enabling Services Hubs (ESHs) in Jurong, as previously mentioned, and Punggol.
a. ESHs provide a regional touchpoint for persons with disabilities and caregivers, providing crucial information and referral services.
b. Ms Carrie Tan asked how we are facilitating the integration of persons with disabilities in the community. ESHs provide opportunities for persons with disabilities and the community to come together through activities such as sports, gardening, or volunteering.
c. With two new ESHs, there are now more opportunities for interaction between persons with disabilities and wider society, which is key to enabling them to participate in the community.
39. Lastly, as PM Wong announced, we will increase subsidies for adult disability services and extend them to more households, with effect from next year. Mr Ong Hua Han will be glad that we are raising the maximum qualifying per capita household income for those services and the Assistive Technology Fund to $4,800, from next year. This helps defray the cost of services and devices for persons with disabilities and their families.
40. Sir, in Mandarin, please.
a. 主席，新加坡是我们的祖国，我们的家园。许多国人都希望把新加坡打造成一个更有爱，更包容，并且更有机遇的美好家园，让面对各种生活挑战的家庭，都有望维持生计，过上好日子。
b. 对于较低收入家庭，我们不仅通过加强“社区关怀计划”（ComCare）提供更多援助，还通过“提升版社区联系计划”（ComLink+），帮助这些家庭在生活稳定的基础上，自力更生、并打破贫困等等的恶性循环。我们将通过“提升版社区联系计划”整合“医疗保健”和“购屋规划”的服务，让‘受惠家庭’更便捷地在这两大方面获得适当的援助。
c. 至于残障人士，我们正积极开拓他们在毕业后的‘就业机会’和‘终身学习’渠道。我们的‘就业策略’将聚焦于 六个‘重点领域’，并通过各种方式为企业提供支持，其中包括‘法律保障’、工资补贴、工作场所改造、‘能力建设’以及‘认可框架’。
d. 同时，我们也推出一系列的‘试点计划’，例如《包容性生活技能发展计划》、《包容性社区生活计划》、《居家辅助计划》等等，为残障人士提供更多选择和辅助措施，帮助他们完成“长久在社区中独立生活”的意愿。
Conclusion
41. Chair, allow me to conclude by observing that many societies around the world today are becoming more and more divided.
a. This occurs because those facing difficulties feel society works against and not for them, and their efforts don’t result in progress.
b. And this is exactly why MSF strives to make Singapore a place where all families thrive, regardless of their challenges.
42. But, to be sure, we cannot do this alone. All of us have a part to play, whether by volunteering to support lower-income families, or being inclusive towards the persons with disabilities that we see in our communities.
43. By extending a helping hand, we enrich our lives but at the same time we also strengthen our community.
a. We create a society of opportunities and hope, where all are empowered to realise their aspirations.
b. We become the Singapore we want to be.
44. Thank you.