Family Service Centres Helping Intellectually Disabled Find Jobs

Ms Lee Li Lian asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how do family service centres reach out to intellectually disabled individuals to help them find jobs; and (b) what is the success rate of helping them to secure jobs.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: In July 2013, the Ministry of Social and Family Development set up SG Enable, an organisation which will serve as a focal point to enable and serve persons with disabilities. Amongst its services, SG Enable supports persons with disabilities in their employment and training. Community touchpoints such as Family Service Centres and Social Service Offices can refer persons with disabilities, including persons with intellectual disabilities, to SG Enable for job referrals and job matching.

The referred persons will undergo work preparation and job-related training and receive job placement and support services offered by SG Enable and its Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) partners, including the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS). In financial year 2014, SG Enable and its VWO partners placed more than 350 persons with disabilities in jobs. About one in three have intellectual disabilities.