Staff Certification for Registered Student Care Centres

Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether it is a requirement for registered student care centres (SCCs) to have a minimum number of staff trained in WSQ-certified or equivalent course on student care; (b) what percentage of SCCs have at least one staff with such training; and (c) what percentage of staff across all SCCs have attained such training.

Mr Chan Chun Sing: Currently, Student Care Centres (SCCs) are not required to be licensed. MSF adopts a "light touch" approach in the management of SCCs. Only SCCs which administer the Student Care Fee Assistance scheme are required to be registered. Guidelines are provided to registered centres on recommended minimal educational qualifications and training 1 for their supervisors and staff.

As such, MSF does not have sector-wide information on the proportion of SCC staff who meet the requested training courses on student care.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 3:

1 An example is the WSQ Higher Certificate on Student Care for Programme Staff. More information can be found at: http://www.boxhill.sg/courses/Pages/wsq-higher-certificate-community-social-services-student-care.aspx.