HALFWAY HOUSES FOR PROBLEM FAMILIES

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Community Development whether the Government will build and operate halfway houses to help problem families who need temporary shelter.

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: Mr Speaker, Sir, there are six halfway houses or crisis centres in Singapore, and the seventh is in the pipeline. These centres cater to individuals and families in distress and who need temporary shelter. They also cater to children who are abused or in need of care and protection, girls in moral danger, neglected wives and women with marital crisis, battered husbands, men with personality or emotional problems and families with financial or other difficulties.

Some of these centres also provide support services and social skills training for their clients, eg, counselling, helping victims of abuse, career guidance, job placement and referral to other agencies. Where necessary, my Ministry provides supportive help to individuals and families who need shelter who are referred to by these centres. The help includes financial assistance, job placement, assistance in accommodation and placement of children in schools.

My Ministry will continue to monitor the need for such centres and will assist VWOs to set up new ones, if necessary. My Ministry will not itself build and operate such halfway houses or crisis centres. VWOs with their specific objective of providing temporary care and shelter to help those in need are more focused and effective and are better placed to provide such services to help individuals and families in the community.

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang): Sir, why is the Ministry of Community Development not providing such shelters? What are the reservations? Secondly, does the Ministry of Community Development provide support in terms of building and operating costs to these VWOs who operate such halfway houses?

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: Sir, I have mentioned why the Government is not involved in the building of halfway houses. As I said earlier, it is because VWOs are doing a good job and they could cater to the needs of their clients better.

With regard to the kind of help given by Government in terms of buildings and equipment, among the help given are tax exemptions for donations for charitable purposes, release of State land or premises with rental subsidy to cover market rental and of HDB premises at concessionary rental, waiver of development charges, assistance for recruitment of staff, free medical treatment to clients who are eligible and exemptions for COE and vehicle taxes.

Crisis centres are currently not funded by Government as they do not fall under the category of "approved projects" for Government funding. My Ministry, however, is looking at the need for additional assistance to these organisations to enhance their work and services they are providing to help individuals in crisis. The review includes the possibility of them being put under the Government financial assistance schemes. In other words, we will help them in the set-up costs and also operating costs.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, is the Minister's assessment on the current number of halfway houses sufficient to house families who are in need? Because it was reported that families were turned away by halfway houses owing to lack of space.

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: Sir, according to our statistics, the total occupancy for the six crisis centres that we now have - the seventh is in the pipeline - has not at any one time reached 100%. In other words, they have, at one time or other, some vacancies at their premises.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, may I have confirmation from the Minister that the Government is considering to bring projects like halfway houses into the so-called approved projects, thereby they will be eligible for financial assistance from the Government, especially the operating costs and recurrent costs?

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: As I said, we are reviewing the situation and we will make recommendations as appropriate.