FAMILY SERVICE CENTRES (Counselling services)

FAMILY SERVICE CENTRES:

(Counselling services): 1.

Dr Chong Weng Chiew asked the Minister for Community Development and Sports (a) how many of the Family Service Centres (FSC) which provide

Column: 3415

counselling services for crisis management operate beyond office hours; and (b) whether his Ministry will consider rendering FSC more resources to increase the number that can operate beyond office hours, on weekends and public holidays in order to better assist the distressed with urgent counselling needs.

The Minister for Community Development and Sports (Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: ): Mr Speaker, Sir, casework and counselling is a core programme of all Family Service Centres (FSCs). All 36 FSCs are open during normal office hours with some extending their operational hours in the evenings to meet the needs of their clients. Where necessary, FSCs will also respond to the cases known to them for crisis management beyond office hours.

Currently, 23 or two-thirds of all FSCs are already providing services beyond office hours. After office hours, families or individuals that need urgent intervention during a crisis can seek assistance from other existing resources within the community. These include 24-hour Helplines such as the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), as well as crisis shelters. Where relevant, for example, in cases of family violence or child abuse, the public can also call the Neighbourhood Police Centres. FSCs currently work closely with these agencies to follow up on such cases, where necessary.

I am pleased to inform the Member that my Ministry is currently conducting a comprehensive review of FSCs. In this review, we will rationalise and better integrate the role of FSCs and other social service providers to meet the needs of the community. This will include resources required for FSCs to better meet the needs of individuals and families.

Dr Chong Weng Chiew (Tanjong Pagar: ): I would like to ask the Minister

Column: 3416

whether there is any consideration in the review to have all FSCs offer services after office hours, especially with regard to counselling services.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, at the moment, we do not see the need for all FSCs to operate beyond office hours. We have, as mentioned in my reply, 23 out of 36 FSCs operating beyond office hours and some of them do it on their own because they see the need to cater for clients who may need services in the night. We will ask our FSCs to put up information on the notice board to allow residents who need to get some help after the FSCs have closed for the day to turn to other appropriate agencies. At the moment, I cannot say confidently that all FSCs do have this information up on their notice board. We will ask all the FSCs to put up all the relevant information so that in case of an emergency, a family that turns up at a FSC which is closed, they can turn to other sources which are available within the community.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam (Nominated Member: ): Could I ask the Minister regarding the national hotline number 1800? Can that be operated on 24 hours with reference to FSCs locally?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, at the moment, you can call the helpline anytime but there will not be a person after office hours. You can leave a message and someone will call you back. Whether or not we can extend it beyond the normal office hours, we will have to look at that in terms of its viability.

Assoc. Prof. Ngiam Tee Liang (Nominated Member: ): Sir, in view of the new social assistance schemes that are in place or will be in place like HOPE, WAP, etc, FSCs probably would be asked to shoulder more of the cases referred from CDCs and meet-the people sessions and other sources. The question of resources

Column: 3417

is therefore pertinent. What new measures and provisions will be available for them?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, with respect to these new programmes, the resources are now given to the CDCs because the CDCs are managing the programme. But as I have mentioned in my reply, we are reviewing the role of the FSCs and we will study the resources that they may need to carry out these additional responsibilities.

Dr Chong Weng Chiew: Sir, I have two supplementary questions. The first question is currently, all the FSCs have the same funding, regardless of whether or not they provide counselling or crisis management services beyond office hours. So is there a necessity to review this funding mechansim?

The second question is this. I am glad that the Minister mentioned that about two-thirds of the FSCs operate after office hours. But from what I know, a resident who is not being serviced by one FSC and he goes to another FSC for service, especially in the case of a crisis management, he is expected to pay a fee, and the fee can be as high as $70 per session. Is there a need to change this practice?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, all FSCs are given a budget based upon what is the projected workload that they would have to handle every year. We are reviewing the entire role of FSCs, with a view to strengthening some of the resources that may be needed. But the principle of whether we want to mandate all FSCs to open up beyond office hours is something that we have to consider very, very carefully. At the end of the day, we have to see whether or not there is a real need for all FSCs. At the moment, as I have mentioned, 23 FSCs are already open beyond office hours primarily because they want to service some of

Column: 3418

their clients whom they are familiar with, who are working and they come back in the evening. Therefore, they need to meet counsellors beyond office hours.

Sir, at the moment, MCDS does not feel that there is a need for us to extend the operating hours of all FSCs beyond office hours. But whether we will increase the funding or not in response to what Prof. Ngiam has asked earlier, because of the additional work, we will study their needs carefully.

On the second question, all FSCs impose a charge for counselling. It ranges from being free up to about $50 or so. If a particular constituent is referred to or goes to another FSC outside his boundary, he will also be charged. The charge has nothing to do with the fact that he is outside that boundary because all FSCs impose a small fee. But, Sir, any client who comes to the FSC and who cannot pay will not be turned away. That is the fundamental principle. If the hon. Member knows of any specific case that warrants my attention, I would be most happy to look into it.