1. Mr Speaker, on behalf of the Minister for Social and Family Development, I move, “That the Bill be now read a second time.”
A. Introduction
2. Many Singaporeans have opportunities to flourish and thrive at every life stage. This is part of our social compact, where Singaporeans have access to opportunities and are valued, regardless of their background or circumstances.
3. However, some amongst us may not have sufficient means to provide for themselves and may need additional assistance.
B. State of the Social Residential Home Sector
4. Social residential homes provide alternative care arrangements for the most vulnerable among us. Today, MSF oversees more than 60 social residential homes that provide 24/7 residential care to almost 4,000 residents.
a. These include seniors and vulnerable adults, children and young persons in need of care and protection, persons with disabilities, and destitute persons.
b. Members in this House may be familiar with some social residential homes.
i. Chen Su Lan Methodist Home, for example, operates a Children’s Home and a Children Disability Home within the same compound. This home provides residential care to children in need of care and protection, including some with developmental needs.
ii. Thye Hua Kwan is another example. They operate seven social residential homes that provide residential care to children and adults with disabilities, and destitute persons.
5. Social residential homes have existed in Singapore, long before we gained independence. In the past 60 years, we have journeyed with the sector to provide good quality care to residents through funding, licensing and training.
a. The Government first started funding Children’s Homes in the 1960s. In the 70s and 80s, funding was extended to Homes caring for seniors and persons with disabilities.
b. To improve the quality of care in Homes, we further introduced a licensing regime for Sheltered Homes under the Homes for the Aged Act in 1988, as well as Homes for Children and Young Persons, which include Children’s Homes and Children Disability Homes, under the amendments to the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) in 2011.
c. We also recognised the need to equip their staff with specialised skillsets to care for persons in residential care. In 2011, MSF and the Social Service Institute developed certificate programmes in residential care. To date, about 1,500 professionals have been trained.
d. More recently, in 2024, MSF and SG Enable introduced a skills and competency framework to guide Disability Sector Professionals, such as care staff and social workers, in effectively supporting and providing training for persons with disabilities.
e. Over the years, care models have evolved to better meet residents’ needs. Today, we adopt a tiered approach for the Children’s Homes, where more intensive care is provided to children with higher care needs.
C. Impetus and Objectives of the Social Residential Homes Bill
6. The Social Residential Homes Bill is a proactive step taken by MSF to codify the good progress that has been made in raising the quality of care provided by the sector over the years.
a. The first question people ask tends to be “Why now?”. To be clear, we are not coming from a position of deficit. Incidents of a serious nature are rare, and our Homes are upholding good standards.
b. The introduction of the Bill is to prepare for the future. Looking ahead, our population is rapidly ageing, and family sizes are shrinking.
c. The Government continues to strengthen efforts to help our seniors age in place, and enable persons with disabilities to live with dignity and participate in the community. Nonetheless, we recognise that there will be always some who are more vulnerable, who will need residential care.
d. It is therefore important that we continually strive for higher quality care in social residential homes.
7. This Bill will uplift the quality of care across the social residential home sector and strengthen safeguards for the safety and well-being of residents.
a. Under this Bill, we will consolidate the existing licensing regimes for Sheltered Homes, and Homes for Children and Young Persons, which comprises Children’s Homes and Children Disability Homes. In addition, unlicensed Homes – which are mostly governed today through funding agreements – will now be brought under the ambit of this Bill.
b. In total, 61 Homes with about 4,000 residents will come under this Bill – a significant increase from the 35 Homes (with approximately 1,100 residents) that are currently licensed.
8. To arrive at this Bill, we conducted many engagements with the different stakeholders, such as Home operators, board members and members of the public.
9. I would like to express my appreciation to all operators and board members of the 61 Homes who have worked closely with us to develop this Bill.
a. Your views, ideas and feedback have helped us to better understand the needs in our social residential home landscape.
b. So, thank you for your active participation in co-creating solutions with us and for your tireless work over the years to care for our residents.
D. Explanation of terms used in the Bill
10. Before I go into the key provisions, allow me to first clarify the three main groups of people mentioned in the Bill.
a. First, the licensee. This refers to entities or individuals who are responsible and accountable for the overall compliance with requirements in the Bill.
b. Second, the key appointment holders. These refers to individuals who are responsible for strategic leadership and overall management of the Home.
c. Third, the person-in-charge. This refers to the head of the Home who oversees day-to-day management of Home operations.
11. I will now turn to the key provisions of the Bill, which are grouped into three key areas.
a. First, setting clear standards for Homes to deliver quality care.
b. Second, establishing stronger safeguards for residents’ safety and well-being.
c. Third, introducing a comprehensive enforcement framework as a deterrence against errant operators.
E. Key Area 1: Clear standards for Homes to deliver quality care
12. The first key area is setting clear standards for Homes to deliver quality care.
a. MSF will issue Codes of Practice, which comprises regulatory requirements pertaining to key areas, such as (i) governance of the Home, (ii) management of premises, (iii) resident management and (iv) incident management.
b. Today, some Homes already comply with standards as set out in our service model requirements, in order to receive funding.
c. Moving forward, these Codes of Practice will provide greater clarity to both operators and residents on the standards of care that are expected from operators.
d. These Codes of Practice will be issued after close consultation with operators, with guidance and support from MSF to ensure that Homes can meet the specified requirements.
F. Key Area 2: Stronger safeguards for residents’ safety and well-being
13. The second key area focuses on stronger safeguards for residents’ safety and well-being.
a. Home residents require 24/7 care and are heavily reliant on others to fulfil daily living needs, such as dressing and toileting. Other residents are children. These are highly vulnerable persons.
b. It is therefore necessary to ensure that residents not only receive quality care and support, but are also safeguarded from harm in these Homes.
c. Our Home operators share this common commitment with us.
i. Mr Michael Gan, CEO of the Bishan Home for the Intellectually Disabled, commended the Bill for building on good foundations our sector has already established. He described these clear parameters as a step towards greater accountability to help us achieve our common goal of residents’ safety and well-being.
ii. Ms Nura Binte Hassan, the head of Bukit Batok Home for the Aged, has been part of this sector for more than 10 years, and has seen the progress that we have made over this time. She, too, welcomes the Bill as a timely move that provides clarity to the sector and reaffirms our collective commitment towards the welfare and overall wellbeing of residents.
14. We will put in place measures to ensure residents are not placed at risk of harm in the Home. Firstly, it will be mandatory for all licensees, key appointment holders, person-in-charge, staff and other individuals who perform prescribed duties, such as vendors who provide direct care to residents, to undergo a suitability assessment.
a. This requirement is not new to most of the Home operators. Today, suitability assessments already apply to staff in our funded Homes, as well as, licensees and staff in our licensed Homes.
b. Under the Bill, we will extend this practice to all other Homes.
i. We want to be sure that only individuals with good standing are allowed to be deployed in the Homes. This would ensure continuity of Home operations, and continuity of care for residents within.
ii. In so doing, we can also provide assurance to residents, their family members as well as operators that individuals deployed in these Homes can be trusted to provide quality care to residents.
15. Second, the use of reasonable force or mechanical restraints is prohibited unless under specified circumstances.
a. Today, some residents may exhibit aggressive or challenging behaviours due to underlying root causes, such as psychiatric conditions. These behaviours may put them at risk of harming themselves or others.
b. Under strictly defined circumstances, the use of reasonable force and/or mechanical restraints by properly trained staff could help to ensure that residents do not further harm themselves, or other persons in the Home, like fellow residents or staff.
c. We take a firm stance against any unauthorised or excessive use of force or mechanical restraints. Therefore, MSF will set out the parameters within which the use of force or mechanical restraints would be permitted under the Bill, to deter against any potential forms of abuse.
16. Under the Bill, MSF will appoint a Board of Visitors to conduct independent checks on social residential homes.
a. The Board of Visitors comprises professionals who complement MSF’s licensing inspections to ensure that residents reside in safe and sanitary premises.
b. The Board of Visitors visits Homes regularly to check on its premises, speak to residents, and provide third-party feedback to MSF on the Home’s living conditions and standards of care. They will also share best practices with the Homes they visit.
c. Today, some Homes, such as Welfare Homes and Children’s Homes, are already visited regularly by a Board of Visitors and have benefitted from such visits.
i. For Marymount Centre, a Children’s Home, these visits have provided a fresh perspective on the Home’s operations and enabled them to identify areas for improvement.
ii. For Bukit Batok Home for the Aged, the staff have come to regard such visits as invaluable opportunities for learning of best practices from other Homes.
d. We will therefore extend this good practice to other Homes through this Bill.
G. Key Area 3: Comprehensive enforcement framework as a deterrent against errant operators
17. The third key area focuses on a comprehensive enforcement framework to deter against errant operators.
a. To be clear, our Homes have been providing good care to residents. We have worked well with operators to continuously review the care provided and where needed, made operational adjustments to uphold quality care.
b. Nonetheless, we do not take for granted that egregious incidents will never happen in our Homes. Our residents are highly vulnerable, and we need effective levers to prevent and manage incidents, should they occur.
c. Therefore, under this Bill, we have introduced a comprehensive enforcement framework as a deterrent against errant operators.
18. Under the Bill, MSF may take a range of regulatory action against errant operators.
a. As part of a graduated approach to enforcement, we have introduced a range of tools that will allow us to take regulatory actions that correspond to the degree of harm caused.
b. Regulatory actions under the existing licensing regimes in the Homes for the Aged Act and Children and Young Persons Act are limited.
i. Today, we can revoke a licence if a regulatory breach has occurred. However, some regulatory breaches could be minor and need not warrant a revocation of licence.
ii. Instead, it may be more appropriate to shorten the Home’s licence tenure and allow the Home a chance to rectify such breaches. We are not able to do so today.
c. It is therefore timely for MSF to update our suite of regulatory actions.
d. Under the Social Residential Homes Bill, in addition to the revocation of licence, we can also modify, shorten, or suspend licences, and these would be more appropriate for less severe breaches.
19. MSF may also pursue criminal penalties for more serious contraventions.
a. Today, residents in our Homes are already protected under other legislation, such as the Children and Young Persons Act and the Penal Code. MSF also closely manages our funded homes through funding agreements, to make sure residents are safe and well.
b. Under the Social Residential Homes Bill, we have taken the opportunity to review the penalty quanta to be imposed for egregious offences.
i. For example, under MSF’s Homes for the Aged Act, operating a Sheltered Home without a licence may warrant a fine of no more than $5,000, or imprisonment for no more than 2 years, or both. This is the maximum penalty that can be imposed.
ii. Under this Bill, the offence of operating a Home without a licence may now warrant a fine of no more than $100,000, with no change to the maximum jail term. This signals the importance of the safety and well-being of residents, who are vulnerable.
c. We recognise that Homes have concerns about the penalties under this Bill. Many operators in this space are driven by a sense of compassion and a deep sense of social responsibility, and many of their Board members who are themselves, volunteers.
i. First and foremost, MSF will take a developmental and supportive stance. Our goal is not to be punitive at the outset, but to support Homes in meeting standards that safeguard the well-being of their residents.
ii. We intend to work closely with Homes to uplift the sector. To operators of live-in care facilities who are uncertain about their licensing obligations, we encourage you to reach out to MSF for support, as we transition to this new framework.
iii. Further, to assuage Homes’ concerns, we will set out the responsibilities of each stakeholder in our Regulations and Codes of Practice. Homes will be consulted in this exercise conducted later this year.
20. MSF will also be able to issue step-in orders to temporarily take over a failing operator’s Home for continuity of care for residents.
a. As far as possible, MSF will work closely with operators to promptly resolve operational issues.
b. However, we recognise that some operators may not be able do so even with other measures, such as capability building and regulatory action, in place.
c. We must therefore have a fallback plan to minimise disruption and ensure the safety, welfare or well-being of the residents in the Home. This is when step-in powers will be activated.
d. This may take the form of appointing a third party to advise the licensee on the Home’s operations or a temporary transfer of residents to another Home. Should there be a need, MSF may also appoint another operator to temporarily take over operations to ensure continuity of care for residents.
H. Implementation Plan
21. MSF will adopt a risk-based regulatory approach. As a start, we will license social residential homes that provide long-term and 24/7 residential care.
a. Homes that fall under the scope of the Social Residential Homes Bill are Adult Disability Homes, which includes Adult Disability Hostels, Homes for Children and Young Persons which comprises Children’s Homes and Children Disability Homes, Sheltered Homes and Welfare Homes.
b. Operators whose homes fall under this scope have been consulted and notified of our intent to license the respective Homes. For the other operators who are unsure if you fall under the scope of the Bill, please step forward to check with us in MSF.
c. Should the needs of clients in other Home types evolve, we will review whether to extend the licensing regime to these Homes as well. Consultations with the relevant stakeholders will be carried out as part of these reviews.
I. Transition Support Package
22. To support operators in transitioning to a new licensing regime, MSF and NCSS have set aside a $33 million Transition Support Package (TSP) for all social residential homes that will be licensed under this Bill. This is on top of ongoing adjustments to our programme funding for social residential homes.
a. With this funding, Homes will be able to invest in:
i. Training for staff in critical areas such as management of violent behaviours by residents. This will help to keep both residents and staff in our Homes safe.
ii. Updating or installing CCTV systems, to enable Homes to better monitor the safety of residents. This will also function as a deterrent against any form of abuse against residents or staff.
iii. Change management efforts, such as planning and reviewing internal work processes, to adhere to the regulatory requirements under this Bill.
23. The Transition Support Package has been well-received by Home operators.
a. The components of this package were designed based on operators’ feedback and suggestions on support that would help them transition successfully to the new licensing regime.
b. To our Home operators, we are committed to supporting you in this journey.
24. Besides the Transition Support Package, MSF will also offer developmental consultations to social residential homes.
a. These developmental consultations form a key part of our pre-implementation preparation. They will provide operators with greater clarity on key areas of improvement that they will need to focus on as they prepare to onboard the new licensing regime.
b. It will also enable MSF to provide operators with more targeted support and guidance under this Bill.
J. Ongoing Sector-Wide Moves to Build Capability and Improve Working Environment for Staff
25. I have shared extensively about the enhanced safeguards for residents’ safety and well-being that we will introduce under this Bill. I will now touch on what we are doing for the Homes’ staff.
26. The safety and well-being of staff are equally important to us.
a. MSF adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards abuse or harassment of staff.
b. Staff in these Homes are “public service workers” under the Protection from Harassment Act 2014 and as such, will receive enhanced protection under that Act.
c. Any person who abuses staff in the Homes can also be taken to task under the Penal Code 1871.
27. Beyond the Bill, MSF and NCSS will continue to work closely with the sector to develop a strong and resilient social service workforce.
a. I want to convey my heartfelt appreciation to all staff working in our Homes. To all the dedicated staff, we want to express our deepest gratitude because we know your work is not easy. The challenges you face require strength, passion and most of all, compassion. The residents rely on you and your care, and I want to assure you that your contributions are appreciated every single day, even though the residents may not say it. We value your hard work and contributions and will continue to invest in your growth and well-being.
i. We regularly review the NCSS Skills and Salary Guidelines and work with Social Service Agencies to ensure that salaries in the sector are competitive with comparable roles in competing markets.
ii. Your professional development matters to us. We have chartered progression pathways through the Skills Framework for Social Service and will continue to provide support for staff to be equipped with the necessary competencies to upskill themselves and effectively deliver care.
iii. We recognise that work in the social services can be demanding, which is why we are providing resources to both employers and employees. For instance, NCSS works closely with Social Service Agencies to develop stronger organisational capabilities and create a supportive workplace environment. While we work to equip and empower leaders in Social Service Agencies to create a supportive work environment, social service employees can also access well-being support resources provided by NCSS.
K. Conclusion
28. Sir, let me conclude. This Bill reflects the Government’s commitment to uplift and strengthen support for the most vulnerable among us, in partnership with our community partners.
29. The Bill builds upon past efforts by the Government and the social residential home operators to provide good quality care for our residents. We will continue to work closely with the Homes to achieve our collective vision to care for the vulnerable in our society, to realise our ambition for a caring Singapore where no one is left behind.