Child Protection System
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Children need a safe and nurturing environment for their growth and development. As far as possible, children should stay with their families. However, when the family environment becomes unsafe for a child, the child may need to be placed in an alternative environment for his or her safety and well-being.
The Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) provides the legal framework to protect children. It allows relevant authorities to intervene if a child (below the age of 14) or young person (from 14 years to below 18 years of age) is abused or neglected.
Learn more about the definition, signs and symptoms of child abuse.
Child Protection Concerns Exist on a Spectrum
Child abuse can be understood in terms of a range of child protection concerns.
At the lower end of the spectrum would be families with high level of emotional and financial stress. Such families could benefit from more support to help them cope with stressors and provide adequate care for the children.
Parents neglecting their children’s needs, such as failing to provide adequate food, clothing or medical care for their children would present higher level of child protection concerns.
Situations presenting with even more serious child protection concerns would be when parents deliberately cause serious injuries such as cuts, bruises and broken bones to their children and are also unwilling to work with community partners.
Everyone has a role to play in keeping children safe.
Designation of Child Protection Case Management Agencies
Child protection is a collective responsibility shared across government agencies and community partners. Within Singapore's national framework, roles and responsibilities of key agencies are set out to ensure children receive the protection they need.
A key part of this framework is MSF’s Protective Service (PSV), the statutory authority that deals with high-risk child protection cases. Under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA), Protection Officers from PSV are empowered to investigate suspected child abuse and, where necessary, place a child in alternative care, whether family-based or residential, when safety and risk concerns are high. They also work closely with families and partner agencies to address these concerns and support safe, sustainable care for the child.
MSF has also designated selected agencies as Child Protection Case Management (CPCM) Agencies with effect from 1 May 2026. These agencies will lead child protection matters and handle protection-related case management functions.
Case management is a collaborative process where the case manager works in partnership with key agencies and the family to meet their needs comprehensively. In child protection, this includes gathering information to verify concerns, performing safety and risk assessments, and developing and reviewing safety plans to keep a child safe. Having designated agencies lead this work ensures that cases are handled by professionals with the specialised expertise and dedicated resources these matters require. MSF sets out the competency and training standards that CPCM agencies are expected to meet.
Non-CPCM agencies continue to play an important role within the child protection ecosystem. They work closely with CPCM agencies to support families in areas that enhance the well-being of the child, such as childcare, parenting skills, and caregiving support. Close coordination between both types of agencies is essential, with CPCM agencies taking the lead as case managers.
The list of designated CPCM agencies can be retrieved here. This list is accurate as of 1 May 2026 and will be updated as necessary.
Please see below for examples of agencies that provide the continuum of interventions to address child protection concerns.
Diagram 1. Continuum of interventions to address child protection concerns