Family Services |
 |
Vision |
|
| To support families to be resilient and self-reliant. |
|
Mission |
|
| To develop key services and enhance effectiveness
in service delivery for families. |
|
Programmes |
|
| a.
Family Services |
|
| b.
Single-parent Family Support Services |
|
| c.
Services for Remarriages and Step-families |
|
| d.
Family Violence Prevention and Intervention Programme |
|
| e.
Counselling Services |
|
| f.
Suicide Prevention Service |
|
| g.
Aftercare Case Management Service |
|
|
a.
Family Services |
|
| A Family Service Centre (FSC)
is a neighbourhood-based focal point of family resources that everyone
can turn to on any family-related matters. They are run by VWOs and
supported by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
and the National Council of Social Service. |
|
| FSCs are located within the
community to make social services more accessible to the public. There
are currently 36 FSCs located around Singapore. |
|
| The FSCs’ objective is to
promote and improve the social well-being of every individual in the
family, at every stage of life. Their services cater both to those
leading fulfilling family lives but wish to find out more about strengthening
family life, as well as those who are facing difficulties and need
assistance on family matters. Everyone, regardless of age, race, gender,
nationality, language, or religion can benefit from FSC services. |
|
| FSCs provide three key services
– Casework and counselling, information and referral, and preventive
developmental programmes. |
|
| Click here to view locations of FSCs. |
|
Casework and Counselling: |
|
| Casework and counselling in
FSCs is provided by trained social workers to help families or individuals
resolve their personal, social and emotional difficulties, and life
challenges. Available counselling services include marital counselling/pre-marital
counselling, behavioural problems/ child management, domestic violence,
financial difficulties, and interpersonal relationships. |
|
Information and Referral Service: |
|
| The information and referral
service links people in need with appropriate community
resources when the FSC is unable to service the client's needs itself.
Individuals may call, walk-in, or write/email their queries on individual
or family-related issues. Sources of referral include schools, hospitals,
grassroots, police, MCYS, self-help groups, companies, etc. |
|
Preventive and Developmental Programmes
(PDPs): |
|
| PDPs focus on preventive and
developmental efforts to complement remedial programmes in helping
specific target groups. Examples of such programmes include Parenting workshops, Support
Groups, Children, Youth and Elderly Programmes. |
|
 |
b.
Single-Parent Family Support Services |
|
| The objective of a Single Parent Programme is to support and promote the psycho-emotional well-being of single parent families towards stability, growth and acceptance of the new family unit. |
|
| The services provided include
family casework and counselling, support groups, programmes for children,
and public education. |
|
|
c.
Services for Remarriages and Step-families |
|
| The programme provides a holistic service to help
re-married couples and their families cope with their new roles and
adjust in their reconstituted families. |
|
| The services provided include family casework and
counselling, support groups, programmes for children, and public education. |
|
|
d.
Family Violence Prevention and Intervention Programme |
|
| Family Violence Prevention and Intervention Programme
aims to support victims, perpetrators and witnesses of family violence.
It also aims to create greater awareness in the community about the
issues of family violence through public education and outreach. |
|
| The programme involves a spectrum of services from
remedial services to preventive and developmental programmes. This
includes casework and counselling, group work, workshops, etc. |
|
|
e.
Counselling Services |
|
| Counselling services
aim to help those suffering from generalised mental health issues,
psychological issues, anxiety, and behavioural difficulties that may
arise from relationship problems, addictions, bereavement and lifestyle
pressures. |
|
| Counselling may be described
as a method of relating and responding to others with the aim of providing
them with opportunities to explore, to clarify and to work towards
living in a more personally satisfying and resourceful way. Counselling
is especially needed at times of crisis or change, such as severe
or traumatic accident, bereavement, life-threatening illness, loss
of employment or of home, marital difficulties or other broken relationships
which disrupt the previous pattern of life. People may find themselves
unable to respond adequately to such situations or to adapt their
mode of life to the changed circumstances. |
|
| Counselling helpline services
are in place to provide a listening ear to anyone who needs to talk
about their concerns. Information and referral is also available for
those with specific needs. |
|
|
f.
Suicide Prevention Service |
|
| The suicide prevention service for distressed individuals
is provided via a 24-hour helpline counselling service provided by
the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS). SOS also provides a 24-hour emergency
squad and immediate on-site help for critically distressed individuals. |
|
|
g.
Aftercare Case Management Service |
|
| The objective of the aftercare case management service
is to facilitate the reintegration of ex-offenders into families and the society. Such service also aims to harness
greater community resources in efforts to reintegrate ex-offenders. |
|
| The aftercare case management service assists ex-offenders
in attaining employment/ job training, securing
accommodation, developing social support and coping skills and attaining
a positive lifestyle. |
|
| |
