Chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Social and Family Development Xie Yao Quan has called on the social service sector to “emerge stronger to do even better” for vulnerable children in Singapore. Chairperson of the GPC for Home Affairs and Law Vikram Nair has also urged for clearer guidelines to help frontline workers identify cases needing intervention.
Members from both GPCs will raise questions about the panel’s findings on Megan Khung’s case when Parliament convenes next month.
“The GPC will file Parliamentary Questions on the report, the Government’s position on the findings and the Government’s response to the recommendations on the way forward and its implementational plans.” said Mr Xie in a Facebook post.
“We look forward to a full response from the Government when Parliament sits in November.”
Mr Nair also said he and his colleagues will file questions on this matter at the next parliamentary sitting.
The independent review panel found lapses and shortcomings in how agencies handled the case of Megan Khung and proposed several recommendations.
They include providing additional support for child protection workers, establishing an appeals system to review cases with differing management opinions, and requiring child protection agencies to handle all suspected child abuse cases.
All the agencies involved have accepted the panel’s findings in full.
The independent panel was appointed by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli in May to review the case.
It consisted of social work professionals from National University of Singapore, Singapore University of Social Sciences, and Yayasan MENDAKI and was chaired by Professor Kenneth Poon, the Singapore representative on the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children.
We must support social workers through these tough times
Mr Xie highlighted the significance of the review panel’s report on Megan Khung’s case,
“The report also points to a confluence of factors across the system, rather than a single dominant factor, that led to the failure to prevent Megan’s tragic death,” Mr Xie said. “Crucially, the report suggests a way forward for the sector and the system.”
This includes better resourcing for child protection agencies, and greater information sharing between agencies.
It also calls for stronger support for the social workers and law enforcement officers involved in child protection work. Many of those involved in Megan’s case have blamed themselves and suffered feelings of guilt at not doing enough.
The hard questions asked by PAP MPs in Parliament will be necessary. Importantly, they are calling for greater recognition of social workers in Singapore. Social workers have chosen to do a tough but essential job. Society must help ease their loads.
“Megan’s case demands refreshed commitment from all of us,” Mr Xie emphasised. “We must emerge from this episode stronger and more united in our efforts to better protect our most vulnerable children.”
Protocols must be in place to help frontline workers identify cases requiring intervention: Vikram Nair
Mr Nair described Megan Khung’s case as tragic, noting that she endured suffering no child should ever experience.
“This is not an easy area,” he acknowledged. “Police and social service agencies may sometimes understandably be slow to interfere in households and separate children from parents.”
However, he emphasised that clear protocols “must be in place” for frontline workers to identify cases requiring intervention is needed and to act promptly when needed.
MSF apologises, will do its very best to protect vulnerable children
Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli acknowledged the shortcomings of the government in handling the case: “As the lead for the national child protection ecosystem, I would like to say that we are sorry for the outcome and acknowledge that more should have been done when we handled the case.”
“But our resolve is absolute,” he continued. “We will do everything possible to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies. We will make sure that every link in our child protection ecosystem; every professional and agency; does its very best and more, to protect our vulnerable children.”
