98% of cases investigated by Child Protective Services resulted in children reunited, staying with parents

SINGAPORE: About 98 % of cases looked into by the Child Protective Service( CPS ) involved children staying with their parents or being reunited with them after being taken away.

In response to CNA’s questions, the Ministry of Social and Family Development( MSF) announced on Tuesday, November 7, that some of them are still undergoing the process of being reunited with their kids.

A health plan is put in place when the baby stays at home with their families. People from outside the home, such as a relative, neighbor, or the school, may often visit the home as part of the safety plan.

In response to a problem from MP Louis Ng( PAP – Nee Soon ), Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli stated on Monday that approximately 2 % of cases examined by the CPS resulted in the baby being unable to return home because their family of origin was determined to be inadequate to properly care for them.

These kids are unable to be reunited with their families of origin for a variety of reasons, such as their parents’ ongoing prison, the serious mental health issues they suffer from, or their refusal to give their child access to an environment that is secure, even when professionals offer treatment and support.

A child in alternative treatment will only be returned to their family after interventions have addressed security and risk issues and the community has made” positive progress” toward reconciliation, Mr. Masagos said in a separate response on Tuesday.

The CPS looks into instances where children and young people have been seriously abused or neglected.

The CPS has been looking into more situations recently, from 415 cases in 2011 to 2, 141 situations by 2021, according to the most current information.

In 2021, more than 440 instances of sexual abuse were looked into, while almost 800 cases were investigated for physical mistreatment.