[Embargoed till 7 September 2019, 5.30 pm]

Media Release

______

6 September 2019

News Editor

INTEGRATED CARE PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES LAUNCHES IN SOUTH WEST

 New integrated upstream intervention programme to support young children in South West District

 New Memorandum of Understanding by the South West Community Development Council and five (5) community partners to provide child-centric and wraparound programme for young children and their families

 New community scouting programme in South West as part of upstream intervention efforts to encourage intermingling of students with different needs by tapping on peer support and camaraderie to build an inclusive environment

Six community partners including South West Community Development Council (CDC) will be launching the Integrated Care Programme @ South West this Saturday, 7 September 2019, at Keat Hong Community Club (CC). This

Page 1 of 7 programme provides holistic child-centric assistance to improve social mobility of identified students and their families in the South West District through targeted interventions.

2 Integrated Care Programme (ICP) @ South West is the first integrated upstream intervention programme in South West District to improve the social mobility of at-risk primary school students. In line with the ‘Many Helping Hands’ approach, the programme integrates the strengths, resources and commitment of stakeholders to provide wrap-around care to help children in-need and their families. The programme uses a standardised screening tool 1 and database system 2 to ensure all identified students’ relevant data are recorded and accessible by relevant partners. The help schemes offered by different organisations are aggregated in the system to better match schemes to those who need them. With a good referral system, students’ caregivers can get faster referral to the relevant social agencies when the need arises.

Targeted interventions for students with different needs

3 Students are screened and grouped according to their different need levels. Intervention programmes offered by various partners are available to provide targeted help to students depending on their different need levels. For instance, students assessed as high-needs will go through a school based scouting intervention programme that comprises experiential and value-based activities by The Scout Association. The programme will help inculcate values and instil confidence in the high-needs children group through the various scouting activities.

1 Family Adult and Support Tool (FAST)-CDC Screener, or FAST-CDC in short, a Case Management system developed by Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) to identify and categorise students according to their needs levels.

2 PICARY software tracks students’ needs and progress. Page 2 of 7

Encouraging intermingling of students

4 Apart from providing holistic assistance to the identified students, ICP @ South West also ensures the integration of students of different needs through intermingling in an effort to promote an inclusive community. Students identified for school based scouting would join mainstream students in the community scouting group by The Singapore Scout Association and Keat Hong Grassroots Organisations (GROs). This allows the students to interact, bond and make friends with each other through participating in various activities under the scouting programme. By sharing common experiences and forming friendships with other mainstream students, students in-need can tap on peer support and camaraderie to build a sense of belonging to the community. This peer support and sense of belonging to the group can help motivate identified students to thrive academically.

5 11-year-old student Tan Yu An from Teck Whye Primary School, a participant of the school based scouting programme, shares, “I enjoy going for the scouting programme as there are many opportunities for me to try new activities and make new friends with people from different age and ethnic groups. We play games like football and badminton together, which taught me the importance of teamwork where we should look out for each other and work together to achieve our goals. I look forward to try new activities with my friends, such as the upcoming prawning activity!”

6 Mayor Low Yen Ling says, “Early intervention can have lasting positive effects for children at risk. This initiative weaves a strong net of care around them – from practical help provided by government agencies, schools and social workers, to character-building opportunities and localised assistance offered by the Scouts and grassroots leaders. We hope to bridge gaps so that no child is left behind. When the community rallies around those in need, we put up a healthy buttress against social immobility and shore up our unity and resilience.”

Page 3 of 7

7 “We are delighted to come on board as a partner in the Integrated Care Programme @ South West. The Scout Programme is designed to help youths to develop self-confidence and self-discipline. The scouting skills will equip them to be resilient and assume leadership roles. All our scouting activities are inclusive and it integrates youths from diverse backgrounds to claim ownership in playing a constructive role in the community,” said Mr Antong Shahrudin, Chief Commissioner of The Singapore Scout Association.

8 Ms Goh-Ang Kai Fen, Lead Social Worker of SHINE Children and Youth Services says, “Providing targeted interventions based on different needs is important to ensure that students and their families receive relevant help to address the various issues faced at home. Through the Motivated 2 Grow (M2G) Groupwork programme in schools, we hope to support students with moderate needs to enhance their motivation and confidence levels.”

9 ICP @ South West is a joint partnership between Keat Hong GROs, Ministry of Social and Family Development, SHINE Children and Youth Services, The Singapore Scout Association, Trampolene Limited and South West CDC. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed between all partners and two (2) schools in Chua Chu Kang constituency to officiate the launch of the programme.

10 Details of the event are as follows:

Event : Integrated Care Programme @ South West

Date : Saturday, 7 September 2019

Time : 4.55 pm to 5.50 pm (Media is invited at 4.40 pm)

Venue : Keat Hong Community Club

2 Loop

Page 4 of 7

Singapore 689687

Guest of : Mr

Honour Minister for Health and

Adviser to Chua Chu Kang Grassroots Organisations

Special : Mr

Guest Minister of State, Ministry of National Development, and Ministry of Manpower, & Adviser to Keat Hong Grassroots Organisations

Host : Ms Low Yen Ling

Mayor of South West District

11 We would like to invite your reporter and photographer/TV crew to Integrated Care Programme @ South West. Interviews can be arranged upon request. Please contact our media liaison officer for queries. We look forward to receiving you and your crew/photographer.

Page 5 of 7

Media Liaison Officers

Ms Teri Quek Assistant Manager (Corporate Management & Communications) South West Community Development Council DID: 6551 9278 Mobile: 9747 5500 Email: [email protected]

Ms Joan Lai Manager (Projects Management & Development) South West Community Development Council DID: 6551 9286 HP: 9820 5358 Email: [email protected]

About the South West Community Development Council (CDC)

The South West Community Development Council (CDC) was formed on 24 November 2001, with the mission to Assist the Needy, Bond the People and Connect the Community. Through local help programmes, the South West CDC provides assistance to help the less fortunate in our community. The South West CDC also organises projects and programmes to promote community bonding and social cohesion. The South West CDC adopts the "Many Helping Hands" approach to encourage community ownership among residents, community partners and corporations to realise its vision of “Owning Your Community”.

Page 6 of 7

Programme

Time Administrative Programme 4.55 pm Arrival of Host

5.00 pm Arrival of GOH Arrival of Special Guest 5.05 pm Our Community Camp 2019 @ South West Video Highlights 5.10 pm Welcome Address by Mayor

5.15 pm Address by GOH

5.20 pm Launch of Integrated Care Programme @ South West via MOU Signing Group Photo taking 5.30 pm Launch of Keat Hong Scouts Logo & Scouts Investiture 5.40 pm Tour of Partners’ Booths on programmes for young families *Media doorstop interview will be arranged upon request. 5.50 pm End of VIP programme

Page 7 of 7