SUCCESSFUL STABLE STRONG Lives Families Community ANNUAL 2015 REPORT TABLE OF Contents 2 About Children’s Aid Society 4 Our Mission & Vision Core Values 5 Chairman’s Message 6 Executive Committee Sub-Committees 7 Our Residents 8 Our Staff 9 Our Programmes 15 Activities for 2015 (Highlights) 18 Our Volunteers 21 Our Financials 22 Our Plans and Commitments 23 Our Donors 25 Services Rendered Artwork designed by resident of Melrose Home 26 Financial Report and Statements ABOUT ABOUT CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY Our Beginnings 1880s With a heritage tracing back to the era of British colonial rule in the late 1880s, Children’s Aid Society is among the oldest philanthropic organisations in Singapore. The organization was Sir Cecil Clementi, Governor Melrose Home at 29 Tomlinson Road - Circa 1940s Melrose Home at its new premises at 503 Clementi Road (Circa 1971) originally established of Singapore and President of as St Nicholas Home, Children’s Aid Society but was closed PRESENT DAY in 1900 due to the lack of accommodation 1960s facilities, then reopened as the Children’s Aid After Singapore’s independence, the European Registered under the Societies Act, the Society in 1902. matrons retired and local Singaporeans took Children’s Aid Society’s objective to aid children their place to provide a more local setting to and young persons in need has remained This was made possible through the efforts the Children’s Aid Society. In the late 1960s, fundamentally the same over the decades. An of a group of civic-minded men and women the high cost of maintaining the old Tomlinson Executive Committee is elected from among from the British Colonial Government, bungalow and the need for a bigger boarding its members, forming the governing body for major European companies, and religious house led to the purchase of a property set Melrose Home. organisations. These included the Society’s along a hillock along Clementi Road. first president, Hon. W.R. Collyer (Attorney The Home aims to nurture a supportive General of the Straits Settlements), Sir Cecil 1970s ‘home away from home’ environment for its Clementi (Governor of Singapore, 1930- Melrose Home at its new premises at 503 Clementi Road residents, and has the capacity to provide Our honorary architects, James Ferry & (Circa 1971) 1934), and Sir Thomas Shenton (Governor of quality residential care for 40 children and 40 Partners, designed and built a double storey Singapore, 1934-1942). teenagers between the ages of 3 to 18 years. boarding house with facilities to cater fully to These are individuals whose parents or family the needs of the residents. On 31st October 1930s members are unable to provide appropriate 1969, the First Lady, Puan Noor Aishah, care or sufficient supervision. In 1930, the Society rented a large two-storey officiated at the Foundation Stone Laying colonial bungalow at 29 Tomlinson Road Ceremony of the new Melrose Home at 503 and named it “Melrose Home”. It was run by Clementi Road. The children and staff moved European matrons who sought to give the from Tomlinson Road to their beautiful new Home a family environment, providing warmth, home in April 1970 and in the following care, and emotional support while seeking year of 1971, Mrs Benjamin Sheares officially to instill good moral values in the children. opened Melrose Home. In 1972, Mr T.S. Zain To carry out its charitable work, the Society became the first Singaporean Chairman of the created an endowment fund that received Children’s Aid Society, heralding a new era. generous annual donations from companies, associations and individuals, government grants, and through annual fund-raising efforts. Premises of Melrose Home 2| |3 ABOUT CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OUR MISSION & VISION CORE VALUES VISION COMPASSION Successful Lives, Stable Families, Demonstrate kindness and concern toward Strong Community. every individual. Be sensitive and attentive to needs, be responsive in a timely and MISSION appropriate manner. To help children and young persons in need so that they succeed and contribute to family and INTEGRITY society. Uphold high ethical standards and demonstrate a high level of trust and PASSIO COM N honesty in words and action. PASSION Show passion and commitment to the vision, mission and objectives of the Society. I CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE N N SIO T TEAMWORK N E O S A I E G F L S I R Respect each other’s differences. Look S O S M R I P T A beyond oneself and work in partnership with Y P others, building trust through openness and n 2015, we invested in infrastructure we continued to support the outgoing goodwill. improvement to accommodate the residents under our after-care programme. In PROFESSIONALISM growing needs of residents and staff. We total, Melrose serviced 144 people, including added more heat detectors and installed 70 family members of residents during the Act in the best interest of beneficiaries. I fire rating doors at key areas. We also installed reporting year. Maintain professional competence and seek a card key system to better manage access T EAM WORK self-improvement continually. into our compound as well as to key operation In reaching out and helping children areas. An open-space office was specially and teenagers in need, we shall need the created to facilitate better communication continued support of our partners, donors and and greater collaboration amongst the staff volunteers. We would like to thank all for your Registered as a Society: 19.12.1962 team. We also repainted our main building, generous contributions that have touched the giving a fresher look, inside and out. lives of residents in Melrose. ROS Reference Number: 0990/1947 WEL UEN Number: S62SS0031K Along with the Nation, residents and staff We are grateful for the guidance and Institution of Public Character Number: IPC000456 joined in the celebration and enjoyed many support from the Ministry of Social & Family activities that marked Singapore’s 50th Development, the Charity Council, and the Registered Address: 503 Clementi Road, Singapore 599488 Birthday. These included the spectacular National Council of Social Service. Charity Trustees Bankers: HSBC Trustee (S) Ltd closing ceremony of the 27th Southeast Asian Games held in Singapore. Children’s Aid Finally, I would like to thank my fellow Bankers: Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd Society also continued to benefit from the committee members for their unwavering United Overseas Bank Ltd national Care and Share movement initiated support and diligence; and our staff team, for Auditors: Deloitte & Touche LLP, Shared Services for Charities Ltd to mark the nation’s Golden Jubilee. their dedication in ensuring high standards Honorary Legal Advisors: Allen & Gledhill LLP of care for our residents. Their diligence and During the year, we recorded 14 new dedicated service have made the difference. Honorary Doctors: Drs Bain & Partners, Chang Clinic admissions into Melrose. An equal number Honorary Advisors: Dr Chang Tou Liang - Medical Practitioner of residents were discharged as they were Jarrod Ong Chew Yeang Dr Jazmyn Chelliah - Child Psychologist able to return home to improved family Chairman environment. To ensure smooth transitions, Executive Committee 4| Artwork designed by resident of Melrose Home |5 THE COMMITTEES OUR RESIDENTS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Our residents are children and teenagers aged between 3 and Melrose Home is governed by an Executive Committee, which is elected every two years 18 years who need care and protection in a residential setting. from among its members. The Executive Committee is responsible for setting policies and elrose Home provides a supportive overseeing key operational and financial aspects of Melrose. All EXCO members have also to environment for these children 74 be members of a sub-committee. and teenagers, whose parents residents in total were cared for in 2015. M or family members are unable Chairman Chairman, Finance Sub-Committee to provide them with adequate care and Jarrod Ong Giselia Giam supervision. 70 family members were engaged through our services. Vice Chairman Chairman, Fund Raising Sub-Committee Residents under the care of Melrose can be Stephen Yeap Elizabeth Martin-Chua broadly categorised as: • Statutory Cases – directed for admission 14 Hon Secretary Chairman, Audit Sub-Committee by the Juvenile Court under a Care and new residents were admitted to Melrose Home. Elaine Lim Johnny Quah Protection Order. Since 2010, Melrose also began to admit Beyond Parental Control Hon Treasurer Members (BPC) cases 14 Giselia Giam Datuk Tuan Azad Zain • Child Protection Cases – referred by the were discharged and returned to their homes Dawn Ng Ministry of Social & Family Development as family conditions had improved. Henry Yeo Wee Heng Chairman, Staff & Admin Sub-Committee (MSF) Huang Cheng Eng Irene Chia • Compassionate Grounds Cases – referred 16 by families, social service and community Chairman, Children & Programme Sub- ex-residents were in the aftercare programme, agencies Committee so that continued support could be rendered Peggy Ann Desker for successful reintegration. Number of Residents in Residential Care (as of the last day of the month): SUB-COMMITTEES Child Statutory Compassionate Months Male Female Children Teenagers Protection Total Cases Ground Cases The Sub-Committees oversee the management of Melrose and work closely with the Executive Cases Director to ensure quality care for our residents. All the Committee members are volunteers January 35 23 37 21 7 47 4 58 from different professions