Child abuse in S’pore continues to rise following record high cases in a decade in 2020; majority cases of neglect

The number of reported child abuse cases in Singapore continues to rise, following a record high in a decade in 2020, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) in research released on Monday (Apr 11).

Since 2015, MSF has introduced more rigorous screening tools and training for professionals such as social workers, educators, counsellors, and health professionals.

The tools and training enable them to quickly pick up safety concerns for a child and seek the appropriate intervention.

MSF has also stepped up public education efforts on child protection and family violence over the years, which helped uncover more cases of concern.

In Feb 2021, MSF officially launched the National Anti-Violence Helpline (NAVH) for reporting cases of family violence, abuse, and neglect.

The hotline operates on a 24/7 basis, where members of the public can report suspected cases of abuse or make general enquiries.

MSF noted that there was an increase in the number of enquiries received in 2021, mainly due to more individuals becoming more aware of family violence and calling the NAVH.

“The increase in the number of cases investigated by MSF Child Protective Service (CPC) in 2021 was in tandem with the increase in enquiries, and this was mainly due to the increased number of referrals from MSF CPS’s partners in the community,” said MSF.

CPS investigated a total of 2,141 cases of abuse in 2021, a 63 per cent jump from the 1,313 cases in 2020.

A majority of the cases investigated were cases of neglect, which saw the sharpest rise from 2020. Such incidents involved children poorly supervised or experienced emotional abuse or medical neglect.

Said increase was mainly due to an increased number of referrals from CPS’s partners in the community, such as Family Service Centres, schools and Child Protection Specialist Centres, noted MSF.

Members of the public can make enquiries or report suspected cases of abuse at 1800-777-0000. /TISG

Infant care teacher abuses 1-year-old, covers head with pillow, slaps cheek and back repeatedly