Programmes to identify and support children affected by adverse childhoon experiences

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2948 

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 14 OCTOBER 2024

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim

Nominated MP

Question No. 6351

To ask the Minister for Health what programmes or resources are available within the Government and the community healthcare system to help identify and support children and young persons affected by adverse childhood experiences.

Answer

1 I thank Associate Professor Razwana for raising three separate parliamentary questions to MOH, MOE and MSF, in relation to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). MOH will be addressing the question from the community health and healthcare angle.  

2 As stated in the MSF reply, the ACEs effect can be mitigated or prevented. 

3 Nevertheless, several programmes are in place to identify and offer support to those who have been exposed to ACEs. IMH’s programme on Forensic Rehabilitation, Intervention, Evaluation & Network Development Services, or FRIENDS for short, provides integrated multi-disciplinary assessment and intervention for youth victims of abuse. IMH also conducts a Resilience Programme which enhances the well-being and resilience of children whose parents have mental illnesses, through family-based psychoeducation workshops.

4 Additionally, children with signs of exposure to ACEs may be identified when they present at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). KKH has two programmes to support children with ACEs. Firstly, the Anchor Start programme provides timely and comprehensive screening for young children up to six years old with suspected abuse and neglect as well as counselling and psychoeducation for the affected children and their families. Secondly, KKH’s Project RESTORE (REach the unreached, STrengthen Our community to support & REspond to families) trains community partners to provide psychological support and therapy to traumatised children and their caregivers. 

5 Community mental health services such as Youth Community Outreach Teams (CREST-Youth) and Youth Integrated Teams (YITs) also provide mental health support to youths with mental health needs arising from stressors such as ACEs.