Low-income families with children will receive more support, which might include helping them save up to buy their own homes or stay employed, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday. This is to “ensure that no family in Singapore gets trapped in a permanent underclass”.
Mr Wong said the Government will provide families in highly-subsidised public rental housing on the Community Link (ComLink) programme with additional support, which will be tied to specific action plans jointly developed between these families and their family coaches.
The Government will train ComLink officers to take up this role of family coach to motivate and work more closely with each family to work to achieve their goal. They will no longer just co-ordinate the provision of social support services, but will also play a stronger role to work with each family to determine and customise the support they need.
“We can consider a higher quantum of support or even longer-term support to families who make progress in areas like staying employed, saving to buy their own home or ensuring their children attend pre-school regularly,” said Mr Wong.
“The additional support will also help ease the families’ short-term financial pressures, even as they made progress towards their longer-term goals.”
The Straits Times
