Social Welfare Policy and Service Delivery in Singapore

Social welfare policy and service delivery in Singapore
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Introduction
The write up outlines the historical development of social service delivery in
Singapore since the year 1819 up to the present day (Baldock, Mitton, Vickerstaff, 2011).The
discussion will describe those historical factors that developed in Singapore how they have
affected the social delivery service in Singapore. Also I will analyse the continuous
development of social service delivery in Singapore for the prolonged period of time.
The table below analyses how social service delivery developed in Singapore. It comprise the
historical development in Singapore including domination of Singapore by the British back in
1800s (Béland & Cox, 2010).Each part analyses the specific phase involved in development
of social service delivery process in the country.
(a).How historical factors have affected the social service delivery in Singapore
Historical development of social service delivery process in Singapore (Blau &
Abramovitz, 2010).
Time Historical principles in reference with the social service
delivery
1819-1875 Presence of minimal intervention social service delivery –presence
of laessez-faire
1875-1943 Increased concern for social welfare in Singapore
1943-1945 Occupation of Singapore by the Japanese
1945-1960 Social service delivery program in Singapore describe as the
national rebuilt for social welfare in Singapore.
1960-1969 Blossoming of the entire social service delivery in Singapore
1992-2001-present Transformation of social service in Singapore and Growth of

professionalism in Singapore
From the table above I will use the principles outlined so as to describe how historical factors
have influenced the social service welfare in Singapore.
Presence of minimal intervention of social service delivery –presence of laessez-faire
From this phase we identify the aspect of setting up a scene, identifying the problems
faced in early days in Singapore and the aspect of network of mutual assistance based on
social service in Singapore.
Choon (2010) explains the issue of setting scene. He describes that Singapore was very much
controlled by the sole reasons whereby the issue of social welfare was minimal in the country
(p.34). This is because it was majorly motivated by the economic factors. On viewing the
problems faced there was presence of handoffs whereby resources were allocated
inappropriately in the country. The influx of immigrants in Singapore resulted to inadequacy
in the country. Resources were void for instance houses, educational facilities and health care
services were nowhere to get in the country (Feldbaum & Michaud,2010).The other aspect at
this period was the issue of networks to propagate mutual aid in the country. Since the
colonial government took away the available resources that were used to boost the social
welfare in the country, immigrants in Singapore came up with the new methods of enhancing
social service delivery in the country. This promoted mutual aid in the country and later
boosting the sense of security.
Increased concern for social welfare in Singapore
This phase included the policies such as the Laissez –Faire, the policies on Chinese
protectorate and other milestones on issue of social service delivery in the Singapore. Starting
on the Laissez –Faire whereby the colonial government started to acknowledge the

importance of social service delivery in the country. This occurred since most of the
missionaries pressured the British government to appreciate the importance of social welfare
to the people of Singapore. Garthwait (2016) explains how missionaries geared the move to
end the problems of social service delivery in Singapore (p.87). On the phase of Chinese
protectorate the aim was to establish policies to protect the labour and immigrants in the
country .The Chinese protectorate continued to fight for the trust and human in Singapore and
later on the policy started unofficial practices such as medication, issue of marriage
counselling and divorce advice. In addition after development of Chinese protectorate there
started a number of private groups in the country who continued to provide the social services
in the Singapore. These private organizations included the missionaries and the early
philanthropists in Singapore. Developments in different fields started whereby things such as
Singapore General Hospital started a new award for the children back in 1933.
Occupation of Singapore by the Japanese
During this phase the country was faced by the shortages in food supply and also
increased health hazards .This era was characterised by deaths and spread of diseases in
Singapore (Hill & Lian, 2013).This suggests that health services were inadequate and
increased failure in maintaining the health service measures and practices such as mosquito
control in the country. There were no social service activities at this time since Japanese had
blocked all the channels used by the Chinese to provide services to Singapore.
National rebuilt for social welfare in Singapore.
It was this era whereby the country established the Social Welfare Department (SWD)
in the year 1946.The aim was to come up with an organization that will assist in providing the
social service delivery in Singapore and that’s why colonial government decided to form the
SWD .Jenson and Fraser, (2015) describes how SWD was to function in areas such as the