SINGAPORE — Low-income families and individuals who need financial and social assistance now have extra touch points to access more coordinated help, with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) deploying its officers in the new Social Service Offices (SSOs).

Besides administering ComCare assistance, the officers work closely with the agencies within the community, such as voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), to ensure that needy residents can receive coordinated help if they require.

Two SSOs have been operating in Kreta Ayer and Jalan Besar since July 1. By the end of the year, there will be nine and, within three years, there will be 20, each serving a specific Housing and Development Board town.

ComCare assistance was previously only disbursed at the five Community Development Councils (CDCs). With the SSO situated closer to residents, the usual application and processing time can be shortened to only two weeks if all required documents are submitted, down from the two to six weeks previously.

And if a resident forgets a document, he or she can go home to get it because the SSO is nearer. If they had to return to the CDCs, they might have to make another appointment because of the travelling time, said Kreta Ayer SSO General Manager Jai Prakash in an interview with TODAY.

The Kreta Ayer SSO, which oversees the Bukit Merah and Outram areas, has served more than 300 clients, who were either existing clients or referred to from partners on the ground.

The SSOs have a “local planning function”, where officers “walk the ground” and engage with residents and community partners to identify possible gaps in social service delivery.

The SSOs will also have the “autonomy” to try out local ways of collaborations that best fit the community’s needs, Mr Prakash said. They are also able to surface issues and recommend changes to the policy division.

For instance, at an engagement session with the Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre (FSC) last week, one of the suggestions was to give the FSC the ability to make the financial assessment and send the report to the SSO so the client need not make another trip to the SSO or be asked the same questions over again.

Mr Prakash, however, stressed that the SSOs are not there to audit or take over the functions of the VWOs, but will instead help develop their strengths through facilitating collaboration with other partners. With the extra help, VWOs are also more likely to come forward to experiment with different programmes, said Kreta Ayer SSO Assistant General Manager Andre Wai.

A Member of Parliament, Dr Lily Neo, who oversees Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng, welcomed the presence of the SSO and said residents have given positive feedback.

“Help is at hand and it’s so nearby for my residents. It is also like a one-stop centre, where residents can come and be referred to the nearby FSCs that are equipped with the different specialities,” Dr Neo said.

VWOs shared the sentiment. Executive Director Khee Shihui of Bukit Ho Swee FSC said she is “looking forward” to the partnerships. One example she cited was how the SSO, with a larger network, could help source for volunteers at short notice for ad hoc programmes.