Impractical to regulate every setting for children, but laws provide 'safety net' against abuse: Goh Pei Ming吴佩明表示，监管儿童生活的每一个场所并不现实，但法律可以提供防止虐待的“安全网”。
It may not be practical for the Government to regulate every setting or activity involving children, said Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming in Parliament on Wednesday (Sept 9).He was responding to a question from MP Yip Hon Weng on whether a registry and risk-based inspection regime would be introduced following a child abuse...
It may not be practical for the Government to regulate every setting or activity involving children, said Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming in Parliament on Wednesday (Sept 9).
He was responding to a question from MP Yip Hon Weng on whether a registry and risk-based inspection regime would be introduced following a child abuse case involving young foreign students staying at a private educational facility.
"It is already an offence for a person to ill-treat the child if he has custody, charge or care of the child," said Goh.
While he said that it is "not practical" to create a regulatory regime for every setting or activity involving children, he said the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) and other offences under the Penal Code provide a broad framework to deter against child abuse.
"Parent should also exercise due diligence by making reasonable checks on their choice of service provider and monitor their child's well being," he said.
Expanding criminal record screening for employees
The senior minister of state also said the Government is considering expanding criminal record screening for prospective employees applying for roles involving sustained contact with children and young people, including in non-regulated sectors.
Responding to Yip's question on whether regulation has kept pace with hybrid business models, Goh acknowledged that the market would continue to evolve and find new ways of meeting demand.
"It may not be practical for the Government to go in and regulate every single sector," he said, noting that some sectors may be immature, still developing or transient.
The Government would instead focus on regulating more mature, stable and broad-based sectors that are widely used by Singaporeans, said Goh.
"The CYPA provides the ultimate safety net at the bottom to ensure that anyone providing services that concern children will be subjected to those laws to protect and take care of our children."
xingying.koh@asiaone.com
社会及家庭发展部高级政务部长吴佩明周三（9月9日）在国会表示，政府对涉及儿童的每一个场所或活动进行监管可能并不现实。
他是在回应议员叶汉荣的提问，该议员询问在发生一起涉及在私立教育机构居住的年轻外国学生的虐童案件后，是否会引入登记制度和基于风险的检查制度。
“如果一个人对孩子拥有监护权、抚养权或照料权，那么虐待孩子本身就是一种违法行为，”吴先生说。
他表示，虽然为涉及儿童的每个场所或活动制定监管制度“不切实际”，但他指出，《儿童和青少年法》（CYPA）以及《刑法典》中的其他罪行为防止虐待儿童提供了一个广泛的框架。
“家长也应该尽职尽责，对选择的服务提供商进行合理的核查，并关注孩子的健康状况，”他说。
扩大对员工的犯罪记录筛查范围
这位高级国务部长还表示，政府正在考虑扩大对申请与儿童和青少年持续接触的职位（包括非监管行业）的求职者的犯罪记录审查范围。
针对叶先生提出的监管是否跟上混合商业模式发展步伐的问题，吴先生承认市场将继续发展，并找到满足需求的新方法。
他表示，“政府介入并监管每一个行业可能并不现实”，并指出有些行业可能尚不成熟、仍在发展或处于过渡阶段。
吴作栋表示，政府将转而专注于监管新加坡人广泛使用的更成熟、更稳定、基础更广泛的行业。
“《儿童和青少年保护法》在最底层提供了最终的安全保障，确保任何提供与儿童相关的服务的人都将受到这些法律的约束，以保护和照顾我们的孩子。”
邢英.koh@asiaone.com