MSF launches Safer unit to detect child protection risks earlier and support families
The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has launched a new unit to help identify child protection concerns among children below seven years old and provide more timely support to families.Known as Safer, or Sensemaking Alerts for Frontline Engagement and Response, the unit brings together relevant information from different government agencies to help frontline professionals build a more complete understanding of a family's circumstances.The new capability was launched in July 2026 and was announced by MSF on Tuesday (Sept 22).It follows MSF's commitment in Parliament to establish a social services coordination centre, after a review panel appointed by the ministry in May 2025 recommended measures to strengthen Singapore's child protection system.Safer to help professionals identify risks earlierFamilies may interact with different parts of the support system, with relevant information spread across multiple agencies. Safer consolidates information from the Central Narcotics Bureau, the Singapore Police Force and MSF to help child protection practitioners better understand a family's situation.