1 in 3 pre-school educators lacks formal training in child protection: Survey

Respondents also have low confidence in managing suspected abuse cases, it finds

- Syarafana Shafeeq

About one-third of preschool educators surveyed in Singapore said they had not received any formal training in child protection.

Respondents also reported having low confidence and mixed knowledge in managing suspected abuse cases, according to the results of a new survey released by the Singapore Children's Society on Nov 26.

But almost all of the preschool educators surveyed (97.8 per cent) knew that they have to bring up their concerns about a suspected abuse case to their supervisor even if it is not a confirmed abuse case.

Recommendations to improve Singapore's child protection system were issued in October by a review panel appointed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) looking into the death by abuse of four-year-old Megan Khung.

One of the recommendations was to review the Early Childhood Development Agency's role in reporting suspected or actual child abuse, including incidents that happen outside preschools.

The Children's Society surveyed more than 350 preschool educators between December 2024 and June 2025. It found that 34.7 per cent of them said they had not received formal training in child protection.

The rest said the topic was covered during training before they joined the sector, or during continuing professional development courses, which are for educators to upskill and refresh their knowledge.

With Singapore's high preschool enrolment rate, such educators are at a vantage point from which they can identify signs of abuse and neglect in young children and report such incidents, the society said in a statement on Nov 26.

In 2025, the preschool enrolment rate of children aged five to six was 93 per cent, and 90 per cent for those aged three to four.

It is critical that preschool educators are supported in building their competence and confidence to take on the first-responder role, the society added.