SINGAPORE - Temasek Cares, the non-profit philanthropic arm of Temasek Holdings, has set aside $60 million to support social programmes over the next five years.

This is almost triple the $22 million that it ploughed into 67 programmes which directly benefited 17,600 Singaporeans since it was started five years ago.

While Temasek Cares will continue to support programmes which help people in all life stages, it will "focus on helping to close the developmental gap of children from at-risk families, alongside families in the 'sandwich' class", said its general manager, Ms Woon Saet Nyoon on Tuesday.

It also announced a new programme which supports the development of children up to three years old from families at risk, such as those in which there is family abuse. Mothers will receive help during and after their pregnancy, including job support, while their children's health and learning needs will be addressed.

The three-year pilot programme, called Temasek Cares Kids Integrated Developmental Service (Kids) 0-3, is led by Temasek Cares and KK Women's and Children's Hospital, and brings together several community partners to support the needs of the child and mother. It is expected to reach 300 children and start later this year.

Temasek Cares chairman Richard Magnus said that moving forward, the programmes implemented will be more "practical, multi-layered", not only addressing a mentally ill person's health needs, for instance, but also ensuring he has family and job support.