MSF explores using tech to keep closer watch on abused children after they return home

SINGAPORE – The authorities are exploring the use of technology to keep a closer watch on abused children after they return home to their parents’ care, with the aim of intervening earlier if they are at risk of being harmed again.

A tender put up on July 6 by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is seeking technological solutions to detect physiological and environmental indicators signalling a child may be at higher risk of harm, and alert trusted adults to intervene quickly.

Environmental indicators include sounds such as loud arguments, hitting and crying, while physiological ones include higher heart rates and changes in vital signs.

An MSF spokesperson told The Straits Times that the ministry is “exploring how technology can enhance safety oversight and provide greater assurance during the reunification of children with their families”.

In some severe or high-risk abuse cases, the MSF’s Protective Service (PSV) removes the child from his or her parent’s care to keep the child safe. 

The child may be placed in alternative care, such as with foster parents or in a children’s home, while the MSF and its partners work with the parents to address the abusive behaviour. 

Children will be returned home only when the PSV deems it is safe for the child to do so.

The MSF spokesperson said its protection officers currently keep a close watch on these children and their families through home visits, regular engagement and co-ordinated efforts with relevant stakeholders.

She added: “In situations where there is uncertainty about whether a child can remain safe at home, we often err on the side of caution by keeping the child in alternative care arrangements for a longer period, while protection officers continue close monitoring and conduct regular family check-ins.

“We want to explore whether technology can strengthen and complement these efforts by providing officers and families with greater assurance and visibility of a child’s safety and well-being during this critical transition and between engagements by professionals.”

The intent is not to replace professional judgment, but to complement it by providing additional information to support more informed and timely decision making, the spokesperson added.

For example, by improving visibility and accountability, technology could help children remain safe in their own homes, or even return home earlier where appropriate.

MSF issued the tender on government procurement portal GeBIZ and via the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Open Innovation Platform, which connects companies with technology solution providers to tackle business challenges. 

The tender comes after the independent review into the death of four-year-old Megan Khung, who was abused to death by her mother and her mother’s former partner in 2020. Released in October 2025, the review had identified multiple lapses across agencies and prompted a series of reforms to strengthen Singapore’s child protection system.

For example, now, only agencies with relevant expertise will be allowed to manage child abuse cases.

A new independent panel of experts, called the Triage Assessment Panel, will resolve disagreements between agencies over how best to protect a child, such as when they differ over the level of risk the child faces. 

On July 2, MSF announced it would set aside $15 million over three years to experiment with new technology. 

One of its goals is to use data to identify those at risk and reach these families earlier, before problems intensify.

The MSF spokesperson said the tender is part of the ministry’s Rehabilitation and Protection Group’s broader innovation strategy and is intended to tap a larger technology ecosystem for ideas.

Under the tender, it is offering $80,000 to develop a prototype that tests whether different technologies can be combined to address the issue at hand, rather than to build a deployment-ready product.

The spokesperson added: “As with any innovation process, it is possible that the technology is not yet sufficiently mature or suitable for this application. That too is a valuable outcome and an important part of learning and innovating responsibly.

“Any solution taken forward will be subject to rigorous evaluation, with appropriate professional oversight and the child’s best interests remaining the paramount consideration at every stage.”

Kevin See, director of Integrated Family Service at social service agency Montfort Care, said involving tech professionals and experts from other fields may lead to new ideas, tools and breakthroughs in tackling child abuse issues.

He said an early warning system allows child protection professionals to deal with problems before they turn into full-blown crises, adding that technology can help surface patterns or flag potential concerns.

But trained professionals must still make the decisions to intervene, with proper safeguards for privacy, ethics and accountability.

Singapore Children’s Society senior director Gracia Goh said the design of the proposed tech solution should seriously consider ethical issues, as monitoring for safety is intrusive by nature.

She added: “The key is to be responsive, not invasive. That’s indeed a challenge for the design of potential tech solutions and it will have to be weighed carefully.”