Overcoming illness and debt: How families in need take steps to move forward with her guidance

When life gets overwhelming due to illness, debt or the daily grind of survival, it is easy to lose sight of the road ahead.

After a cancer diagnosis forced Sarah (not her real name) to stop working in 2023, her elder daughter, then 24, dropped out of school to earn an income and keep the family afloat. Even then, the single mother had turned down help.

“She wanted her family to rely on themselves,” recalls family coach Angel Choy.

“But I told her that accepting support doesn’t mean that you’re taking advantage of the available schemes. It’s to help tide her family over the difficult time, so that they can get back on their feet when she is healthier.”

As a family coach with the

Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)

, Ms Choy, 49, works with various agencies to help lower-income families move towards stability, self-reliance and social mobility.

She has seen firsthand how timely support, paired with encouragement and a shift in mindset, can help these families find the confidence to regain their footing.

With Ms Choy’s quiet persistence and reassurance, Sarah eventually accepted help through MSF’s

ComLink+ programme

, a decision that marked a turning point for her family.

Now in remission from cancer, Sarah, 51, is back at work, pursuing a career in retail. Her elder daughter, who is a desktop engineer, turned 26 this year.

Her younger daughter, a second-year student at the Institute of Technical Education, is volunteering with a social service agency that supports youth well-being.

The family, currently residing in a public rental flat, is working towards greater financial stability and eventually owning a place of their own.

Empowering families, one step at a time 

Under ComLink+, eligible lower-income families with children are paired with a dedicated family coach. Together, they work towards goals in areas like employment, education, caregiving and housing.

Family coaches identify and then connect families with various support initiatives through different agencies. These include non-profit organisations such as KidSTART Singapore as well as other programmes to ensure families receive all-rounded support.

Many families deal with overlapping challenges, which lead to other hurdles. Financial difficulties, Ms Choy pointed out, are often just the tip of the iceberg. They may also face health issues and struggle with caregiving, among other stressors that pile up over time.

“Financial constraints are also a sign that there may be more barriers and obstacles coming their way,” she says.

For instance, mismatched qualifications or having caregiving responsibilities often limit job options to gig or part-time work without Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions, leaving them with little savings or long-term retirement security.

Some are single parents working long hours to make ends meet. They find it difficult to supervise their children after school or care for elderly family members’ medical needs.

“It’s important for us as family coaches to ensure that all their basic needs are first met before we try to tackle the bigger issues,” said Ms Choy.

“For example, some parents struggle to put food on the table, so that is the first thing we tackle. We support the child’s well-being before we look into other issues like employment or the child’s schoolwork.”

Understanding these complex, layered challenges starts with providing emotional support and a non-judgmental listening ear to families.

“In Sarah’s case, she realised that I was there to listen; not judge her or tell her what to do, but instead to work with her towards what’s needed (for her family) at that point,” Ms Choy says.

She is clear about her role: It “isn’t to do everything” for the families she supports, but to help them recognise their strengths and ability to take charge of their lives.

“We want to empower them to take steps to help themselves,” she explains.

“When their mindset shifts from negative to positive, you help them see possibilities – and that’s when they realise they are stronger than they think and start doing more for themselves and their families.”

Another family whom Ms Choy supported had wanted to apply for a Build-to-Order (BTO) flat, but the sole breadwinner, a mother-of-four, withdrew the application after discovering a shortfall in her CPF savings.

With Ms Choy’s support, the family of four was placed on

ComCare assistance

to help with household expenses.

The mother was enrolled in the

ComLink+ Progress Package

for employment, which provided her with cash and CPF top-ups after she secured a stable job on her own and remained employed.

Ms Choy recalled the woman’s determination to clear her debts and set aside savings for her first home after learning about the ComLink+ Progress Package for home ownership. Under this scheme, every dollar that families voluntarily contribute to their CPF is matched with an additional $2 in CPF top-ups.

Today, she is making steady progress towards owning a home and achieving financial stability.

“That’s a positive sign – when they talk about their next steps,” she says.

Supporting the next generation

Many parents Ms Choy works with are also worried about not being able to give their children a good start in life. For those with young children, she would refer them to

KidSTART Singapore

.

The organisation supports lower-income families with children up to age six. It equips parents with tools and knowledge to support their children’s development through regular check-ins, home visits and community-led initiatives that promote positive parent-child interaction.

Parents are

encouraged to enrol their children in preschool

, especially if they are unsure of how to support their child’s development at home, says Ms Choy.

Older children receive support too. Ms Choy has connected families with various community initiatives designed for their school-going children.

For instance, programmes like Homework Cafe partner with both SG Cares Volunteer Centre and Punggol West Constituency Office to provide safe, supportive spaces for students to receive academic support.

Another programme, Joyful Learning, run in collaboration with EtonHouse Community Fund Limited, Punggol Shore Constituency Office and SunCare SG, offers activities such as singing and storytelling to support children’s early learning and confidence.

Ms Choy recalls supporting a mother who welcomed a new baby 10 years after the birth of her older child. Through KidSTART Singapore, the mother received guidance on early child development, while Ms Choy assisted in securing an infant care placement for her baby.

It was heartening to observe the mother’s optimism and can-do mindset in caring for her baby, Ms Choy says.

“The mum told me, ‘I sing to my baby, I talk a lot to my baby about what I did today.’”

With the added support and the mother’s growing confidence, the child is developing well.

“[The] baby now goes to infant care every day. She’s very healthy, a little chubby – and so cute,” says Ms Choy, beaming into a wide smile.

Stories like these remind her that a mindset shift can be uplifting for families.

“It is very rewarding when you see families break through these barriers, one by one, and start recognising their own capacity for all these changes,” she says.

To families who are currently struggling, Ms Choy has this message: “Things can get better. Don’t give up. You are not alone – the government and the community are here to walk alongside you. Keep moving forward, and you’ll start to see the difference.”

If you or someone you know is going through a tough time, you may tap on

MSF’s directories

for resources and various forms of aid. You may also

click here to learn more about the Forward SG initiatives

.