National Care Hotline now ready for calls after 300 specialists volunteer to help man the 24-hour hotline
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The new National Care Hotline on 6202-6868 will offer emotional support to anyone during this time when lives have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Janice Tai
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SINGAPORE - The National Care Hotline is now ready to offer support to those who need it, after specialists trained in psychological first aid responded to the call for volunteers to man it, said Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee in a Facebook post on Friday (April 10).
Over 300 psychologists, counsellors, social workers, psychiatrists and public officers from about 50 agencies have stepped up to man the 24-hour helpline.
"If you need someone to talk to about the issues that weigh you down - worried about Covid-19, its impact on your personal and family lives, on your jobs and livelihoods, and your future - you do not need to struggle alone," said Mr Lee.
The hotline will offer emotional support to anyone who needs it - be it stress over finances or marital and family tensions - and trained officers will link them up with social service agencies and specialised services if needed.
The psychological well-being and resilience of Singaporeans at this time of crisis is something the Government is watching over carefully, especially among the more vulnerable in the community, said Mr Lee previously.
The National Care Hotline is on 6202-6868. It operates alongside other specialised service helplines, such as those for mental well-being or violence and abuse.
Social workers and advocacy groups are concerned about a potential rise in domestic abuse as families are forced to stay home during this circuit breaker month.
In Parliament earlier in this week, Mr Lee noted a trend in "higher rates of domestic violence, domestic quarrels and friction in the family" since the outbreak in other countries that had imposed movement restrictions.
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OTHER TARGETED HELPLINES
Mental Well-being
Fei Yue's Online Counselling Service: eC2.sg
Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6385-3714
Marital and parenting issues
Community Psychology Hub's Online Counselling platform: CPHOnlineCounselling.sg
Violence or abuse
Big Love Child Protection Specialist Centre: 6445-0400
HEART @ Fei Yue Child Protection Specialist Centre : 6819-9170
PAVE Integrated Services for Individual and Family Protection: 6555-0390
Project StART: 6476-1482
TRANS SAFE Centre: 6449-9088
