When abuse is dealing with life and death

Did the many helping hands framework fail?

It's not just about hiring more social workers

Supervising case workers

Why do staff hesitate to make police reports?

How to attract new case workers

When physical punishment becomes abuse

Keeping children safe goes beyond case work

Megan Khung would have turned 10 a few weeks ago, if she were still alive today.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Instead, five years after her death, the findings by a review panel detailed how, within a year, there were several lapses at various agencies that could have helped her.

The panel’s report came after the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said in April it would conduct a review of Megan’s case.

The girl died in 2020 after suffering physical and emotional abuse by her mother Foo Li Ping and her mother’s then-boyfriend Wong Shi Xiang.

The report’s timeline detailed what happened from the time staff members at Megan’s pre-school found bruises on her body to when the couple were arrested for murder, highlighting gaps in communication among agencies, lags in escalating the matter and a lack of follow-ups.

These agencies include Child Protective Service and the police.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I will discuss what the panel’s findings and recommendations tell us about accountability in the system, the complexities of navigating child abuse cases, and how we can do better to protect the most vulnerable among us.

I speak with ST’s senior social affairs correspondent Theresa Tan and director of clinical services at social service agency Pave Integrated Services Soh Siew Fong.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:26 When abuse is dealing with life and death

8:12 Did the many helping hands framework fail?

10:00 When child protection is more than just hiring social workers

10:47 Supervising case workers

17:40 Why do social workers hesitate to make police reports?

30:06 How to attract new case workers

33:42 When physical punishment becomes abuse

41:35 Keeping children safe goes beyond case work

Read Natasha Ann Zachariah’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Pave Integrated Services: https://str.sg/fgUd

National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH): https://str.sg/JPwNL

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#tup #tuptr

Megan Khung would have turned 10 a few weeks ago, if she were still alive today.
Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.
Instead, five years after her death, the findings by a review panel detailed how, within a year, there were several lapses at various agencies that could have helped her.
The panel&rsquo;s report came after the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said in April it would conduct a review of Megan&rsquo;s case.
The girl died in 2020 after suffering physical and emotional abuse by her mother Foo Li Ping and her mother&rsquo;s then-boyfriend Wong Shi Xiang.
The report&rsquo;s timeline detailed what happened from the time staff members at Megan&rsquo;s pre-school found bruises on her body to when the couple were arrested for murder, highlighting gaps in communication among agencies, lags in escalating the matter and a lack of follow-ups.
These agencies include Child Protective Service and the police.
In this episode of The Usual Place, I will discuss what the panel&rsquo;s findings and recommendations tell us about accountability in the system, the complexities of navigating child abuse cases, and how we can do better to protect the most vulnerable among us.
I speak with ST&rsquo;s senior social affairs correspondent Theresa Tan and director of clinical services at social service agency Pave Integrated Services Soh Siew Fong.
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:26 When abuse is dealing with life and death
8:12 Did the many helping hands framework fail?
10:00 When child protection is more than just hiring social workers
10:47 Supervising case workers
17:40 Why do social workers hesitate to make police reports?
30:06 How to attract new case workers
33:42 When physical punishment becomes abuse
41:35 Keeping children safe goes beyond case work
Read Natasha Ann Zachariah&rsquo;s articles:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm">https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast">https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi
Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor &amp; Ernest Luis
Editorial producer: Lynda Hong
Pave Integrated Services: <a href="https://str.sg/fgUd">https://str.sg/fgUd</a>
National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH): <a href="https://str.sg/JPwNL">https://str.sg/JPwNL</a>
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://www.awedio.sg/?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://www.awedio.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
--
#tup #tuptr

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor &amp; Ernest Luis
Editorial producer: Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

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