Government apologises for handling of Megan Khung case, outlines plans to strengthen child protection

The Singapore Government has issued an apology to social service agencies, including Beyond Social Services, for a “misunderstanding” arising from its initial public statement on the fatal child abuse case involving four-year-old Megan Khung.

Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee addressed Parliament on 5 November, stating that while the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) had not intended to assign blame, it accepted that its April 2025 statement may have been perceived as doing so.

Desmond Lee was the Minister for Social and Family Development from September 2017 to July 2020, the period during which Megan's abuse occurred. He now also serves as Education Minister.

Megan died in February 2020 after prolonged abuse by her mother and her mother’s boyfriend, both of whom were sentenced in April 2025.

In its initial statement following sentencing, MSF highlighted that Beyond Social Services, which operated Megan's preschool, did not fully report the severity of her injuries.

This was said to have contributed to inadequate interventions.

That statement prompted public concern and criticism from the social work sector, which viewed it as unfairly targeting the agency.

On 5 November, Desmond Lee clarified in Parliament:

"There was not and should not be an intention to point fingers… to the extent that there was a misunderstanding, we have apologised to the relevant agencies."

He acknowledged the importance of both maintaining sectoral cohesion and meeting public expectations for accountability.

New review followed emergence of additional information

Several Members of Parliament, including Xie Yao Quan, MP for Jurong Central SMC, questioned why the independent review into Megan’s death was convened only after April 2025.

Desmond Lee explained that although internal and bilateral reviews had been conducted in 2020, new evidence surfaced during and after the perpetrators' sentencing.

This included photographs and agency disclosures, prompting MSF to commission an independent panel to examine the case holistically.

The panel's findings, released on 23 October, revealed multiple failings by agencies including the Child Protective Service (CPS), police officers, and preschool staff.

Government to set up coordination centre and independent review process

To address systemic issues, MSF will establish a new social services coordination centre by early 2026.

The centre will use technology to link data from various sectors—social services, education, and preschools—enabling earlier detection and better coordination of child protection cases.

The centre will also maintain stronger operational ties with police.

All deaths of children known to social services will be independently reviewed in future, a departure from previous bilateral review practices.

A “triage assessment panel” will also be introduced in early 2026 to determine which agency is best positioned to handle suspected abuse cases.

Pre-schools will report potential abuse cases directly to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline, and MSF will reassess the Early Childhood Development Agency’s role in case triaging.

Strengthening the child protection workforce

In response to parliamentary concerns about staff burnout and workload, Desmond Lee highlighted measures to expand and support the child protection workforce.

The number of child protection officers at the now-renamed Protective Service (PSV) has doubled from 45 in 2019 to over 90 in 2024. This has helped reduce average caseloads from 40 to 35 cases per officer.

Support staff have been added to handle administrative duties, freeing frontline officers to focus on investigations.

In the broader social service sector, caseloads range from 12 to 30 cases, averaging 18 to 21 per worker, depending on the agency.

A new Protection Practitioners Care Fund will be launched in 2026 to support professional development and well-being for those working in child protection.

Desmond Lee also stressed that while procedures are necessary, they must not override professional judgment:

“We must never reduce child protection work to a mere checkbox system.”

Planned improvements to oversight and coordination

Desmond Lee said the Government intends to conduct more frequent audits of agencies handling child abuse cases.

These audits would also be broadened in scope and include external practice reviews to assess officers’ compliance with protocols and their judgement in managing cases.

He also stated that coordination protocols between MSF and the police will be strengthened, especially in cases involving missing children or serious physical harm.

In addition, Desmond Lee said that MSF will work to improve its systems for identifying suspected child abuse cases, including those flagged by agencies not currently designated as child protection case management agencies.

He affirmed that the current legal threshold for removing a child from their home remains appropriate, emphasising that intervention should only occur when there are reasonable grounds to believe a child is in need of care and protection.

Desmond Lee also reiterated that excessive physical discipline constitutes abuse and will be treated accordingly.

“We respect the role of parents in disciplining their children,” he said, “but excessive physical discipline will be considered and reported as abuse.”

He concluded his remarks with a call for collective responsibility:

“Each time a tragedy like Megan’s occurs, we feel anger, sorrow and regret… Let us re-dedicate ourselves to protecting every child and vulnerable person, never forgetting those whom we have lost.”