Marriage Counselling Programme
Marriage Counselling Programme
Process
You are required to attend the Marriage Counselling Programme before you file an application for divorce. In addition, if you have a child below 21 years old, you must also complete the Parenting Programme. Registration for the Marriage Counselling Programme must be submitted online through the SYC Portal.
If you are suffering from critical illness or terminal illness, or have a physical disability or infirmity, that renders it impractical or impossible for you to attend the Marriage Counselling Programme, please provide proof of your illness or condition in the ‘Exemption from Counselling’ section of the Registration for the Marriage Counselling Programme. For example, a letter from a registered medical practitioner, which should be dated not more than 1 month before the date of submitting your Registration for the Marriage Counselling Programme.
Marriage Counselling Programme
If your registration is complete, you will receive an email notifying you of the acceptance of your registration for the Marriage Counselling Programme. You will be required to schedule your first appointment for marriage counselling at one of our appointed community agencies. The Marriage Counselling Programme is compulsory. It aims to provide you and your spouse with a safe and neutral platform to discuss your marriage and understand the impact of divorce. If you require additional support, the counsellor may refer you to other relevant agencies.
There are 5 community agencies appointed by the Syariah Court to provide the Marriage Counselling Programme:
1. AMP Singapore
2. APKIM Resources
3. Darul Arqam (Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore)
4. Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura
5. Reach Community Services Singapore
You will be given the option of up to 3 community agencies to choose from to attend the Marriage Counselling Programme. You may select the community agency with an available slot to schedule your appointment at your preferred timing.
You may refer to the “Marriage Counselling Programme (MCP) Services” user guide (for public and corporate users) and videos on “Registration for Marriage Counselling Programme” and “Marriage Counselling Appointment Scheduling” to aid you on the steps to register and schedule your appointment for the Marriage Counselling Programme.
Parenting Programme
If you decide to proceed with divorce and have at least one child below 21 years old, your counsellor will facilitate a Parenting Programme with you and your spouse. The Parenting Programme focuses on co-parenting skills and your children’s care arrangements after the divorce.
If there is mutual agreement on the parenting plan, both of you must complete and *sign the Agreed Parenting Plan Form before filing the application for divorce. The signed copy of the Agreed Parenting Plan Form must be uploaded together with your application for divorce through the SYC Portal.
*Please note that your spouse (the Defendant) must affirm his/her signature before a Commissioner for Oaths.
If your child is below 12 years old and enrolled in the Baby Bonus Scheme, the parent with care and control of the child should be the cash gift recipient and/or Child Development Account (CDA) trustee. You are encouraged to discuss and mutually agree with your spouse on these arrangements during the Parenting Programme. If/when you have an interim/final Court Order for custody, care and control of your child, please submit a copy of the Court Order to msf_babybonus@msf.gov.sg. This will ensure that your child will continue to benefit from the Baby Bonus Scheme.
If there is no mutual agreement on the Parenting Plan, you (the Plaintiff) must complete and submit the Proposed Parenting Plan Form instead.
If you decide not to proceed with divorce, you may close your case at the MCP stage.
You may download the Agreed / Proposed Parenting Plan forms from our website.
Session with Resource Person (Asatizah)
You may seek clarification on Muslim law relating to marriage and divorce from a Resource Person. All Resource Persons are registered 'Asatizah' under MUIS' Asatizah Recognition Scheme. The session with the Resource Person is free.