Support Programmes

Social Support Programmes

The Syariah Court partners community agencies to provide social support programmes for couples and their children, who are contemplating divorce or are undergoing divorce proceedings. Our social support programmes aim to help couples resolve their differences with less acrimony and to protect the welfare of their dependent children.

Marriage Counselling Programme (MCP)

Pursuant to section 46A of the Administration of Muslim Law Act, couples who are contemplating divorce are required to attend and complete the Marriage Counselling Programme (“MCP”). The objective of the Marriage Counselling Programme is to assist the couples to explore reconciliation, and if the marriage cannot be saved, the counsellors will facilitate an amicable divorce instead. The Marriage Counselling Programme will be conducted by an agency appointed by the Syariah Court. 

Attendance at the Marriage Counselling Programme is strictly by the Syariah Court’s referral through a registration process. You are required to complete the Marriage Counselling Programme if you are pursuing a divorce. This programme is free.

Parenting programme 

If you have at least 1 child below 21 years old, your counsellor will discuss with you and your spouse about your post-divorce co-parenting and care arrangement plans as part of a Parenting Programme conducted during the Marriage Counselling Programme. It is critical for you to prepare such plans early (at the marriage counselling stage) and outside court to make the divorce process less adversarial. This helps to commit you and your spouse to think of your children’s welfare when making decisions that will inevitably affect them. 

The Syariah Court requires parties to submit their parenting plan when filing for divorce. The information discussed at the parenting programme will facilitate the submission of your parenting plan to the Court. 

Resource Person

If you require clarification on Muslim law relating to marriage and divorce, your counsellor will engage a Resource Person to assist you. All Resource Persons are registered “Asatizah” under MUIS’ Asatizah Recognition Scheme. The session with the Resource Person is free. 

Children-in-Between Programme

If you have at least 1 child aged between 6 years old and 14 years old, you are encouraged to attend the Children-in-Between programme with your child. This programme is free and aims to equip parents with co-parenting skills to promote parental cooperation so as to reduce harmful parental conflicts that are likely to have adverse effects on your child. For your child, this programme will help to equip him or her with self-coping skills to deal with the divorce and the adjustments that he/she may have to make. 

The Children-in-Between programme is conducted by the Divorce Support Specialist Agencies which are appointed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development. You and your child may attend the programme voluntarily. Where necessary, the Syariah Court may order you and your child to attend the programme during your divorce proceedings or after your divorce proceedings. 

To register voluntarily, please contact the Divorce Support Specialist Agency, PPIS As-Salaam Family Support Centre at 6745 5862 or email them at as-salaam@ppis.sg. Please note that all consultations are by appointments only.

Counselling

The Divorce Support Specialist Agencies also offer free counselling for divorcing and divorced families and is different from the Syariah Court’s mandatory Marriage Counselling Programme. Counselling is a safe and confidential platform to help you work through your multiple issues. You and your child may attend counselling at any of the Divorce Support Specialist Agencies voluntarily. Where necessary, the Syariah Court may order you and your child to attend the programme during your divorce proceedings or after your divorce proceedings

To register voluntarily, please contact any of the following agencies:

Care Corner Centre for Co-Parenting 
Tel: (65) 6258 0020
Email: ccp@carecorner.org.sg
Address: Blk 21 Eunos Crescent, #01-2983, Singapore 400021

HELP Family Service Centre 
Tel: (65) 6457 5188
Email: e-counsel@helpfsc.org.sg
Address: Blk 570 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #01-3317, Singapore 560570

PPIS As-Salaam Family Support Centre
Tel: (65) 6745 5862
Email: as-salaam@ppis.sg
Address: Blk 41 Chai Chee Street, #01-16, Singapore 461041

Thrive Parenting! AMKFSC Community Service
Tel: (65) 6453 5349
Email: thrivedssa@amkfsc.org.sg
Address: Blk 230 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, #01-1264, Singapore 560230

Healing Hearts@Fei Yue 
Tel: (65) 6235 5229
Email: enq_healinghearts@fycs.org
Address: Blk 281 Choa Chu Kang Ave 3, #01-348, Singapore 680281

Thye Hua Kwan Centre for Family Harmony Divorce Support Specialist Agency 
Tel: (65) 6357 9188
Email: cfh_dssa@thkmc.org.sg
Address: Blk 54 Commonwealth Drive #01-566 Singapore 142054

Please note that all consultations are by appointments only.

 

Supervised Access / Supervised Exchange

If there are serious child access disputes between you and your spouse, the Syariah Court may, during your divorce proceedings, order for supervised sessions to facilitate access between you/your spouse (non-custodial parent) and your child. The supervised sessions will be facilitated by a Divorce Support Specialist Agency to support families work towards independent child access. The first few sessions are free but parents may be required to pay a fee for subsequent sessions. Referral to the Supervised Access / Exchange is strictly by court orders only. 

Custody Evaluation Report

If you have a child below 21 years old, you are encouraged to discuss amicably with your spouse on custody and access matters. If there are serious disputes or allegations impacting the orders which may be made on custody, care and control, and access of the child/children, the Syariah Court may order a Custody Evaluation Report (“CER”) to be prepared by an appointed psychologist during your court proceedings. The psychologist will interview you, your spouse, your child and any other significant adults in your child’s life. The report submitted to the Syariah Court is confidential. There are no fees required for the CER. Referral for the Custody Evaluation Report is strictly by court orders only.

Parenting PACT workshop

If you have a child below 21 years old, you are required to attend a Parenting PACT session after your divorce is finalised. This is a two-hour session conducted by family counsellors from PPIS As-Salaam Family Support Centre, one of the six appointed Divorce Support Specialist Agencies. The Syariah Court will issue the certificate of divorce after you have attended the Parenting PACT session. This programme is free.  The programme aims to help parents:

• Understand the impact of divorce on their children
• Learn cooperative co-parenting strategies
• Practise self-care; and 
• Get more information about the community support resources available.