PART III | ADMINISTRATION OF PLACES OF SAFETY |
| Maximum number of residents |
| 21. The total number of girls resident in each place of safety at any time, whether sent to such place of safety under the provisions of the Act or otherwise, shall not exceed such number as may be fixed for each place of safety from time to time by the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Responsibilities of superintendent |
| 22. The superintendent shall be responsible to the Director-General for the efficient management of the place of safety under her charge and for the discipline, training and welfare of the residents therein. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Records to be kept by superintendent |
23.—(1) The superintendent shall keep —| (a) | a visitors book in which the names of the members of the Board shall be entered and in which they may make remarks concerning the place of safety; | | (b) | a register of admission and discharges in which shall be recorded all admissions to and discharges from, the place of safety; | | (c) | a log book in which shall be entered every event of importance connected with the place of safety; | | (d) | a daily register of the presence or the absence of each girl in the place of safety; and | | (e) | a punishment book. |
| (2) Such books and registers shall be available for inspection by members of the Board at all times and shall be signed by them on inspection. |
| (3) They shall also be laid before the Board at every meeting of the Board if the Board so requires. |
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| Administrative programmes, schedules, etc. |
24. The superintendent shall, with the approval of the Director-General, determine and draw up the following:| (a) | duties of other members of the staff of the place of safety under her charge; | | (b) | the programmes for recreation, training and education, welfare and other activities in the place of safety under her charge; | | (c) | fire precautions and fire drill orders on the advice of the Commissioner of Civil Defence; and | | (d) | such other duties, programmes, schedules, or like matters as the Director-General may from time to time determine. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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| Leave of absence of superintendent |
| 25. The superintendent shall, before leaving the place of safety for a period of more than 24 hours, designate another member of the staff of the place of safety to carry out the duties of the superintendent in her absence. |
| 26. Every girl in a place of safety shall be provided with a separate bed. |
| 27. Every girl in a place of safety shall be supplied with her own set of clothing and such other personal effects as may be necessary for her stay in the place of safety. |
28.—(1) Every girl in a place of safety shall be supplied with food that is based on the recommendation of a dietician.| (2) Every recommendation referred to in paragraph (1) and every amendment made to the recommendation shall be subject to the approval of the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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| 29. The daily routine of each place of safety, including the hours of rising and retiring, school-room instruction, practical training, domestic work, meals and recreation, shall be in accordance with a scheme approved from time to time by the Director-General who may consult the Board in this regard. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| 30. A copy of the daily routine shall be kept posted in a conspicuous place in each place of safety. |
| Deviation from routine to be entered in log book |
| 31. Any substantial deviation from the daily routine shall be entered in the log book and a report, together with the reasons for such deviation, shall be sent forthwith to the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| 32. The education given in each place of safety shall be based on principles agreed between the Ministry of Education and the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Time-table and syllabus to be approved |
| 33.—(1) The school-room time-table and syllabus shall be subject to approval by the Director-General in consultation with the Ministry of Education. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] | (2) A copy of the time-table shall be kept posted in the school-room. |
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| 34. The practical training of all girls in a place of safety shall be in accordance with a scheme approved from time to time by the Director-General in consultation with the Ministry of Education and the Board. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| 35. The attendance of girls in the place of safety in the school-room and at all classes of practical training shall be recorded in registers. |
| Purpose of practical training |
36.—(1) The practical training given to girls above the age of 14 years in a place of safety shall, in so far as is practicable, be directed towards preparing them for some form of employment.| (2) Regard shall be had to the capacity, aptitude and preference of each girl, and in all suitable cases the parents or guardian of the girl shall be consulted. |
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| 37. No girl in a place of safety shall be employed in work in the place of safety in such a way as to impair her capacity to profit by education or instruction or to deprive her of reasonable recreation or leisure. |
| 38. Girls below the age of 12 years in a place of safety shall not be employed except in light work such as making their own beds or cleaning their own dormitories or assisting in the kitchen or in similar light work in or about the building or grounds of the place of safety. |
39.—(1) So far as practicable, arrangements shall be made for the religious instruction of girls in a place of safety according to their own religious persuasion.| (2) Ministers of religion shall be given access to every place of safety for the purpose of visits or for giving religious instruction to girls of their particular faith. |
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40.—(1) Adequate provision shall be made in the place of safety for free time and recreation, including organised games, walks and visits.| (2) Except in bad weather, at least one hour daily shall be spent by the girls in the place of safety in the open air. |
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| 41. The superintendent may from time to time organise any excursion for the girls in the place of safety. |
| 42.—(1) Every girl in a place of safety shall be granted leave to visit her own home every year unless circumstances make it undesirable, but the period of such leave shall not exceed 14 days in any year, without the authority of the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] | (2) Where circumstances make it undesirable for a girl to stay at her own home for the leave period, the superintendent may, with the approval of the Director-General, make such other arrangements as are considered suitable. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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| Correspondence with parents or guardians |
43.—(1) Girls in a place of safety shall be encouraged to write to their parents or guardians, or, if unable to write, to dictate such a letter to a member of the staff, at least once a month.| (2) For this purpose, postage shall be provided, where necessary, by the superintendent. |
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| 44. Girls in a place of safety shall be allowed to receive letters from their parents, guardians, relatives and friends. |
| 45. Girls in a place of safety shall be allowed to receive visits from their parents or guardians, relatives and friends at such reasonable intervals as the superintendent may determine. |
| 46. All girls in a place of safety shall be eligible to receive an allowance or payment for work done according to a scale and subject to such conditions as may be approved by the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| 47. The discipline of each place of safety shall be maintained by the superintendent and the staff of the place of safety and shall be promoted by a system of rewards and privileges. |
| 48. Privileges may include suitable entertainment, participation in recreation, visits to parks and gardens, excursions, picnics and sports activities. |
49.—(1) When punishment is necessary for the maintenance of discipline, one of the following forms may be adopted:| (a) | forfeiture of rewards or privileges or temporary loss of recreation; | | (b) | deprivation of pocket-money for specified periods; | | (c) | imposition of tasks set by the superintendent; | | (d) | suspension of visits from relatives and friends; or | | (e) | separation from other girls. |
(2) The punishment under paragraph (1)(e) shall only be imposed in exceptional cases and subject to the following conditions:| (a) | no girl below the age of 12 years shall be kept in separation from other girls; | | (b) | the room used for the purpose shall be bright and airy and kept lighted after dark; | | (c) | some form of occupation shall be given to the girl; | | (d) | means of communication with a member of the staff shall be provided; and | | (e) | if the separation is to be continued for more than 24 hours, the circumstances shall be reported immediately to the Director-General and his approval in writing obtained. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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| Discipline without corporal punishment to be the aim |
50.—(1) Every effort shall be made to enforce discipline in the place of safety without resort to corporal punishment.| (2) Where corporal punishment is found to be necessary, its application shall be preceded by an inquiry held by the superintendent who shall record the evidence and the grounds of her decision. |
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51. Corporal punishment shall be subject to the following conditions:| (a) | it shall be inflicted on the palm of the hand with a cane of a type approved by the Director-General and shall not exceed 8 strokes on the palm of each hand; [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] | | (b) | it shall not be inflicted in the presence of other girls; | | (c) | no girl with any physical or mental disability shall be so punished without the sanction of the Medical Officer; and | | (d) | in any case in which corporal punishment is administered, the superintendent shall report the fact, together with the circumstances of the case, to the Director-General within 24 hours. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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| 52.—(1) The superintendent shall be responsible for the immediate recording of all corporal and other punishment in the punishment book and shall enter therein such details as may be required by the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] | (2) The punishment book shall be examined at each meeting of the Board and shall be signed by the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman presiding over the meeting. |
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| Staff forbidden to inflict corporal punishment |
53.—(1) Subject to these Rules, no member of the staff in a place of safety shall inflict any kind of corporal punishment on any girl in the place of safety.| (2) The term “corporal punishment” for the purposes of paragraph (1) includes striking, cuffing, shaking or any other form of physical violence. |
| (3) Any member of the staff who commits a breach of this rule shall render herself liable to instant dismissal. |
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| No resident to punish another |
| 54. No girl in a place of safety shall be allowed to administer any form of punishment to any other girl in the place of safety. |
55. The Director-General shall appoint Medical Officers whose duties shall include —| (a) | a thorough examination of each girl on admission and shortly before leaving the place of safety; | | (b) | an inspection of every girl in the place of safety once in 6 months; | | (c) | the general inspection of each place of safety from a hygienic point of view; | | (d) | the giving of advice as to diet and general hygiene; | | (e) | the examination and treatment of all sick and ailing girls in the place of safety; | | (f) | the compilation of medical reports in respect of each girl accommodated in each place of safety in a form approved by the Director-General; and [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] | | (g) | the furnishing of such report and certificate as the Director-General may require. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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| Medical Officers to attend Board meetings |
| 56. Notice of meetings of the Board shall be given to Medical Officers so that they may have an opportunity of attending and of presenting a report to the Board. |
| 57.—(1) The Director-General shall appoint Dental Officers whose duties shall include an examination of the teeth of each girl in the place of safety at least once a year, and the undertaking of such fillings, extractions or other dental work as may be necessary. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] | (2) Dental Officers shall keep a record of their work in a form approved by the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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| Director-General to inform parents or guardian of admission of girl |
| 58. Within 48 hours of the admission of a girl, the Director-General shall inform the girl’s parents or guardian of the fact of her admission, if this is not already known to the parents or guardian. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Procedure when girl absent |
| 59.—(1) If a girl absents herself from a place of safety without the permission of the superintendent or the person appointed to act for her, notice shall be sent forthwith to the Commissioner of Police and to the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] | (2) Every such case shall be noted in the log book and in the daily register. |
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| Reports of death and other serious events |
| 60. The superintendent shall report as soon as possible any death or any case of serious illness, infectious disease or serious accident to the parents or guardian of the girl and to the Director-General, and shall report such occurrence to the Board at the next following meeting. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Procedure when girl hospitalised |
| 61. If it becomes necessary to remove a girl from a place of safety to a hospital, clinic or another place of safety for medical treatment or examination, the superintendent shall inform the parents or guardian of the girl and the Director-General. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Healthcare professionals and mental capacity assessors under section 160A of Act |
62. For the purposes of section 160A of the Act —| (a) | the following persons are recognised as healthcare professionals:| (i) | a paramedic; | | (ii) | a psychiatrist; | | (iii) | a registered dentist; | | (iv) | a registered medical practitioner; | | (v) | a registered nurse; and |
| | (b) | the following persons may be appointed by the Director-General as mental capacity assessors:| (i) | a psychiatrist; | | (ii) | a psychologist; | | (iii) | a registered medical practitioner. |
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[S 901/2024 wef 02/01/2025] |
| Keeping of registers, information, etc. |
| 63. The Director-General shall arrange for the keeping of all registers and records and shall cause to be sent to him such returns, statements and other information as may be required by him from time to time. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Copy of Rules to be given to all persons involved |
| 64. The Director-General shall cause a copy of these Rules to be given to each member of the staff in a place of safety, to each member of the Board and to the Medical and Dental Officers on appointment. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Places of safety to be open for inspection |
| 65. The Director-General shall arrange that each place of safety shall be open at all times for inspection by any member of the Board and by other persons properly authorised to do so. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| 66. The Director-General may from time to time issue instructions or make regulations on matters concerning the internal administration and discipline of each place of safety. [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
| Director-General to attend Board meetings |
| 67. The Director-General or his representative may attend any meetings of the Board whenever he considers it necessary. [G.N. Nos. S 198/74; S 29/77; S 71/94; S 179/97] [S 530/2020 wef 01/07/2020] |
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