Physical Punishment, Cultural Norms and Risk of Abuse

Theresa and Soh explore cultural acceptance of physical discipline, how punishment can rapidly cross into abuse, and prevention conversations.

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Episode notes

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

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