WHAT HAPPENS IF Mandatory
For enquiries on Personal Protection Orders,
please call the Family Protection Centre
(Family Justice Courts).
YOU FAIL TO ATTEND Tel: 6435 5077
COUNSELLING? For request for change of Counselling Review date
at Family Court 1, please
Counselling
Failure to attend counselling is considered a breach
of the Counselling Order and deemed a contempt of • apply to change the Counselling Review
date via the Integrated Family Application
Programme
Court punishable by law.
Management System (iFAMS) at
https://ifams.gov.sg
using your SingPass; or
• email to
[email protected]
with your case reference number, NRIC and
reason/s attached with supporting documents.
For example, a valid medical certificate
exempting you from court attendance.
For details on your counselling sessions at the
appointed agencies, please call the Ministry of Social
and Family Development.
Tel: 6354 8264
WHAT IS THE MANDATORY
WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU ARE ORDERED TO ATTEND MANDATORY COUNSELLING?
COUNSELLING PROGRAMME?
The Mandatory Counselling Programme is a court-
ordered counselling programme to help persons Step 1: Issuance of Counselling Order The counsellor will also assess the need for your
who have experienced or used family violence. This other family members to receive counselling for the
programme is administered by the Ministry of Social The Family Justice Courts issues a Counselling Order impact of family violence and discuss services that
and Family Development (MSF) and aims to keep along with the Protection Order. The Court will then could help them cope.
families safe through: inform you of the following:
The counsellor will typically conduct four sessions
- Helping family members to learn more - Objectives of counselling; with you and then send a review report to the
respectful behaviours to resolve conflict; and - Consequence(s) of not attending counselling; Family Justice Courts and MSF on the progress of the
- Providing family members with the necessary and counselling.
support and skills to ensure everyone’s safety. - The date and time when you have to return to
Court for a Court Review. Step 3: Court Review
WHAT IS A COUNSELLING ORDER?
Step 2: Counselling sessions You will return to the Family Justice Courts at the
A Counselling Order is a court order issued by the date and time of your Court Review (see Step 1). The
Family Justice Courts that can accompany a Protection The counsellor from a Social Service Agency will Judge will consider your progress in counselling by
Order issued under Section 65 of the Women’s Charter. contact you to set the date, time and venue for your referring to the review report submitted by your
If you are named in the Counselling Order, you must first counselling appointment. During the first few counsellor and any other relevant information. The
attend a counselling programme at a designated Social sessions, the counsellor may need to interview you to Judge may require you to return for a second Court
Service Agency. better understand your overall family situation. Review.
Your counsellor will discuss with you on the number After the Court Review, counselling at the Social
WHO CAN BE ORDERED and frequency of counselling sessions. The number Service Agency may continue. At the end of the
of sessions depends on the progress made during
TO ATTEND COUNSELLING? counselling. The programme may continue if there
counselling, the counsellor will send a report to the
Family Justice Courts and MSF. If there is progress in
are still violence issues to be addressed and if the the counselling, you could then be recommended to
The person who applies for a Protection Order (called
Counselling Order is still in effect. be discharged from counselling.
the “Complainant”), the person against whom the
Protection Order is issued (called the “Respondent”) The sessions may be conducted with you, with the
and family members can be ordered to attend the other party or in groups with others who have similar
Mandatory Counselling Programme. experiences as you. The type of session you will
According to the Women’s Charter, a family member attend will depend on your counsellor’s assessment of
could include: suitability. The counselling will help you understand:
- A spouse or ex-spouse;
- What family violence is;
- A child, including an adopted child or
step-child; - The impact of violence on your family;
- A parent or parent-in-law; - How to plan for safety;
- A sibling; or - How to build better skills to keep your family
- Any other relative or incapacitated person safe; and
whom the Court regards as a member of the - Community resources available to you.
family.
