Singapore, with fewer people getting married and divorce at a 10-year high, statistics on marriages and divorces for 2016 show.
Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin said on
Facebook: "My ministry will continue its core work of strengthening and
supporting marriages, as they are the basis of families and our
society."
Mr Simon Neo, marriage counsellor at The Psychotherapy Clinic, was not surprised by the drop in marriages.
"Nowadays there are so many open relationships... Commitment is a big issue," he said.
As for the increase in divorces, he said: "Couples these days don't
know how to articulate expectations of each other. It comes out in
defensiveness and contempt, and they are too busy fighting. The hectic
schedule here contributes to it too."
Mr Neo also said that people are more open to inter-ethnic marriages
now "because they want to go for what they feel is really good for
them".
Getting a Divorce
A divorce is the legal procedure that ends a marriage. To
get a divorce, you will need to file for a divorce with the Family
Justice Courts (civil marriages) or the Syariah Court (Muslim
marriages).
Civil Divorces
To get a divorce, you need to file for divorce with the Family
Justice Courts and comply with the legal requirements of divorce. The
law on divorce for civil marriages in Singapore is governed by the
Women’s Charter.
To better protect the interests of children affected by their
parents’ divorce, divorcing parents with minor children below 14 years
of age (to include children below 21 years old at a later phase), who
disagree on divorce and ancillary matters, will need to attend a
mandatory parenting programme before they can file for divorce. The
programme will cover a range of issues that may affect their children
including housing, finance, care arrangements and positive co-parenting
after divorce. Applicants are able to apply for this programme online
via the MSF divorce support microsite from end November 2016.
For More Info:
- Family Justice Courts
Established in 2014, the Family Justice Courts (FJC) are a restructure of our Court system to better serve litigants by bringing together all family related work under a specialised body of courts. FJC is comprised of the Family Division of the High Court, the Family Courts and the Youth Courts and is administered by the Presiding Judge of the FJC. The cases dealt with by FJC include those relating to divorce and ancillary matters, family violence, maintenance, adoption and guardianship, youth court, mental capacity and probate and succession. Its mission is to make justice accessible to families and youth through effective counselling, mediation and adjudication - Divorce Procedures
- Divorce Support
- FAQs on Divorce
Muslim Divorces
To file for a divorce, you need to apply at the Syariah Court (SYC)
and comply with the requirements under the Administration of Muslim Law
Act (AMLA). Parties applying for divorce will be required to attend
marriage counselling at one of SYC's appointed counselling agencies.
Divorce may have negative effects on the affected couples, on their
children, on their families and on the community at large. Hence, Islam
discourages divorce.
Syariah Court (SYC)
If couples decide to proceed with divorce after attending
counselling, they will be required to attend mediation. The aim is to
help couples settle the ancillary issues amicably. If parties cannot
reach a settlement, the Court schedules a hearing and makes the
appropriate orders on divorce and related issues under the provisions of
(AMLA).
For more information on the SYC, click here.
Divorce Support Specialist Agencies (DSSAs)
The Ministry has appointed four DSSAs in January 2015 as a
recommendation of the Family Justice Committee to provide support and
care to divorced/divorcing families, in the form of services and
programmes. DSSA staff are equipped with specialised skills to handle
divorce issues.
Child-Centric Approach
With a strong child-centric approach, DSSA services and programmes help parents:
- Make an informed decision on divorce
- Come to terms with the divorce
- Be equipped with positive co-parenting skills
- Resolve underlying conflicts in the best interests of the child
- Learn skills to manage challenges that may result from divorce
Services and Programmes
The DSSAs provide services such as:
- information and non-legal advice on divorce-related financial and housing issues
- case management
- counselling
- family dispute management
- support on child access
- support groups
They also run evidence-based programmes to help parents and children cope with changes in family structure.
Click here for DSSA locations.
DSSA Programmes
Divorce Support Specialist Agencies offer programmes which adopt a
child-centric approach. These programmes are delivered by specialist
counsellors and social workers to help divorcing and divorced families
understand the impact of divorce on children.
A. Mandatory Parenting Programme
The Mandatory Parenting Programme is a one-to-one consultation
session for parents with minor children before they file for divorce. It
is designed to encourage divorcing couples make informed decisions that
prioritise the well-being of children.
This is a two-hour session by counsellors from Divorce Support
Specialist Agencies (DSSAs). All parents with minor children
are required under the Women’s Charter Section 94A to attend this
programme if they do not have a signed formal agreement pertaining to a
parenting plan and all other divorce matters.
The consultation aims to help parents understand:
- the financial challenges of divorce
- how divorce impacts living arrangements
- child custody and access
- the importance of co-parenting and having a parenting plan
For more information on the Mandatory Parenting Programme, please click here.
B. Parenting PACT
Parenting PACT is a one-time consultation session for divorced parents with children who are 21 years old and below.
The session 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
This is a two-hour session conducted by family counsellors from the Divorce Support Specialist Agencies.
Divorced parents who are required by the
Courts to attend this parenting programme will get a notification to
attend Parenting PACT by post.
C. Children in Between (CiB)
Children in Between is a programme for parents and their children who are between 6 to less than 15 years of age.
The workshops under CiB cover topics for both parents and children:
| CiB for Parents | CiB for Children |
|---|---|
Practical Co-parenting skills
|
Positive ways to cope with their parents' divorce
|
|
Ways to reduce parental conflict
|
Exploring feelings and fears, myths and truths
|
| Understanding the needs of their children in a divorce situation |
Skills to share their feelings
|
This free workshop is run by family counsellors from the Divorce Support Specialist Agencies.
Both parents and their children are encouraged to attend the workshops in separate sessions.
D. Supervised Exchange & Visitation Programme
The Supervised Exchange and Visitation Programme helps high conflict
families manage difficulties over child access matters. It provides a
safe platform for children who express strong reluctance and discomfort
about meeting their access parent. Counsellors help by mitigating
distrust and working on the complex family dynamics. Supervised
Exchange and Visitation is an interim measure to facilitate families to
work towards independent child access. The end goal is to help parents
co-parent effectively and build secure parent-child relationships over
time without compromising the child’s sense of personal and emotional
safety.
Thye Hua Kwan Centre for Family Harmony and Care Corner Centre for
Co-parenting are the two appointed Divorce Support Specialist Agencies
that offer the Supervised Exchange and Visitation Programme.
This programme is strictly for court ordered cases only.
E. Support Groups and Counselling
During counselling sessions, individuals and families come together
in a safe and confidential platform where they can share experiences and
offer mutual support to one another.
Some free support programmes at the DSSAs are:
Care Corner Centre For Co-Parenting
Enlivened Hearts Women's Support Group
The 4-session group work is designed to help women cope with the pain of divorce and to recover from the emotional trauma.
HELP Family Service Centre
Video Conference
A direct video link service to the courts to apply for the enforcement of existing spousal and/or child maintenance orders.
RAINBOWS
A peer support group that facilitates emotional healing for parents and children.
The Big Brother and Big Sister (BBBS)
A befriending programme for children aged 10 to 16 years who are affected by their parents' divorce.
The Family Enrichment Programme (FEP)
This programme provides opportunities for personal growth and
development for families by strengthening their family support system.
PPIS As-Salaam Family Support Centre
M.A.W.A.R Support Programme for Single Mothers
This programme provides support to divorced mothers with dependent children.
SALAAM Support Programme
For children/adolescents who experience grief arising from loss of parents through divorce.
Thye Hua Kwan Centre for Family Harmony @ Commonwealth
Mindfulness Parenting
This programme helps divorcing/divorced parents to improve their communication skills for better parent-child relationships.
Daddy's for Life
A support
programe to help divorcing/divorced fathers learn from each other's
experiences, and build a strong relationship with their children.
For more information on divorce support services and programmes, you may email MSF at dssaprogrammes@msf.gov.sg
Maintenance Support
The Women’s Charter was enhanced in 2011 and allows the Family
Justice Court to utilise a wider range of measures with respect to
maintenance enforcement cases.
A referral protocol between the Community Justice Centre (CJC) and
Social Services Offices (SSOs) was put in place to ensure that
vulnerable families receive the necessary support they require. The
protocol allows:
- parties (both men and women) identified at the CJC to be referred to the nearest SSO for timely assistance; and
- parties (both men and women) seeking help at the SSOs to be referred to the CJC for legal assistance.
In both cases, as long as a party is in need, the SSOs and/or CJC
will render appropriate assistance, e.g. cash or food vouchers. The
primary concern is to ensure the family’s welfare.
From 1 July 2016, a husband or ex-husband who is incapacitated
(supported by medical certification) up to the point of divorce, cannot
earn a livelihood and is unable to support himself may apply for
maintenance. This incapacitation must be evident throughout the
maintenance application process.
Reporting Maintenance Debts
Divorcees whose ex-spouses fail to provide maintenance can report maintenance debt to the DP SME Commercial Credit Bureau (DP).
After the applicant files a report, DP will:
- send quarterly SMS reminders to the defaulter for payment to be made (subject to availability of contact number); and
- record the maintenance arrears as accorded in the court order (i.e. money that is owed and should have been paid earlier) as monetary debts under the defaulter’s information in DP’s database, which may affect his/her credit worthiness.
The report can be made by:
- claimants of maintenance; or
- their caregiver; A one-time registration fee of $53.50 is charged for each case file lodged with DP. Low income complainants as well as cases referred through the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) are entitled to a fee waiver.
Other services
DP also offers an optional “debt collection service” where their
officers conduct telephone or site-visits to locate the defaulter A 20% commission fee is charged for each successful payment received through this service.
DP usually recommends this service for cases where the defaulter has
gone missing or as a last resort for those who ignore repeated
reminders.
You may contact DP at 6320 1900 or email cs@dpgroup.com.sg.
For a full list of support services provided by various centres and organisations to address issues arising from divorce, click here.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Divorce? A Comprehensive Guide to Divorce Fees in Singapore
Divorce can be stressful and complicated. Despite this, many have
reservations about hiring a lawyer to assist with their divorces, with
legal fees and the issue of overcharging having come up as key concerns.
In response to these concerns, we interviewed divorce lawyers on their fees and compiled our insights into a massive 44-page guide which you can download for FREE.
Titled “How Much Does It Cost to Get a Divorce? A Comprehensive Guide to Divorce Fees in Singapore”, this guide provides fee estimates for getting a divorce in Singapore, based on how the case progresses and how the lawyer charges for the work (e.g. hourly rate, or lump sums for various stages of the divorce, or on a per-service basis).
Download Divorce Fee Guide
In response to these concerns, we interviewed divorce lawyers on their fees and compiled our insights into a massive 44-page guide which you can download for FREE.
Titled “How Much Does It Cost to Get a Divorce? A Comprehensive Guide to Divorce Fees in Singapore”, this guide provides fee estimates for getting a divorce in Singapore, based on how the case progresses and how the lawyer charges for the work (e.g. hourly rate, or lump sums for various stages of the divorce, or on a per-service basis).
If You’ve Ever Wondered One of These Common FAQs, Then This Guide is For You:
- How do lawyers charge for divorce work?
- How do divorce lawyers collect their fees?
- Are lawyers necessary for divorce work?
What’s in the Guide?
When you download our guide, you will get access to all these chapters:- Introduction
- How to Get a Divorce in Singapore: Requirements
- How to Get a Divorce in Singapore: Procedure
- Divorce Fees (In General)
- Divorce Fees (In Stages)
- Other Fees You May Incur in a Divorce Case
- Will Your Spouse Have to Pay You If He/She “Loses” the Case?
- Paying Your Divorce Lawyer: Payment Methods
- What If You’re Dissatisfied With the Bill?
- Legal Assistance
- Is It Advisable to Divorce Without a Lawyer?
- Next Steps: How to Choose a Divorce Lawyer
- Glossary
Download Divorce Fee Guide
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