Care Network Summit 2026: Growing Together, Empowering Change

The Singapore Prison Service (SPS), together with the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (CARE) Network, organised the CARE Network Summit 2026 today. The Summit brought together CARE Network partners, Social Service Agencies (SSAs), members of the National Committee on Preventing Offending and Re-offending (NCPR), and community organisations to strengthen collaboration and support the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates, ex-offenders and their families. The event was officiated by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs.

2. Building on the theme “GROWing Together, Empowering Change”, the Summit underscored the sector’s collective progress in advancing Singapore's correctional ecosystem. A key highlight was the unveiling of NCPR’s third-term recommendations, comprising 13 measures to prevent offending, reduce re-offending and strengthen reintegration support.

Strengthening Collaboration Across the Correctional Ecosystem

3. Established in 2000, the CARE Network brings together eight core members^[1] and more than 170 community partners across Government agencies, social services and the community. Together, they coordinate support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates, ex-offenders and their families. The formation of Yellow Ribbon Cares (YR Cares) on 1 April 2026, through the merger of the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society Limited (ISCOS), NeuGen Fund and the Yellow Ribbon Fund, marks a significant step in strengthening this ecosystem. By integrating financial assistance, rehabilitation support and reintegration services under a single agency, YR Cares will enhance services, reduce duplication and deliver more impact.

4. The CARE Network continues to drive sector-wide collaboration through the GROW framework, a five-year roadmap to strengthen Singapore’s aftercare support landscape. Centred on Galvanising the growth of the aftercare support sector, Reducing duplication of services and programmes, Optimising resources, and Widening the network of stakeholders, the framework provides a shared direction for partners to deliver more effective support for inmates, ex-offenders and their families.

5. This year’s Summit marks a significant milestone for Singapore’s correctional ecosystem, as SPS commemorates its 80^th anniversary, Yellow Ribbon Singapore its 50^th anniversary, and the Singapore After-Care Association its 70^th anniversary. These milestones reflect decades of partnership, excellence and growth.

National Committee on Preventing Offending and Re-offending (NCPR)’s Third-Term Recommendations

6. Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, unveiled the NCPR’s third-term recommendations at the Summit. The recommendations cover 13 measures across four focus areas:

• Preventing first-time youth offending;

• Preventing gang affiliation among youths;

• Strengthening community support for elderly inmates and ex-offenders; and

• Strengthening support for families impacted by incarceration.

Empowering Change Through Lived Experience

7. For the first time, the Summit invited desistors - Mr Rizwan Habib and Mdm Nur Azlinda Zulkifli, to share their lived experiences, recognising the growing role of desistors not only as individuals who have successfully undergone the rehabilitation journey, but also as mentors, advocates and partners in supporting others in their reintegration journeys. Both speakers shared their personal stories and how they now give back by supporting others who have walked similar paths. Their experiences encourage others to stay on the path of desistance and demonstrate that lasting change is possible with the support of family, the community, and rehabilitation partners.

8. Following their sharing, Mr Rizwan Habib and Mdm Nur Azlinda Zulkifli joined Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Social and Family Development Mr Eric Chua, who co-chairs the NCPR workgroup, and Executive Director of SANA, Mr Kok Weng Chew, in a panel discussion on collaborative approaches to preventing offending and strengthening rehabilitation and reintegration. Mr Chua shared the intent behind the recommendations and highlighted how Government agencies and SSAs work together to provide holistic support to vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, elderly inmates, ex-offenders and their families. He underscored the importance of a collaborative partnership that bridges policy and ground-level service delivery.

9. Commissioner of Prisons and Co-Chairperson of the CARE Network, Mr Matthew Wee Yik Keong, said, “Over the past two decades, Singapore has made significant progress in rehabilitation, with the two-year recidivism rate declining from 40.1% for the 1998 release cohort to 21.9% for the 2023 release cohort. Every life reformed is one less victim of crime, a stronger family restored and safer streets. This is a whole of society effort. More desistors are also stepping forward to contribute, support others in their reintegration journeys, demonstrating that lasting change is possible. Together, we will continue to strive towards a more inclusive and stronger Singapore.

^[1] The CARE Network comprises of eight core members including the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Singapore Prison Service, Yellow Ribbon Singapore, National Council of Social Services, Singapore After-Care Association (SACA), Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) and Yellow Ribbon Cares Limited (YR Cares). With effect from 1 April 2026, Yellow Ribbon Fund, Industrial & Services Co-Operative Society Ltd, and NeuGen Fund merged to form YR Cares.