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We Want To Ensure This Family Does Not Fall Through The Cracks
19th September 2026

We Want To Ensure This Family Does Not Fall Through The Cracks

“She’s a survivor,” said Edwin about his client, Thi Loi. “Her greatest motivation has always been to give her son a better future.”
“She’s a survivor,” said Edwin about his client, Thi Loi. “Her greatest motivation has always been to give her son a better future.”

For years after her Singaporean husband died of cancer, 47-year-old Thach Thi Loi and her son, Minh*, shuttled between Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam to comply with visa requirements.

The constant movement left little room for stability. Without a secure immigration status, Thi Loi was unable to apply for public rental housing. Minh travelled wherever she did, missing years of formal education along the way. By the time the pair reconnected with MWS Family Service Centre – Yishun in 2024, following their return to Singapore, 11-year-old Minh had never attended primary school. Although his mother had arranged informal tuition for him in Johor Bahru, he had fallen far behind academically. He also struggled with low self-esteem, expressed suicidal thoughts, and showed signs of a possible neurodevelopmental condition.

It takes a village

For MWS Senior Social Worker Edwin Soh, one priority stood above all else: ensuring the family did not slip through the cracks.

Working closely with partners including Ministry of Social and Family Development, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Ministry of Education, Housing & Development Board, and Institute of Mental Health’s Child Guidance Clinic, Edwin helped Thi Loi navigate a complex web of systems – from securing a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) and public rental housing to arranging developmental assessments and exploring school options for Minh.

The process was rarely straightforward. Language barriers, coupled with unfamiliarity with digital processes and government procedures, meant Edwin often stepped in to complete paperwork, coordinate appointments, and ensure critical deadlines were not missed.

“It is important to have an honest appraisal of what our agency can do to help the family,” Edwin reflected. “Where we fall short, that’s where the collective work and advocacy of other stakeholders play a huge role in amplifying the impact of our work.”

Thi Loi encouraging her son’s love of learning
Thi Loi encouraging her son’s love of learning

A place to call home

That collaborative effort has transformed the family’s outlook.

Thi Loi now holds an LTVP, allowing her to remain in Singapore and provide consistent care for her son. They have also moved into a one-room public rental flat in Ang Mo Kio, giving them, for the first time in years, a stable place to call home.

“I’m very happy that I now have a Long-Term Visit Pass and a permanent place to live,” Thi Loi said in Mandarin. “Travelling back and forth between Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore was very exhausting. Now that these issues are resolved, I’m no longer under so much stress and anxiety.”

Minh has since undergone psychological assessments, which confirmed an autism diagnosis and are informing discussions on suitable school placements. His emotional well-being has also improved, with no recent reports of suicidal ideation. “Having a secure and stable placeto call home is vital to a person’s sense of psychological safety and well-being,” Edwin said.

It is important to have an honest appraisal of what our agency can do to help the family. Where we fall short, that’s where the collective work and advocacy of other stakeholders play a huge role in amplifying the impact of our work.

– Edwin on the importance of collaboration

Today, Edwin supports Thi Loi in strengthening her parenting skills and creating meaningful daily routines and activities for Minh. He and his team also continue to work with relevant agencies to explore schooling options for Minh, despite persistent challenges. “As social workers, we believe in the future and potential of this child,” Edwin said. “That motivates us to do the necessary to ensure this family does not fall through the cracks.”

For Thi Loi, her dream is simple. “I hope my son can study properly in Singapore and have a better future,” she said. That future remains uncertain. But for the first time in years, Thi Loi and Minh have a network of support committed to helping them take the next step.

I hope my son can study properly in Singapore and have a better future.

– Thi Loi, an immigrant parent, on her hopes for her son
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