In the 1980’s women in Singapore began in earnest to join the workforce, a trend that was happening in most of the developing and developed economies. It was common for women to hold administrative and executive positions, however there were large numbers of women who still worked in low-paying jobs to supplement the family’s income. Women then were also bound to traditional roles of looking after their families despite holding jobs outside of home. Divorce rates crept up and single mothers were forced to fend for themselves and their children. More and more children were left to their own devices after school. As they were given a set of their home keys and let themselves into an empty flat, they became known as “latchkey children”. The lack of adult supervision after school often led to declining school achievements.
Good Shepherd Student Care
Marymount Centre’s Response
As schools morphed into single sessions, and it became a norm for women to join the workforce, the demand for after school care rose. To reflect the services, Marian Centre became Good Shepherd Student Care (GSSC); programmes and activities were streamlined to cater for the care, educational and social development of the more than 100 children who packed into the single-storey old house after school every day.