Importance of inclusion

 At a meeting today I learned a new term:  'social inclusion level of income'.

Though Singapore does not adopt an official poverty line, it has been generally accepted that a household with $450 per capita can be defined as living in poverty. 12% of households in Singapore are living below this unofficial poverty line.

In addition, a family would need $2500 to $3500 a month to meet the social inclusion level set out by some economists, and of which 20% of our households falls under. Social inclusion level refers to income which allows the household to participate in society, ie.in activities normally available to the general population. In our context it could include having meals at hawker centers, occasional outings to MacDonald for the kids and children being able to afford some items and activities most of their school friends enjoy. In other words an income level which won't make the family feel being too left out from society.

This made me recalled a counseling session some years ago with a school kid that overran into recess time. Instead of rushing off once the recess bell rang which most other children did, he chose  to linger in the counseling room. Only later he revealed that he had no pocket money for recess and was trying to avoid being alone whilst his friends were tucking in. Fortunately he later came under a free lunch scheme which allowed him to buy a meal a day from any stall in the canteen. This scheme would have definitely made him felt more included.

Children are more sensitive about being different and very conscious of what constitutes the norm. Even amongst children residing in the children's home (which in itself  is not the norm), not being brought home to stay with parents and relatives no matter how briefly during the school holidays was a sad lament which I could sense from my clients. It must have felt like an exclusion within an exclusion.

My own experience of being left out though not traumatic had left an indelible mark. It happened when I was in primary 2. The class was divided into 3 groups based on test results and transfers occurred after each semester test results. I was moved from group B to group A which comprised mainly of girls from rich families. When some coloring work had to be done, I took out from my bag a small box of 6 short colored pencils, some so short and worn I had to put a ball-point cap to add length. On the shared big table were boxes of long 12s and 24s. My short capped 6s created cruel merriment and an embarrassment so huge that it lived in my mind till this day. Such can be the imprint in a child's tender mind.

Social inclusion level of income as a guide for support is essential.