The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) 2012 established a data protection law that comprises rules governing the collection, use and disclosure of personal data. Social service agencies have to comply with the PDPA, as well as other relevant laws when
handling personal data in their possession. The Data Protection Provisions of the PDPA came into effect on 2 July 2014.
On this webpage, NCSS has consolidated key information
on the PDPA, as extracted from the Personal Data Protection Commission website.
To ensure that you are complying with the PDPA, VWOs can access the customised guidelines and consent templates by clicking on the “PDPA Advisory Guidelines for Social Service Sector” and “Consent Templates” buttons.
>> Read more on PDPA General Advisory Guidelines.
Do Not Call (DNC) Registry
The Do Not Call (DNC) provisions under PDPA, in effect since 2 January 2014, generally prohibit agencies from sending unsolicited commercial telemarketing messages in the form of voice calls, text or fax messages to Singapore telephone numbers, including
mobile, fixed-line, residential and business numbers, registered with the DNC Registry. Messages promoting charitable or religious causes do not fall under the purview of the DNC and are therefore still allowed. Please see chapters 3.8 to 3.13
of the DNC Advisory Guidelines for details.
If you are a social service agency intending to conduct telemarketing activities to users of Singapore telephone numbers, you
will need to submit your list of telemarketing phone numbers for checking against the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. Click on the “Getting Started” button for instructions regarding this.
Centres of Specialisation (CoS) was an initiative started in 2007 to build and share a body of knowledge and expertise in a particular social service sector It aimed to look into standards and methods, review of processes over time, and document evidence-based best practices to train other social service agencies. In 2014, 14 COS projects were completed.
Agencies which are interested in building and sharing knowledge can participate in the GatherHere online platform under the Social Service Institute.