[BCM] [FSC] [E2] [C1] Business Continuity Management Planning Methodology

Chapter 1

Business Continuity Management Planning Methodology for the Family Service Centre

Introduction

Family Service Centres (FSCs) in Singapore play a critical role in supporting vulnerable individuals and families through casework, counselling, community support, and referrals to essential services.

As part of the social service ecosystem overseen by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), FSCs must ensure that their operations remain resilient, even in times of crisis. Service disruptions—whether due to natural hazards, IT system outages, pandemics, or physical infrastructure failures—can significantly affect the continuity of support to families in need.

In alignment with ISO 22301: Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS), FSCs should adopt a structured methodology for Business Continuity Management (BCM) planning.

The methodology comprises seven phases that guide FSCs through identifying risks, prioritising critical services, developing strategies, and maintaining resilience.

Seven Phases of BCM Planning Methodology for FSCs

1. Project Management (PM)

Requirement for FSCs: Establish a BCM Steering Committee that includes the Centre Manager, Senior Social Workers, and Administrative Leads to oversee the BCM project.

• Define the scope: Casework and counselling services, community outreach, and referral support must remain operational.
• Secure management buy-in and resources for BCM implementation.
• Appoint a BCM coordinator to drive project milestones and report progress to MSF or the governing Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO).

2. Risk Analysis and Review (RAR)

Requirement for FSCs: Identify potential threats that may disrupt daily operations, including:

• IT outages affecting the FSC’s case management system (e.g., SSNet).
• Physical building inaccessibility due to fire, flooding, or nearby hazards.
• Pandemics or public health crises are impacting staff availability.
• Third-party vendor disruptions affecting counselling spaces or outreach services.

Conduct risk assessments with input from both staff and community stakeholders to prioritise critical risks.

3. Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Requirement for FSCs: Determine which services are critical to community needs and establish maximum tolerable downtimes (MTD).

• Casework and counselling sessions: must be restored within 24–48 hours.
• Crisis intervention (e.g., family violence cases): immediate continuity required, with alternative arrangements identified.
• Administrative and reporting functions: may tolerate delays of up to 5 days.

This ensures FSCs allocate resources effectively to sustain essential social service delivery during crises.

4. Business Continuity Strategy (BCS)

Requirement for FSCs: Develop practical strategies to maintain service delivery:

• Workforce strategies: Enable remote counselling via secured teleconsultation platforms when physical centres are inaccessible.
• Facility strategies: Establish reciprocal agreements with nearby FSCs or community centres to share space temporarily.
• Technology strategies: Implement secure cloud-based systems for case files, ensuring access from alternative locations.
• Communication strategies: Maintain multi-channel communication (hotlines, SMS, WhatsApp, email) with clients to provide updates and crisis support.

5. Plan Development (PD)

Requirement for FSCs: Document detailed continuity plans, including:

• Step-by-step recovery procedures for casework, outreach, and referrals.
• Call trees and emergency contact lists for staff, clients at high risk, and partner agencies.
• Pre-approved templates for crisis communication with clients and stakeholders.
• Vendor continuity arrangements for IT support, utilities, and facility services.

Plans should be written in clear language accessible to all staff and volunteers.

6. Testing and Exercising (TE)

Requirement for FSCs: Conduct regular BCM exercises to validate readiness:

• Annual tabletop exercises simulating scenarios such as IT outages or facility unavailability.
• Client communication drills to test response times and information accuracy.
• Joint exercises with MSF and partner FSCs to validate reciprocal support arrangements.

Testing helps ensure that staff remain confident and competent in executing continuity plans.

7. Program Management (PgM)

Requirement for FSCs: Embed BCM as an ongoing program, not a one-off project.

• Schedule periodic reviews of BCM policies and plans in alignment with MSF requirements.
• Monitor changes in community needs, staff turnover, and new IT systems to update plans accordingly.
• Train new staff in BCM as part of their orientation.
• Provide periodic BCM awareness sessions for the wider community to build resilience beyond the centre.

Summing Up …

For Family Service Centres, business continuity is not merely about protecting organisational assets—it is about safeguarding the ability to support families during their most vulnerable moments.

By following the ISO 22301 planning methodology, FSCs can ensure that their critical services remain resilient, responsive, and trusted in times of disruption.

A systematic approach through the seven phases—Project Management, Risk Analysis, Business Impact Analysis, Business Continuity Strategy, Plan Development, Testing and Exercising, and Program Management—provides FSCs with the structure needed to protect the welfare of the communities they serve.

In doing so, FSCs uphold their mission as a reliable source of social support and maintain public confidence in Singapore’s social service ecosystem, even amidst uncertainty.

Business Continuity Management in Social Services: A Guide for Family Service Centres
eBook 2: Implementing Business Continuity Management
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