The constitution of Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) has provision for SASW to confer the title of “Fellow” on any person who is a Life or Ordinary Member of the Association, or qualifies to be so, and who has rendered outstanding service to the profession.
The process of conferment requires a petition to be signed by no fewer than 20 Fellows, Life Members or Ordinary Members, and shall be lodged with the Honorary Secretary of the Association at least thirty days before the date of a General Meeting in that year, for consideration at that meeting. Such proposal for the conferment of Honorary Membership shall meet with the approval, by secret ballot, of not less than two-thirds of the Association’s total Fellows, Life Members or Ordinary Members present at General Meetings [as stated in the SASW Constitution, 4.1 (g)].
Our Fellows
Ms Ang Bee Lian
Ms Ang Bee Lian’s career spans more than 40 years, from frontline child protection work to national leadership roles. As Director-General of Social Welfare and former CEO of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), she has played a central role in shaping Singapore’s social service policies and systems. Her contributions include championing child protection, probation, eldercare, and disability services, while guiding the development of professional standards in social work. Bee Lian’s leadership has consistently been marked by spirit of collaboration, systems thinking, and belief in the strengths of partners – truly reflecting the values of social work. She has driven cross-sector collaborations through numerous inter-agency committees and boards to tackle complex social issues.
Bee Lian believes strongly in nurturing the next generation of social workers. She gives her time generously to mentoring emerging social work leaders and imparting her knowledge through writings and teaching.
Bee Lian was instrumental in key milestones for SASW and the profession. She supported the establishment of SASW’s Family Resource and Training Centre in the 1990s and advocated for social work recognition when it was still not well understood by the public. She played a critical role in establishment of the Outstanding Social Worker Award in 1998 and was instrumental in its elevation as a national honour presented at the Istana. She also provided leadership and guidance in the Ministry’s support for the creation of the national accreditation system. Bee Lian served as the Chair of Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board for a decade from 2013 to 2023. Her strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and tireless advocacy continue to inspire generations of social workers.
Ms Tina Hung
Ms Tina Hung has been a strong advocate for greater recognition of social workers and professionalisation of social work. Through her leadership, NCSS was a partner with the Ministry of Community Development in co-organising the first Outstanding Social Worker Award. She also led NCSS as a key partner with the ministry and SASW in the establishment of the accreditation system in 2009. Tina served as the first Vice-Chair of Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board, raising standards for professional development and ethical practice. A mentor and thought leader, she has nurtured many leaders in the social service sector with her time and guidance. She is currently an adjunct lecturer at the NUS social work department.
Tina has shaped Singapore’s social service landscape through more than 25 years of leadership at NCSS. She has driven innovations in early intervention, disability support, family service centres, school social work, and mental health inclusion—many of which have become critical pillars of today’s service ecosystem. She established performance and quality standards, introduced programme evaluation systems and best practice guidelines, and championed the use of Quality of Life (QOL) indicators for sector-wide impact assessment. She was also a strong advocate behind NCSS’s public education campaigns for social inclusion for persons with disabilities and mental health awareness, connecting NCSS to partners to expand the impact of these campaigns. After learning about the potential of peer support in mental health recovery and how persons in recovery can be empowered to use their lived experience, Tina initiated a project to develop an ecosystem for peer support specialists in Singapore with the support of partners from the healthcare, social services, and prison services. Over the years, her strategic insights, empathy for the disadvantaged, and belief in collaboration have contributed to the social services and social work.
Dr Ngiam Tee Liang
Dr Ngiam Tee Liang is a social work pioneer who served as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Social Work at the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
With over 50 years of experience in social work education and community volunteering, he contributed to the early development of professional social work practices in Singapore, including leadership roles in family resource centres and public education initiatives. Appointed a Nominated Member of Parliament from July 2002 to January 2005, Ngiam advocated for social welfare policies and was the first NUS social work lecturer to hold such a position; he also received honours including Justice of the Peace and recognition among ten pioneering social workers for advancing the field’s institutional foundations.
Professor Seng Boon Kheng
Professor Seng Boon Kheng is a pioneering social work educator and veteran practitioner who has left an indelible mark on the profession. She led the Medical Social Work Department at the Institute of Mental Health for nearly two decades before transitioning to academia. In 2006, she established and launched the Social Work degree programme at SIM University (now Singapore University of Social Sciences, SUSS), creating an important entry pathway for working adults and training a new generation of social workers. She led the programme for 17 years, overseeing its growth into a cornerstone of social work education in Singapore.
Prof Seng’s contributions also include research on ethics, mental health, and the resilience of frontline social workers during COVID-19. Her publications have informed both practice and policy. She has served on the Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board (SWAAB) and contributed her expertise to various boards including AllKin Singapore and Dementia Singapore. Through her scholarship, leadership, and commitment to education, she has helped shape the intellectual and ethical foundations of the profession in Singapore.
Mrs Thung Syn Neo
A pioneer of the social work profession in Singapore, Mrs Thung Syn Neo had a hand in the formulation of some of the social service institutions and schemes that are today well established. Her key contribution was the concept of the Family Service Centre, a focal point and social service provider for families in need.
Syn Neo had a rich and varied portfolio in her social worker career – from working with the terminally ill as a medical social worker and lecturing at National University of Singapore for seven years, to setting up the Training and Research Section with funding from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the then Social Welfare Department.
Dr S. Vasoo
Dr S. Vasoo is Emeritus Professor of National University of Singapore. He obtained his Doctorate and Master of Social Work from the University of Hong Kong and holds a Diploma in Social Studies with distinction from the University of Singapore. He authored several monographs on social issues and has published various such articles both internationally and locally. He was awarded the Honorary Life Member of the Singapore Association of Social Workers for his outstanding contributions to social work in Singapore. He was the Member of Parliament from 1984 to 2001 and served as Chairman of Government Parliamentary Committee for Community Development. He is Advisor to several voluntary welfare organisations in Singapore and actively involved in community development work and activities. He was recently awarded Singapore President’s Award for Outstanding National Voluntary Service for Good (2024) and Outstanding Volunteer Service Award by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (2024).
The Late Dr Fan Kam Tong Gilbert
Dr Gilbert Fan has made foundational contributions to the professionalisation and regulation of social work in Singapore. As President of SASW in the early 2000s and again in 2009, he played a leading role in advocating for and laying the groundwork for the voluntary registration system that evolved into Singapore’s current accreditation framework. He was integral to the launch of the national accreditation system in 2009 and served on the inaugural Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board (SWAAB). His sustained leadership within SASW includes key roles such as Chair of the Training & Professional Development Standing Committee, Honorary Secretary, and current Chair of the Disciplinary Committee – reflecting a lifelong commitment to strengthening the profession from within.
Dr Fan is also an internationally respected pioneer in oncology social work. As a clinician, educator, and scholar, he has advanced the fields of palliative care and bereavement, contributed to global thought leadership through the International Workgroup on Death, Dying & Bereavement, and published widely in the field. Gilbert is a Clinical Supervisor (Satir) and Fellow of the American Psychotherapy Association (USA).
Besides being a clinician, Gilbert is also a teacher and scholar, having published numerous academic papers on palliative care and grief, and served as a reviewer for various academic journals and research conferences. In 2015, Gilbert was appointed as a Master Practice Leader by the MSF. As a MPL, he provided consultation for several social service agencies to strengthen their social work capability in grief and bereavement work as well as support for cancer patients. He was also appointed as a Fellow of the Social Service Institute since 2016. Gilbert has been imparting his knowledge and experience in social work as an adjunct lecturer at institutions such as the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS Department of Social Work, Singapore University of Social Sciences, the Hong Kong University, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
His exceptional service has been recognised with numerous awards, including the 2021 Outstanding Social Worker Award.
The Late Mr K.V. Veloo
Mr K.V. Veloo was a pioneer who devoted nearly 50 years to social work, helping to shape policies in areas such as prison welfare, drug rehabilitation and eldercare. He introduced the Community Probation Service in 1971 and served as the first chief probation and aftercare officer. This scheme, in which trained volunteers complement staff in managing probation cases, became a model for similar schemes in the region.
