Mental health helplines for parents in Singapore: who to call, what to say, and where to get counselling

If you're finding it hard to cope, you can talk to someone right now. The main 24-hour mental health helplines for parents in Singapore are national mindline 1771 and Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) on 1767. If you or anyone else is in danger, call 995 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

What to do now, step by step

1. Call 995 for an ambulance, or 999 for the police, if anyone's life is in danger right now. SCDF runs its 995 ambulance service 24 hours a day.
2. Go to the nearest hospital emergency department, which MOH names for anyone feeling suicidal. IMH's Emergency Services at 10 Buangkok View is also open 24 hours for severe emotional distress.
3. Call SOS on 1767, or WhatsApp its CareText line on 9151 1767, if you're having thoughts of suicide or you're worried about someone. Both run 24 hours a day, every day, and the hotline is toll-free.
4. Call national mindline 1771, WhatsApp 6669 1771 or use the webchat at mindline.sg/fsmh for counselling, questions or help finding a service. MOH says it runs 24/7 and you can stay anonymous.
5. Call Care Corner's Mandarin counselling hotline on 1800-3535-800 if you'd rather talk in Mandarin. It's free and open 10am to 10pm daily, except public holidays.
6. Tell one person you trust how you're really feeling. SOS suggests saying you're struggling and asking them to help you find support.
7. Book a GP or polyclinic visit. HealthHub says they offer consultation, diagnosis and treatment for mental health.
8. Contact a perinatal team if you're pregnant or had a baby in the past year. NUH's Women's Emotional Health Service takes calls on 6772 2037 on weekdays, and KKH's Women's Mental Wellness Service answers emails at pnd@kkh.com.sg in 3 to 5 working days.

Which line to call, at a glance

Each line does a different job. SOS volunteers listen and give emotional support, but SOS says they don't give professional advice. The 1771 counsellors can counsel you and refer you to services. The hospital teams offer counselling and psychiatric care.

Older lists still show IMH's Mental Health Helpline, 6389 2222. IMH retired that number when national mindline 1771 started on 18 June 2025, so use 1771 instead.

Signs a mother, or any parent, may be thinking of suicide

Thoughts of suicide can come with postnatal depression. The NHS lists thoughts of suicide, or of harming yourself or your baby, among its symptoms. Watch for these signs:

• Saying things like "My family will be better off without me" or that she's a burden on her family (HealthHub)
• Feeling hopeless, or losing interest in things she usually enjoys (HealthHub)
• Giving away treasured things, saying goodbye, or writing notes or social media posts that read like a goodbye (HealthHub)
• A sudden calm after a long stretch of low mood (HealthHub)
• After a birth: feeling she can't cope, that she's a bad parent, or having thoughts of harming herself or the baby (NHS)
• In dads: heavy drinking, risky behaviour such as driving dangerously, or thoughts of self-harm or harming others, which NUH lists as warning signs for fathers (NUH)

If you notice any of these, ask her about it and help her reach one of the lines above. HealthHub says help is available and suicides can be prevented. Postnatal screening asks about this too: the last EPDS question on HealthHub is "The thought of harming myself has occurred to me". Our postnatal depression guide explains the EPDS and treatment.

What to say if you're worried about your partner or family

You don't need the right words. The NHS says just listening and taking someone seriously can help more than having answers.

• Ask directly whether she's having thoughts of suicide. Oxford Health NHS says asking won't put the idea into someone's head.
• Start gently if that feels too sudden. NUH's leaflet for dads suggests saying "this must be hard", then asking "What would help you?"
• Listen, stay patient and don't judge, as SOS advises. Invite her to keep talking.
• Offer to make the call with her, or go with her to the appointment. SOS suggests offering to come along.
• Call SOS on 1767 yourself if you need advice. SOS says the hotline is also for people worried about someone else.
• Call 995 if she can't keep herself safe, and keep her company. SOS advises people in crisis to stay around other people.

Look after yourself as well. The NHS says fathers and partners can also get depression after a baby. NUH says about 1 in 10 fathers has depression and anxiety around the birth, and its Women's Emotional Health Service supports dads too. We didn't find a separate national helpline for fathers, so dads can use 1771 and SOS like anyone else. HealthHub also points fathers to the Centre for Fathering. For sharing the work at home, see the mental load for mothers and how to share the nights.

Counselling for parents: where to start

• GP or polyclinic: HealthHub says GPs can refer higher-risk patients to psychiatry and other services. CHAS cardholders get subsidies for some mental health conditions at CHAS GP clinics, and MediSave can pay part of outpatient care for conditions such as anxiety and major depression under the Chronic Disease Management Programme.
• KKH and NUH perinatal teams: they see women in pregnancy and the first year after birth. Our postnatal depression guide lists their fees and how to get seen.
• Family Service Centres: MSF says there are 49 FSCs in HDB towns. You can call, walk in or email for help with family or emotional issues. Their staff offer individual and family counselling.
• Family Assist: HealthHub says MSF-appointed providers offer counselling for marital and family concerns through the Family Assist portal.
• CREST community teams: MOH describes them as community mental health teams for adults 18 and over, with screening and psycho-social support. Find one in the mindline.sg service directory. For carers of someone with a mental health condition, HealthHub says the Community Intervention Team (COMIT) gives caregivers access to support groups.
• Online: MOH says mindline.sg has self-help tools and an online community. Its let's talk forum lets you get advice from peer supporters and therapists anonymously.

To meet other parents going through the same thing, see parent support groups in Singapore. If money worries add to the strain, see financial help for families. If someone at home is hurting you, family violence help in Singapore lists who to call.

When to see a doctor

• Low mood or worry that lasts more than two weeks. SingHealth says to get professional advice if postnatal blues last beyond two weeks, and NUH gives dads the same two-week mark.
• Trouble sleeping even when you get time to rest (NHS)
• Feeling hopeless, guilty or worthless, or that you can't cope (NHS)
• Difficult feelings about your baby, or trouble bonding (NHS)
• Any thought of harming yourself or your baby. Get help straight away through 995, an emergency department, SOS or 1771 (NHS, MOH).

Start with your GP, polyclinic or O&G. For specialist care in pregnancy or the first year, use KKH or NUH. In a crisis, call 995 or go to the nearest emergency department. For constant worry or intrusive thoughts, see postpartum anxiety. If you're worried about a sudden change in a new mum, use our postpartum psychosis checklist.

Frequently asked questions

What is the national mental health helpline in Singapore?

It's national mindline 1771. You can call 1771, WhatsApp 6669 1771 or use the webchat at mindline.sg/fsmh, 24 hours a day. MOH says conversations are confidential and you can stay anonymous. IMH notes that calls to 1771 aren't toll-free, so standard call charges apply.

Is there a postnatal depression helpline in Singapore?

KKH's page lists an email, not a phone line: its Women's Mental Wellness Service replies to pnd@kkh.com.sg in 3 to 5 working days. NUH's Women's Emotional Health Service takes calls on 6772 2037, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. At other times, call 1771 or SOS on 1767.

What are the signs of suicide in mothers?

HealthHub lists talk of being a burden or of the family being better off without her, hopelessness, saying goodbye, and a sudden calm after a long low spell. After a birth, the NHS adds thoughts of harming herself or the baby. If you notice any of these, ask her directly and help her call SOS on 1767 or 1771. Call 995 if she can't keep safe.

Where can parents get counselling in Singapore?

Start with a GP or polyclinic, or a Family Service Centre, where you can call, walk in or email. KKH and NUH have teams for pregnancy and the first year after birth. MSF-appointed providers offer marriage and family counselling through the Family Assist portal.

Is the IMH helpline 6389 2222 still working?

IMH has retired it. It stopped its Mental Health Helpline, 6389 2222, when national mindline 1771 launched on 18 June 2025, and forwarded calls to 1771 only until 30 September 2025, so call 1771 directly.

Will a helpline keep what I say private?

MOH says all 1771 conversations are confidential and you can choose to stay anonymous. SOS also keeps what you share confidential and lets you stay anonymous. SOS says it may break confidentiality if it decides you can't keep yourself safe from harm.