Singapore  - The number of abused and neglected children brought before Singapore courts for care and protection orders has been on the rise, published data said on Saturday.

The number reached 114 last year compared to 18 in 1996.

In one-third of the 2007 cases, the abusers were the children's mothers, with fathers accounting for one-fifth of the cases, said The Straits Times. One in four youngsters were abused by both parents.

To enable the courts to deal in depth with such cases, a specialized Child Care Court will be set up to hear them every Friday, assisted by a psychologist and social workers working closely with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

The courts can currently order that the child be left at home with close supervision by the ministry, or a relative may be appointed guardian. The youngster also can be placed in foster care or a home if the situation warrants it.

The process will be made more child-friendly and informal, the newspaper said. The timetable for cases will be based on what is right for each child.

"Beyond parental control" cases will also be heard by the court and managed differently from criminal offences committed by juveniles.

Some children may feel intimidated by the court's atmosphere or feel they have done something wrong, said Dr Joseph Ozawa, senior deputy director of the Family and Juvenile Justice Centre.

"One of the key things we are trying to do is to tell them that they are in a different court," Ozawa was quoted as saying.

Counsellor Gracia Goh said it was not surprising that one-third of the abusers were mothers.

"It's stereotypical to think that abusers are fathers. Mothers are the ones who do the daily care giving. They are the ones who face the strain," she was quoted as saying. (dpa)