It usually deals with family financial problems, eg. health-cost issues while others could be related to CPF matters. Other include application for various licenses, HDB related problems and younger Singaporeans' appeals for school admissions and school fee subsidy.
The establishment of these sessions can be traced back to David Marshall of the Labour Front in the 1950s. Today they serve the parties, and especially the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) which currently holds all but two seats, to maintain the loyalty of the poorest voters.