Debated in Parliament on 7 Aug 2024.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the justification behind the need for a single, unwed mother to undergo the procedure of adopting the child in order for them to legitimise their parent-child relationship; and (b) whether there are any plans to review this position.
Single unwed mothers do not need to adopt their own children in order to qualify for or gain more from Government benefits and schemes. As mentioned in our earlier reply to Member of Parliament Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang, all Singaporean children have access to Government benefits that support their growth and development, regardless of their parent's marital status. These benefits include education subsidies, childcare and infant care subsidies, Child Development Account, including the First Step Grant and matched co-savings from the Government, healthcare subsidies, MediSave Grant for Newborns, MediShield Life coverage from birth, as well as the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession. Likewise, single unwed mothers can also receive Government-Paid Maternity Leave.
There remain some laws that differentiate based on a child’s legitimacy status, such as illegitimate children having a lower priority for inheritance of parents' assets. These reflect our prevailing social norms of the family as the building block of society, and parenthood within marriage. Notwithstanding this, the law provides that it is the duty of parents to maintain their children, regardless of their legitimacy status.
Single unwed mothers may choose to legitimise their child by marrying the biological father or through adoption. Should the mother choose adoption, she should be mindful of the implications. For example, adoption by the mother would terminate the duties, obligations and liabilities of the biological father and the child would no longer be able to seek maintenance from the father under the Women’s Charter.
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