Family & gender

Ng Shi Xuan asked about the number of early childhood development centres that failed to provide required notice before closing and if penalties would be enhanced. Masagos Zulkifli reported that an average of 26 preschools annually did not give the required six-month notice in the past five years. Regulatory actions, such as warnings and financial penalties, are in place for such breaches. The Early Childhood Development Agency prioritizes continuity of care for children during abrupt closures and assists affected parents with finding alternative solutions.

Gabriel Lam requested information from the Minister for Social and Family Development regarding domestic violence cases involving male victims over the past five years, including those seeking protection orders and support services. Masagos Zulkifli mentioned that the Domestic Violence Trends Report 2025 contains the relevant sex-disaggregated data. From 2020 to 2024, around 2,000 Personal Protection Order applications were submitted annually, with about 25% coming from male victim-survivors of domestic violence.

Elysa Chen asked the Minister for Social and Family Development about the number of children under non-parental care due to parental incapacity, including those with incarcerated parents. Masagos Zulkifli responded that children unable to receive safe care are placed in out-of-home care, which includes family-based options like foster or kinship care. As of 2024, there are 1,454 children in out-of-home care, with 386 being cared for by relatives through kinship care.

Elysa Chen asked about the factors influencing women's decisions to delay childbirth and whether the Ministry would consider practical support measures like assistance with daily tasks and postpartum guidance. Indranee Rajah responded that women may delay childbirth for various reasons, including career prioritization and concerns about managing parenthood. The Government offers a Marriage and Parenthood package with supports such as housing and parental leave, which is regularly reviewed. Recent enhancements include an increase in Shared Parental Leave and improved services at polyclinics for antenatal education and post-natal recovery. The Government will continue to explore additional support for parents through various resources and programs.

Ng Shi Xuan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development about the proportion of Student Care Centres (SCC) that are not registered as a Student Care Fee Assistance Administrator or school-based SCC, as well as their regulatory oversight. Masagos Zulkifli confirmed that all school-based SCCs are registered, while non-school-based SCCs register only if they wish to administer the fee assistance scheme. He noted that all SCCs must comply with the Children and Young Persons Act, and the Ministry will continue to monitor and potentially enhance the regulatory framework for these centres.

Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for Social and Family Development about statistics related to single-parent households, including their marital status and demographics. Masagos Zulkifli provided data indicating there are approximately 83,000 single-parent resident households, with 58% divorced or separated, 39% widowed, and 3% unwed. Additionally, 54% of these households have one child, 35% have two children, and 11% have three or more children. The Minister suggested referring to the SingStat website for more detailed statistics on the age of single parents and their children.

Valerie Lee requested information from the Prime Minister regarding studies on leave days taken by parents of children under seven due to childcare centre closures or illness, and whether such leave exceeds current entitlements. Indranee Rajah stated that working parents receive six days of Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL), totaling 12 days for couples, but the government does not track the reasons for GPCL usage. In 2023, 58% of eligible working mothers and 53% of fathers took more than three days of GPCL, with most taking the full six days. The government has also introduced guidelines for flexible work arrangements to support parents' work-life balance and will continue to review parental leave provisions.

Charlene Chen asked if the Government would support the adoption of foreign children by Singaporeans through expedited citizenship applications, subsidized healthcare, temporary insurance coverage, and backdated levy concessions for domestic workers. Masagos Zulkifli B M M explained that citizenship applications can only be submitted after a court-adopted order and take time for assessment. He clarified that healthcare subsidies and coverage are exclusive to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, but financial assistance is available for Singaporean adoptive parents facing medical expenses. The levy concession for migrant domestic workers will be granted automatically upon the child's citizenship, and retrospective applications for concessions will be considered.

Alex Yeo asked the Minister for Social and Family Development about the number and utilization of infant and childcare places in the Bidadari estate within the Toa Payoh Planning Area, and whether they will meet projected demand. Masagos Zulkifli reported that there are approximately 860 infant care and 8,700 childcare places, with current utilization rates at 66% and 73%, respectively. The Early Childhood Development Agency is addressing future demand by building more infant and childcare places, with new preschools adding 125 infant care and 640 childcare spots in the coming months, mainly in Bidadari. The majority of new places will be provided by Anchor Operators, excluding other operators' contributions.

Elysa Chen asked about the challenges non-parent caretakers face in obtaining authorization for various activities on behalf of children in their care. Masagos Zulkifli B M M responded that the Ministry of Social and Family Development has received feedback from appointed caregivers, including foster parents. Appointed caregivers can make day-to-day care decisions and access support services, but for significant matters like education and medical treatment, the birth parents retain decision authority. If birth parents cannot be reached or are unable to decide, caregivers may be empowered to make decisions in consultation with MSF.

Choo Pei Ling asked the Minister for Manpower about plans to reduce upfront costs for hiring migrant domestic workers (MDWs) for families with young children or vulnerable elderly and to enhance protections against misrepresentation and misconduct by MDWs. Shawn Huang responded that the median upfront cost is around $4,700, with measures in place requiring agencies to refund employers if MDWs leave within six months. Families with young children and elderly already receive significant subsidies, and the Ministry is committed to regularly reviewing protections for both employers and MDWs. In a follow-up, Choo requested benchmarks for agency fees to ensure affordability, to which Huang noted that prices are primarily determined by market forces while additional financial support is available for families in need.

Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the computation of household income for young parents living with relatives could be revised to exclude other family members’ incomes and to consider caregiving expenses for elderly dependents in subsidy eligibility assessments. The Minister of State, Goh Pei Ming, clarified that the gross monthly household income calculation currently includes only the income of both parents, while larger families can qualify for higher subsidies through a per capita approach. Abdul Muhaimin followed up on whether the Ministry has sought feedback from social service agencies about eligibility criteria and requested a timeline for reviews of subsidy frameworks for young families. Goh Pei Ming reassured that the Ministry is engaging with social service agencies for feedback and is open to making necessary adjustments based on input received.

Sylvia Lim raised concerns about the investigation into an Indonesian trafficking ring involving baby transfers to Singapore, asking the Minister for clarity on the number of adoptions under review and how affected families can receive swift resolution and assistance. The Minister of State, Goh Pei Ming, confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the Singapore Government is cooperating with Indonesian authorities, but could not provide a timeline for resolution. He acknowledged the anxiety of affected families, emphasized the separation between adoption and citizenship processes, and stated that MSF would assess financial assistance for families facing unexpected childcare expenses. Lim questioned the responsibility of adoption agencies in identifying suspicious circumstances before adoptions were finalized. Goh noted that agencies are required to conduct due diligence and would face consequences if they knowingly facilitated adoptions involving children of questionable origin.

Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik requested divorce application statistics from the Syariah Court for 2021 to 2025, including reasons for divorce. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim explained that divorce applicants must first attend a Marriage Counselling Programme. From 2021 to 2024, there was an average of 2,986 MCP registrations annually, with 1,991 proceeding to file for divorce and about 1,478 finalizing the divorce. Data on reasons for divorce is published by the Department of Statistics and is accessible online.

Yeo Wan Ling asked about the number of applications filed with the Family Justice Courts for enforcement of divorce maintenance orders over the past three years. Edwin Tong explained that maintenance orders can be issued under the Women's Charter for financial support related to divorce or marriage. He clarified that maintenance enforcement applications are filed when a party fails to make required payments. Specific numbers of maintenance enforcement applications from 2023 to 2025 for both Women's Charter and Syariah Court orders were provided but detailed breakdowns were not available.

Lee Hong Chuang raised concerns about excessive screen time among children and asked about measures to help parents and schools manage digital usage safely. Josephine Teo referred to a prior report detailing government programs that assist parents in promoting healthy screen habits and highlighted key actions for families, such as setting boundaries and engaging with children online. Additionally, the Infocomm Media Development Authority launched resources on the Digital for Life portal and digital parenting workshops to support parents. The Ministry is collaborating with education and social services to provide guidance on positive technology use and will continue to monitor and enhance support initiatives in response to these concerns.

Joan Pereira asked about the availability and costs of post-natal care services at public and private hospitals and whether MediSave can be used for postpartum care, especially in cases of complications. Ong Ye Kung responded that MediSave currently covers pre-delivery and delivery expenses under the MediSave Maternity Package, and additional coverage is provided through MediShield Life for mothers with post-delivery complications. The Ministry of Health does not track the costs of additional outpatient post-natal services, which vary in nature. Ong mentioned the need to balance MediSave adequacy with Central Provident Fund contributions and noted that financial assistance options like MediFund are available for those facing difficulties with post-natal medical care. The Ministry will continue to review financing schemes to maintain affordability for maternity services.

Elysa Chen requested information on the approval rate for Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) applications from spouses of Singapore citizens over the past three years. K Shanmugam responded that the average annual approval rate from 2022 to 2024 was approximately 91%.

Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked about the applicability of the IMDA's "Set, Think, Report, and Engage & Support" framework for educating parents about regulations on blind box or gacha mechanisms. Josephine Teo highlighted the government’s four key actions for families to promote healthy digital habits and ensure children's online safety, which include setting boundaries and supporting children's online journeys. To assist parents, resources have been made available on the Digital for Life portal and digital parenting workshops are being held in communities. There is also a Positive Use Guide on Technology and Social Media being developed in collaboration with multiple ministries, offering practical advice on managing gaming time. The National Council on Problem Gambling is raising awareness about the risks associated with loot boxes and gacha mechanisms through outreach efforts targeting parents and youths.

Yeo Wan Ling highlighted the critical role of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Singapore's caregiving landscape, emphasizing that they support working families by providing essential care. She proposed several measures to improve the situation for both MDWs and their employers, including expanding training grants for advanced caregiving skills and language training, and professionalizing employment agencies to ensure better matches between families and MDWs. The need for affordable healthcare for MDWs and mental health support was also stressed, along with the suggestion to develop regulated part-time care pathways. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Shawn Huang acknowledged the importance of MDWs and outlined government initiatives to support their welfare and enhance employers' access to quality care services.