Family & gender — Topics

5 Apr 2021

Breakdown of Number and Percentage of Divorce Cases with Shared Care and Control of Children Awarded in Each of Past Five Years

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development for the number and percentage of divorce cases with shared care and control of children awarded over the past five years.
The Minister responded that the data is not currently coded for easy retrieval, requiring manual reading and extraction from divorce judgments.
With about 27,000 cases from 2016 to 2020, the data extraction process is time-consuming and manpower-intensive.
The Ministry is working with the Family Justice Courts but cannot provide the statistics at this time as the process is ongoing.
The Ministry will share the statistics once the data extraction is complete.

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5 Apr 2021

Take-up Rate of Childcare Sick Leave by Public Servants in Each of Past Five Years

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Prime Minister for the take-up rate of childcare sick leave by public servants over the past five years.
Chan Chun Sing, answering for the Prime Minister, said about half of eligible officers took up Childcare Leave supported by a Medical Certificate.
The take-up rate from 2016 to 2020 was approximately 50% each year.

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5 Apr 2021

Profile of Those who Apply to Rent Flat under Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme

Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for National Development for the breakdown of PPHS applicants by married couples, fiancé/fiancée scheme couples, and divorced or widowed parents with children.
The Minister responded that in 2020, HDB received 2,350 applications under the PPHS.
66% of the applications were from married couples.
31% were from couples under the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme.
The remaining 3% were from divorced or widowed applicants with children.

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5 Apr 2021

Evidence that Increasing Childcare Leave Entitlement Will Lead to Decrease in Employability

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked whether any studies in Singapore show that increasing childcare leave entitlement leads to decreased employability for parents.
The Government highlighted past enhancements to childcare leave and noted that while many factors affect employability, employer feedback suggests caution due to potential cost and operational impacts.
The Government emphasized the importance of flexible work arrangements, noting that 93% of employers provided some form of flexibility, and pointed to tripartite standards to support employees’ caregiving needs.

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5 Apr 2021

Checks on Freelance Tutors or Instructors to Ascertain No Prior Conviction for Sexual Offences Against Minors

Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs what assistance can be provided to parents who wish to conduct background checks on freelance tutors to ensure they have no prior convictions for sexual offences against minors.
The Minister explained that current policy balances protecting children from offenders and supporting their rehabilitation, with the Police maintaining non-public criminal records used by agencies like MOE and MSF for screening employees in child-related roles.
The Minister noted that making these records publicly accessible to parents could resemble a public sex offender registry, which may lead to stigmatisation, harassment, and increased reoffending, as seen in the U.S.
The government is considering whether to mandate screening for all persons working with children, but practical difficulties exist, and further pathways for checking criminal antecedents are under review.
The request for parental access to tutor background checks is acknowledged as reasonable, but the potential consequences of public disclosure require careful evaluation.

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5 Apr 2021

Number of Lapsed Registration of Registered Nurses

From 2016 to 2020, about 380 local Registered Nurses stopped practising each year, primarily due to family commitments, and there is no specific data on how many are still employed in healthcare institutions but not in nursing roles.
Nurses who have not practised for five years must attend a refresher course under the Return-to-Nursing (RTN) programme, which has been enhanced with a Place-and-Train format allowing them to secure employment and receive a salary during training, fully funded by employers and the government.
Amid COVID-19, a shorter programme was introduced, and about 40 Registered Nurses were trained in the past year to return to nursing practice.

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5 Apr 2021

Emergency Interim Public Housing Available at Short Notice to Victims of Domestic Violence

The Minister clarified that emergency interim public housing for domestic violence victims is primarily provided through MSF-funded crisis shelters when safety risks are high and no safe alternatives exist, with social service professionals assisting in securing longer-term housing.
For less severe cases, victims are encouraged to stay in their residences with safety plans supported by Family Violence Specialist Centres, and courts can issue Domestic Exclusion Orders to restrict perpetrators from entering shared homes.
HDB may exercise flexibility in allocating public rental flats to victims with no other housing options, as part of their longer-term accommodation assessment.
The government is addressing family violence through the National Family Violence Networking System and a Taskforce that is developing recommendations to increase awareness, improve reporting, strengthen victim protection, and enhance perpetrator accountability.

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8 Mar 2021

Mandatory Care-giver and Bereavement Leave for Care-givers with Parents or Grandparents in their Final Days

Christopher de Souza proposed mandatory caregiver and bereavement leave for those with terminally ill parents or grandparents.
Josephine Teo noted that over 80% of companies already offer compassionate leave, but a mandate could raise employer costs and affect caregiver employability.
Teo highlighted that working caregivers prefer flexible work arrangements (FWAs) over leave, citing sustainability and flexibility, with FWAs now available to over 90% of employees.
The government plans to further promote FWAs, which have become more common since the pandemic.

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8 Mar 2021

Transferring to Singapore Embryos that have Undergone Pre-implantation Genetically Screens Overseas during COVID-19 Pandemic

Louis Ng asked whether couples could ship pre-implantation genetically screened embryos from overseas to Singapore during COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The Ministry of Health allows exceptional embryo imports if overseas centers meet Singapore’s regulatory standards, with conditions on screening results and documentation.
Ng suggested creating a standard application form instead of requiring exceptional appeals, and the ministry agreed to consider simplifying the process.

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5 Mar 2021

Committee of Supply – Head I (Ministry of Social and Family Development)

The Minister emphasized the need to renew Singapore's social compact, highlighting challenges from COVID-19 and an aging population, and outlined three focus areas: ensuring inclusivity and opportunities, helping individuals recover from COVID-19 setbacks, and strengthening the preschool and social service sectors.
Minister Desmond Lee detailed efforts to integrate social services, including expanding the Community Link (ComLink) initiative to support all rental housing families with children and launching new digital platforms to streamline assistance and coordination among agencies.
Minister of State Sun Xueling announced plans to strengthen family support, including expanding the Strengthening Families Programme and enhancing inclusivity in preschools through tiered support frameworks and appointing Inclusion Coordinators.
Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua highlighted youth-focused initiatives, such as piloting a mentoring program for students who leave ITE prematurely and extending post-care support for youths discharged from MSF Youth Homes.
The debate underscored the government's commitment to building a resilient, caring, and inclusive society through whole-of-society partnerships, with ministers inviting community and corporate involvement to support vulnerable groups.

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5 Mar 2021

Committee of Supply – Head I (Ministry of Social and Family Development)

MPs highlighted the need to enhance social service delivery, urging expansion of Social Service Offices and better coordination to address gaps, while stressing the importance of community partnerships and government support for COVID-19 recovery, including updates on the COVID-19 Recovery Grant and job creation.
Discussion focused on improving support for vulnerable groups, such as caregivers, youth, and persons with disabilities, with calls for more inclusive preschools, streamlined financial assistance, and better mental health resources.
MPs raised concerns about family and marital issues, including divorce's impact on children and domestic violence, suggesting proactive measures to strengthen family relations and protect vulnerable individuals.

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5 Mar 2021

Engaging Children of Drug Offenders to Mitigate Risks of Them Becoming Drug Offenders

The Minister emphasized that Singapore’s tough drug policies focus on disrupting supply upstream to prevent harm to children, rather than solely targeting downstream measures for at-risk children.
Existing programs like the Yellow Ribbon Community Project and Family Resource Centres provide support to families of drug offenders, including counselling, financial aid, and educational assistance for children.
Evaluating the effectiveness of these programs is challenging due to multiple external factors, but the government relies on professional assessments and plans to explore better metrics in the future.

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4 Mar 2021

Number of Couples Undergoing In-vitro Fertilisation Treatments in Past Five Years

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health for the number of couples undergoing in-vitro fertilisation treatments each year over the past five years.
Gan Kim Yong responded with the number of assisted reproduction treatment cycles undergone by women annually from 2015 to 2019, rounded to the nearest hundred.
The figures provided were 7,100 cycles in 2015, 7,200 in 2016, 7,700 in 2017, 8,500 in 2018, and 8,700 in 2019.
The data reflects treatment cycles rather than the number of distinct couples, as one couple may undergo multiple cycles.
The trend shows an increase in the number of treatment cycles over the five-year period.

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4 Mar 2021

Allowing Patients with Specific Conditions to Exceed MediSave Withdrawal Limits for In-vitro Fertilisation-related Procedures

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about the specific conditions under which patients can exceed MediSave withdrawal limits for in-vitro fertilisation-related procedures, noting the current limits may not cover all costs for some couples.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong explained that MediSave is for basic healthcare needs, with Assisted Conception Procedures (ACP) withdrawal limits balancing support for immediate expenses and preserving retirement savings, and that after co-funding and MediSave use, most couples face minimal out-of-pocket costs.
The Minister stated that appeals for exceeding limits are assessed case-by-case based on the patient's unique financial and social circumstances, such as unexpected medical complications, and that the Government will continue reviewing schemes to support couples pursuing parenthood.

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4 Mar 2021

Data Collection on Number of Drug Users Whose Parents were Themselves Drug Users

The Singapore Prison Service and Central Narcotics Bureau do not collect data on the number of drug users whose parents were themselves drug users.
A 2017 study by the Singapore Prison Service found that about 21.6% of drug-abusing parents had at least one child who had committed offences, with factors like weakened parent-child attachment and exposure to drugs at home increasing the risk.
The study identified protective factors such as strong social support and engagement in pro-social activities to mitigate the impact of parental drug abuse.
The Government uses such findings to inform ongoing efforts, including community interventions and support programmes for affected families.
The debate highlighted the importance of understanding intergenerational drug abuse to refine policies, even without systematic data collection on parent-child drug use relationships.

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4 Mar 2021

Pilot Programme for SMRT Taxis to be Equipped with Booster Seats for Young Children

A six-month pilot programme by SMRT Taxis to equip its fleet with booster seats for young children was extended due to the circuit breaker, with about 1,750 taxis equipped, but the utilisation rate was low as there were few requests from commuters.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary explained that making booster seats compulsory for taxis is not feasible due to operational constraints like boot size, the need for quick street hails, and potential higher costs for families, while private hire cars are required to have them as they are pre-booked.
Louis Ng Kok Kwang expressed concern that the focus on utilisation rate overlooks safety, noting the effectiveness of child car seats in reducing injuries, and questioned the practicality argument, arguing that modern booster seats are compact and that street hails are less common today.
The government will continue to monitor the situation and consult stakeholders, considering options like focusing on ride-hail journeys, while balancing safety with livelihood concerns for taxi drivers.

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3 Mar 2021

Non-spousal Sponsorship Renewal by Long-Term Visit Pass Holders

The Minister for Home Affairs reported that from 2015 to 2020, about 23,500 annual applications for Long-Term Visit Pass renewal were received from non-spousal sponsors, with 46% from foreign parents and 37% from foreign children of Singaporeans or permanent residents, while the remaining 17% involved other relationships such as former spouses or foreign family members of Student's Pass holders.
Approval rates were nearly 100% for foreign parents and children of Singaporeans or PRs, and about 98% for other relationship categories, with rejections typically due to lack of local family roots, adverse records, or insufficient financial support from the sponsor.
Foreign spouses married to Singaporean citizens generally must renew their LTVP under their local spouse's sponsorship, but may seek sponsorship from other Singaporeans or PRs if there are valid reasons, such as having custody of Singaporean children or undergoing divorce proceedings in Singapore.

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3 Mar 2021

Extension of Assisted Reproduction Technology Co-funding Scheme to Couples above Age 40

Louis Ng asked whether the ART co-funding scheme could be extended to couples where the wife is 40 or older at the point of marriage.
Gan Kim Yong explained the scheme supports couples facing conception difficulties, with an enhancement since January 2020 allowing women who attempted ART/IUI before 40 to use up to two co-funded cycles at age 40 or later to encourage early family planning.
The age-40 criterion is based on clinical evidence showing lower ART success rates after 40, though the Ministry considers case-by-case appeals for couples with extenuating circumstances.

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3 Mar 2021

Raising Awareness amongst Parents on Youth Mental Health

The Ministry of Social and Family Development collaborates with other ministries and agencies to promote youth mental health awareness among parents through various programmes and resources.
Programmes like the Positive Parenting Programme (Triple P) have reached over 30,000 parents, showing reduced parenting stress and improved child behaviour, with plans to expand community outreach.
Digital platforms and community initiatives, such as online video series and parenting resources, are used to equip parents with skills to support their children’s mental well-being.
The government continues to work with community partners and networks to enhance accessibility and effectiveness of mental health support for parents and youth.
Efforts are being made to reach parents who may not engage online, with suggestions to involve community partners like PA for broader awareness.

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2 Mar 2021

Studies on Technology and Social Media's Impact on Domestic Violence or Abuse in Society in Context of Global Pandemic

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked if any studies have been conducted on how technology and social media may have enabled or exacerbated domestic violence or abuse, particularly during the global pandemic.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that the Ministry of Social and Family Development is not aware of any such studies specific to Singapore during the pandemic.
Adult and Child Protective Services saw a 40% increase in enquiries from January to October 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, which was likely due to heightened awareness and outreach efforts rather than a rise in violence.
The number of new cases investigated by Adult and Child Protective Services remained stable at about 120 cases per month during the same periods.

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