Family & gender — Topics

5 Jan 2021

Purchase of BTO Flats under Assistance for Second-Timer Scheme for Divorced Parents

Don Wee asked about the number of families who purchased HDB BTO flats under the ASSIST scheme for divorced parents over the last three years and whether the qualifying age for children could be raised from 18 to 25 years.
Desmond Lee reported that from 2017 to 2019, 212 second-timer applicants were successful under ASSIST, with 141 booking a flat.
He noted that in 2019, the qualifying age for children under ASSIST was increased from below 16 to 18 years old to benefit more families.
MND and HDB will continue to monitor the scheme’s take-up and regularly review its parameters for relevance.

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5 Jan 2021

Support for Family Members of Prison Inmates

The Yellow Ribbon Community Project provides grassroots volunteers to visit families of inmates, distribute grocery and school vouchers, and facilitate letter exchanges to maintain family ties, reaching over 15,000 families by 2020.
The Singapore Prison Service collaborates with community partners and Family Resource Centres to offer support during incarceration, including referrals to Family Service Centres for complex needs and programmes for family bonding.
Offenders are encouraged to share family concerns with SPS officers, who can refer them to services like the Singapore Aftercare Association and Yellow Ribbon Fund for assistance with family-related issues.
During the tail end of incarceration, offenders are assigned aftercare case managers to link them and their families with reintegration support, such as financial aid and education support, upon release.
The debate highlights the comprehensive network of community and prison service programmes designed to assist families of inmates both during imprisonment and after release.

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5 Jan 2021

Possible Revisions to Schemes Following Government's Study on Impact of Divorce

The Ministry of Social and Family Development studied over 100,000 children and found a negative association between parental divorce and children’s outcomes in areas like education, income, and marriage stability, but no clear link between the child’s age at divorce and these outcomes.
The government is enhancing support for divorcing and married couples through mandatory parenting programmes, pre-divorce online portals, counselling services, and marriage preparation workshops like PREP to strengthen marriages and mitigate the impact of divorce on children.
There are concerns about the study’s publication potentially stigmatising divorcees, but the Ministry clarified its intent was to share data for understanding, not to blame, and will focus on future communications and further research on factors affecting divorce outcomes.
The “Children in Between” programme for children of divorce has low uptake (about 100 out of 6,500 eligible children annually), and the Ministry is considering making it mandatory after a suggestion from a Member of Parliament.
The Ministry plans to continue reviewing interventions, examine causes of divorce, and explore longitudinal studies to better understand and address the factors influencing children’s outcomes post-divorce.

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4 Jan 2021

Support for Nursing Mothers in Phase 3 of Re-opening and Beyond in Set-up of Lactation Rooms in Private Workplaces Under Work Life Grant

Miss Rachel Ong inquired about alternative ways to encourage companies to set up lactation rooms after the Work-Life Grant closed and whether guidelines could be reviewed for more flexibility in work-from-home arrangements or lactation room provisions.
Mrs Josephine Teo noted that lactation rooms are mandated under the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment for certain building types, including offices, and must comply with BCA approvals.
She emphasized that the Ministry of Manpower supports flexible work arrangements, including work-from-home, with 85% of employers offering some form of FWA in 2019, and this increased during COVID-19.
Tripartite partners will implement recommendations from the Citizens' Panel on Work-Life Harmony, such as developing an FWA guide and sector-specific communities to support sustainable flexible work practices.
The government aims to maintain support for nursing mothers and work-life harmony through existing regulations and evolving tripartite initiatives in the new normal.

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4 Jan 2021

Eligibility Criteria for Women Aged 40 and Above to Receive Government Co-funding for Assisted Reproduction Technology procedures

Gan Thiam Poh asked whether the Ministry of Health will revise the eligibility criteria for women aged 40 and above to receive government co-funding for Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) procedures.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong explained that co-funding is directed at couples where the woman is below 40 on their first attempt to encourage early family planning, as clinical evidence shows lower conception rates after age 40.
The ART co-funding scheme was enhanced in January 2020 to allow couples who started treatment before the wife turned 40 to use up to two of the six co-funded cycles at age 40 or later.
The Ministry will continue to monitor clinical evidence and update eligibility criteria as appropriate.
The debate focuses on balancing support for older women with the need to base policies on scientific evidence of treatment effectiveness.

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4 Jan 2021

Breakdown of Number of Maintenance Order Applications Received by Family Justice Court in Past Five Years

The Minister for Law outlined that maintenance order applications to the Family Justice Court fall into three categories: fresh orders, variations or discharges of existing orders, and enforcement of existing orders, with the number of fresh order applications declining over the past five years.
The debate focused on data for fresh maintenance orders, broken down by the marital status of applicants (married or divorced), with the note that marital status may not always reflect the marriage in question if the applicant is a child’s guardian or adult sibling.
For demographic breakdown by spousal income, the Minister provided income data for respondents (rather than applicants) based on non-mandatory fields from 2017, noting no discernible trend in the data for married and divorced applicants.

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4 Jan 2021

Sexual Assault Cases Handled by OneSafe Centre in Last Three Years and Plans to Review Requirement and Timeframe for Forensic and Medical Examinations

Ms Raeesah Khan asked about the annual number of sexual assault cases handled by the OneSafe Centre as a percentage of total police cases and whether the 72-hour timeframe for forensic exams will be reviewed.
She also questioned the requirement for parental consent for victims under 21 and suggested lowering the age to 16 or allowing third-party signatures to encourage reporting.
Minister K Shanmugam responded that forensic exams are for serious crimes like rape and are most effective within 72 hours, as per WHO guidelines, with 70 exams conducted at OneSafe from 2017–2019.
He explained that parental consent is required for minors due to common law, but the ministry is reviewing the minimum age for consent among other issues.

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4 Jan 2021

Consideration for More Structured Channels to Place Youth Offenders in Positive Networks as Part of Aftercare and Steps to Guide Parents to Support Children Upon Release from Prison

The Ministry for Home Affairs stated that the Singapore Prison Service already provides structured aftercare programmes like the National Youth Achievement Award, Throughcare Volunteer Framework, and Befriending Programme to connect youth offenders with positive social networks during and after incarceration.
These initiatives involve community partners and volunteers who offer ongoing support, mentorship, and access to positive peer groups to aid reintegration, with programmes continuing even after release.
The Ministry highlighted active family involvement through the Family Programme and reintegration officers who work with youth offenders and their parents to develop reintegration plans and maintain supportive relationships.
Steps are taken to guide parents by equipping them with conflict resolution and emotion regulation skills, and by facilitating their participation in their child’s rehabilitation process both during imprisonment and after release.
The Ministry indicated ongoing efforts to expand these support networks and strengthen collaborations with schools and employers to provide further opportunities for youth offenders.

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4 Jan 2021

Total Fertility Rate amongst Long Term Visit Pass Holders Married to Singaporeans Compared to Singaporean Women between 2010 and 2019

Ms Carrie Tan asked for the total fertility rate (TFR) of Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) holders married to Singaporeans compared to Singaporean women from 2010 to 2019.
The Government does not compute a separate TFR for LTVP holders because many become Permanent Residents or citizens before their childbearing years end, making meaningful calculation difficult.
Resident TFR already includes births to LTVP holders married to Singaporeans, as it accounts for all births with at least one resident parent.
Singapore’s resident TFR was 1.14 in 2019, unchanged from the previous year.
The debate highlights challenges in tracking TFR for transient groups and emphasizes the comprehensive scope of the resident TFR measure.

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4 Jan 2021

Planning for Childcare Centres within a Constituency and Ensuring Adequacy of Childcare Places

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) monitors child care demand across Singapore and collaborates with agencies like HDB and URA to integrate preschools into new housing developments and set aside space in private projects.
National infant and child care places have increased by almost 50% since 2015, with a focus on areas like Punggol and Sengkang; ECDA plans to add 20,000 new places by 2023, mainly in upcoming HDB developments.
The Preschool Search Portal (PSP) was launched in 2019 to help parents find centres based on proximity, vacancy, and quality, and ECDA assists families who cannot find placements through this or other channels.

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4 Jan 2021

Providing More Help for Those Undergoing In-vitro Fertilisation

Louis Ng shared his personal experience with IVF, stating that couples in Singapore face high costs, emotional strain, and limited subsidies, and he proposed extending subsidies to seven and eight IVF cycles, introducing subsidies for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, removing the quota on fresh and frozen cycles, and introducing fertility leave for both spouses.
The government representative acknowledged the challenges and outlined existing support, such as co-funding for six cycles and MediSave usage, but emphasized balancing public funds with clinical evidence, noting that success rates decrease with more cycles and age, and that they are reviewing subsidies for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis but have no plans to change the number of subsidized IVF cycles at present.
Both sides agreed on the importance of supporting couples with fertility challenges, with the government committing to ongoing reviews and encouraging workplace flexibility, while the member requested updates on the timeline for subsidy reviews.

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4 Jan 2021

Emotional and Financial Support in Schools for Students with Divorced Parents

Schools monitor students from divorced families and provide emotional support through counsellors and referrals to community agencies, while financial assistance is available via the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme and school-based aid.
The Ministry supports studying the factors that enable children of divorced parents to succeed and will collaborate with MSF to explore this, acknowledging that divorce alone does not determine outcomes.
School leaders receive information on vulnerable students transitioning from Primary to Secondary school to offer targeted support, balancing the need for a fresh start with the benefits of continuity in care.

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4 Nov 2020

Extension of Co-Funding for Assisted Conception Procedures Scheme to Private Assisted Reproduction Centres

Louis Ng asked whether the government could extend the Co-Funding for Assisted Conception Procedures scheme to private assisted reproduction centres.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong noted that co-funding is currently available at public centres with sufficient capacity and low wait times.
The Minister said the government will study extending co-funding to private centres while ensuring reasonable charges, and that couples using private centres can already use MediSave to reduce costs.

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4 Nov 2020

Temporary Housing for Individuals Undergoing Divorce Proceedings Or Division of Matrimonial Assets

Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for National Development about the number of rental or temporary housing offers in the past 12 months for individuals undergoing divorce or matrimonial asset division, and whether HDB would consider a structured scheme for such housing.
Desmond Lee responded that from October 2019 to September 2020, HDB assisted about 50 individuals undergoing divorce with rental housing.
He explained that individuals who have commenced divorce proceedings can apply for rental housing, with HDB considering each applicant's circumstances, housing options, and children's needs.
HDB provides rental housing if applicants have no other housing option and no family support, and those in urgent need can seek help from Ministry of Social and Family Development shelters while applying.
The response did not directly address the question about a structured scheme, focusing instead on existing ad-hoc assistance.

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3 Nov 2020

Respite Care Options for Family Care-givers of Special Needs Children

Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Social and Family Development about respite care options for family caregivers of special needs children and whether plans exist to expand them.
The Minister outlined current options, including preschools, early intervention centres, Special Student Care Centres, and Child Disability Homes, which provide temporary relief during childcare hours or residential care.
SG Enable has established a caregiver support coalition, an online guide, support groups, and Peer-to-Peer mentor training to help caregivers access resources and community support.

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3 Nov 2020

Regulation of Home-based Care-giving Services to Protect Infants and Children

Miss Cheng Li Hui inquired about the regulatory requirements for home-based babysitters and whether the Ministry will regulate such services to protect children, following a case of a babysitter poisoning infants.
The Minister responded that home-based care is informal and based on trust, with no specific regulations due to its small-scale, varied nature and potential discouragement of familial arrangements.
The Minister encouraged parents to conduct checks on caregivers, such as obtaining references, and highlighted existing legal safeguards like the Children and Young Persons Act and Penal Code for reporting abuse.

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3 Nov 2020

Permission for Foreigners Due to Register Marriages with Singapore Citizens to Enter Singapore Despite COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

Seah Kian Peng asked whether foreigners can enter Singapore to register marriages with Singapore Citizen fiancés or fiancées, provided they follow health and quarantine rules.
K Shanmugam stated that all foreign visitors need prior approval to enter Singapore due to COVID-19 risks.
He confirmed that ICA will generally facilitate applications for foreigners to enter for marriage registration with Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.
Approved applicants must use the ICA website to apply and will be subject to prevailing COVID-19 measures, including Stay-Home Notice and swab tests with related fees.
The response emphasizes that entry is not automatic but will be supported if health protocols are followed.

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2 Nov 2020

Statistics on Singaporean Children Born to Long Term Visit Pass Holders versus Singaporean Women in Past 10 Years

Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development for data over the past 10 years on the number of Singaporean children born to Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) holders versus Singaporean women, the number of divorces involving at least one LTVP holder and a Singaporean child, and comparable national figures.
The Ministry provided a table showing the annual count of Singapore Citizen children born in Singapore to female LTVP holders and to Singaporean Citizen women from 2010 to 2019.
Data on divorces between Singaporean Citizens and LTVP holders with at least one child under 21 years old from 2010 to 2019 is unavailable because the Family Justice Courts and Syariah Court do not track divorce by the immigration pass type of non-resident parties.

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2 Nov 2020

Average Duration Taken for Dissolution of Marriage and Ancillary Matters Stage and Applications Made for Court Orders for Enforcement for Maintenance, Custody and Settlement

The average duration for dissolution of marriage on the simplified track for women is less than one month, while on the non-simplified track it ranges from three-and-a-half to four months.
For non-simplified track divorces, the average duration for ancillary matters has decreased, with the stage from first to last hearing falling from 54 days in 2017 to 12 days in 2019, and the overall time from filing to conclusion dropping from 444 days in 2017 to 271 days in 2019.
The Family Justice Courts do not collect specific data on enforcement applications for maintenance, custody, or settlement arising from divorces, though general enforcement applications under the Women's Charter are tracked and instances of such applications are low.

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15 Oct 2020

Overview of Government’s Strategy to Emerge Stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic

The debate highlighted the urgent need to address long-term industry disruption and job displacement, with speakers proposing targeted measures such as fixed-term foreign work passes to attract specialized talent while training Singaporeans, enhanced career coaching with transparent KPIs, and proactive job anticipation programs inspired by international models.
MPs emphasized the importance of holistic support for families, including extending the Baby Support Grant to cover more parents, enhancing shared parental leave to promote gender equity, and reducing stress in the education system to encourage higher birth rates.
There was a strong focus on uplifting low-wage workers through the Progressive Wage Model, with the government defending its sectoral approach over a universal minimum wage, while also proposing enhanced support for small and medium enterprises, digital literacy for all ages, and better job matching to reduce unemployment.

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