Family & gender — Topics

7 Mar 2019

Night-time Childcare Centres for Low-income Parents who Work Night Shifts

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Ministry for Social and Family Development about plans to expand night-time childcare for low-income parents working night shifts.
The Minister replied that while most childcare centres operate standard hours, some extend services and the Ministry will assess demand, especially in areas with low-income families, and consider pilot programs through ComLink.
Mr Ng highlighted concerns of parents leaving children home alone, particularly single parents, and urged for more night-time childcare provisions.
The Minister confirmed ongoing pilots by Voluntary Welfare Organisations and a commitment to study their experiences before expanding services.

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6 Mar 2019

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

Minister Desmond Lee outlined MSF’s priority to build a strong social compact and inclusive society by integrating services and strengthening community networks to support families with complex, interlocking challenges through initiatives like ComLink, Local Community Networks, and enhanced data sharing among agencies.
The ministry will lengthen post-care support for youth offenders to one year, strengthen child protection, and expand coordinated outreach for the homeless, while investing $580 million over four years in the Tote Board Social Service Fund to support VWOs and develop social service professionals through a new SkillsFuture Tripartite Taskforce.
Minister of State Sam Tan announced two cross-sectoral workgroups to enhance employability and independent living for persons with disabilities, alongside new community support schemes like the Professional Deputies and Donees and Community Kin Service for seniors who lose mental capacity.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Faishal Ibrahim enhanced pre-school subsidies for non-working mothers seeking employment or caring for young children, extended subsidy durations for certainty, and will reduce early intervention fees by 30-70% from April 2019, while rolling out a Centre Management System to streamline administrative processes for parents and operators.

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6 Mar 2019

Female Representation in Statutory Boards

Ms Anthea Ong questioned the government’s progress on the 20% female representation target in statutory boards and listed companies by 2020, steps to close the 20% gender salary gap, and existing gender imbalances under the #BalanceforBetter theme.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim noted overlapping issues with other members’ questions and sought permission to address them during the upcoming Ministry of Social and Family Development Committee of Supply debate, with Ms Ong’s agreement.
The Speaker approved the arrangement for a combined reply during the Committee of Supply, allowing the debate to proceed with a consolidated response from the ministry.

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5 Mar 2019

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

Several members highlighted the complexity and inaccessibility of social schemes, suggesting the need for a dedicated “Officer X” to help citizens navigate benefits and a review of Social Service Office operating hours.
Questions were raised about the fairness and precision of financial assistance, with calls for more data-driven, equitable policies to support the middle class, single mothers, and low-income families.
Members emphasized the need for stronger coordination in social services, proposing a model similar to the Municipal Services Office to integrate efforts across agencies and better support vulnerable groups.
There were concerns about homelessness, elderly welfare, and support for persons with disabilities, urging for targeted studies, improved respite care, and continuity of support for special needs children transitioning to adulthood.
Early childhood education and productivity in the pre-school sector were discussed, with suggestions to simplify subsidy applications, enhance educator training, and leverage technology for better childcare services.

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18 Feb 2019

Statistics on Singapore Children Eligible for Additional Subsidy

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked for the number of Singaporean children eligible for and receiving Additional Subsidy for full-day childcare and infant care, broken down by household and per capita income bands over the past three years.
Desmond Lee stated that while all parents are eligible for a Basic Subsidy, the exact number eligible for Additional Subsidy by income bands is not known until enrollment and application are made.
The total number of children receiving Additional Subsidy increased by over 30% from 2016 to 2018, with further details provided in tables by income tier.
The government supports families through subsidies, affordable preschools via MOE kindergartens and operator schemes with fee caps, and additional measures like Baby Bonus and Child Development Account savings.

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18 Feb 2019

Recruiting More Preschool Teachers by 2020

The Minister outlined multiple measures to recruit 3,000 preschool teachers by 2020, including expanding training through NIEC, offering training awards, and implementing career conversion programmes for mid-career entrants.
To attract more men, who currently make up less than 1% of educators, efforts include showcasing specializations like Outdoor Learning, addressing cultural misconceptions via a national campaign, and improving career progression pathways.
Challenges in recruitment include public perception of the sector as less suitable for men, parental discomfort with male teachers, and efforts to enhance salary growth, professional development, and reduce administrative workload to make the career more attractive.

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12 Feb 2019

Review on Number of Open Visits for Inmates with Children

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about the average number of open visits inmates had with their children over the past five years and whether there are plans to increase these visits.
K Shanmugam stated that around 1,500 inmates annually participated in structured family programmes with an open visit component, but the number of open visits per inmate is not tracked.
He confirmed that the Singapore Prison Service plans to extend such programmes to more inmates.

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12 Feb 2019

Efforts to Reflect Women’s Contributions to Nation-building in Singapore Bicentennial Celebration

Prof Lim Sun Sun asked if the Singapore Bicentennial celebration will better reflect women's contributions to nation-building.
The Prime Minister's Office responded that the Bicentennial will highlight diverse contributions, including women, through stories of individuals like Hajjah Fatimah and Checha Davies, and through partnerships with over 270 community groups.
Specific efforts include featuring women's narratives on social media, studying female philanthropists, and creating heritage trails related to groups such as the Samsui women.

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11 Feb 2019

Working Mothers Receiving Childcare Subsidies

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked if working mothers can receive childcare subsidies for three months without case-by-case review after becoming unemployed and what circumstances lead to rejection of such appeals.
Desmond Lee confirmed that the Early Childhood Development Agency provides the same subsidy level for three months after a mother's employment ends to support her during job search.
The government will continue reviewing policies to ensure affordable and quality preschool services remain a priority.

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11 Feb 2019

Plans to Raise Female Workforce Participation Rate

The female workforce participation rate has remained steady at around 60% over the past three years, up from 56% in 2008, with Singapore ranking 9th among OECD countries.
About 6% of female residents in employment are self-employed, with 70% of them choosing this as their preferred primary work arrangement.
Key challenges for women seeking employment include lack of necessary work experience, qualifications, skills, and limited flexible work arrangements, particularly due to caregiving roles.
The government supports women through initiatives like Adapt and Grow for job matching and training, the Tripartite Standard on Flexible Work Arrangements, and funding via the Work-Life Grant to encourage flexible work adoption.
For self-employed women, support includes mediation services for disputes, adoption of contracting standards, and access to prolonged medical leave insurance products to enhance protection.

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11 Feb 2019

Complaints Regarding Use of Images without Permission on Social Media Platforms

Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked about complaints over unauthorized use of images on social media and potential new laws to protect women's modesty, citing the SgJCBabes account.
Minister K Shanmugam stated that police do not track such complaints as the unauthorized use of images alone is not a criminal offense, but it may violate Penal Code Section 509 if it insults a woman's modesty.
Victims can apply for a Protection Order under the Protection from Harassment Act to have images removed or seek redress via a Magistrate's Complaint if no criminal offense is found.

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11 Feb 2019

Guidelines for Teaching Staff Dealing with Situations Involving Children's Parents Who are Divorced or Undergoing Divorce

The Minister of Education, Ong Ye Kung, stated that schools generally assume both parents are entitled to student information and that any decision from one parent reflects both, while also ensuring all school communications are shared with both parents to avoid disputes.
Schools prioritize the child's well-being and encourage divorcing or divorced parents to resolve differences, while also adhering to any Court orders if known, as rigid protocols are considered unsuitable for unique family situations.
Regarding the Parents Gateway app, the Ministry confirms its design aligns with the principle of involving both parents, and teachers are advised to use judgment rather than follow strict rules to handle related disputes sensitively.

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11 Feb 2019

Reported Cases of Child and Elder Abuse in Last Five Years

In the last five years, the Ministry of Social and Family Development investigated an average of about 600 child abuse cases and 78 elder abuse cases annually, with physical abuse and neglect being the most common types and most perpetrators being family members.
The recovery process for victims has been described as challenging but generally positive, with the ministry engaging victims, perpetrators, and carers to help families move forward, and public awareness campaigns like "Break The Silence" having significant reach and impact.
The trend of reported cases has increased over the past three years, attributed to greater awareness and improved identification of abuse, while the ministry continues to work with families and community partners to prevent and address abuse.

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11 Feb 2019

Cases of Working Adults Who Face Short-term Family Support Challenges

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar queried the Minister for Social and Family Development on the number of working adults facing short-term family support challenges, such as caring for sick children or elderly parents, over the past five years.
The Minister of State responded that fewer than 200 such cases were reported, highlighted existing leave provisions for childcare and eldercare, and emphasized the importance of family-friendly work environments, flexible work arrangements, and tripartite initiatives to support caregivers.
The Minister acknowledged the variability of support across employers and professions, confirmed ongoing reviews to enhance respite care and ad-hoc childcare solutions for sick children, and noted plans to collaborate with community partners to address urgent caregiving needs.
In response to a supplementary question about daily-rated workers, the Minister stated that income support or assistance for those unable to take leave would be studied in conjunction with the Ministry of Manpower.

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15 Jan 2019

Steps Taken to Promote Adoption of Children in Singapore

Between 2013 and 2017, about 15 single applicants per year, who were not biological parents, successfully adopted non-biological children, representing roughly 5% of all annual adoption applications.
Adoptions of Singaporean children have declined due to lower fertility rates, resulting in fewer local children available for adoption than there are prospective adopters.
The Ministry encourages prospective adopters to consider children who have been abused or neglected, and to contact one of four accredited agencies for a suitability assessment.
The core principle of adoption remains to place children with loving families who can meet their needs and commit to parenting responsibilities.

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15 Jan 2019

Percentage of Recipients under Silver Support Scheme Who are Women

Ms Foo Mee Har asked for the percentage of female recipients and the quarterly payout amount for women versus men under the Silver Support Scheme.
In 2018, about 148,000 elderly received Silver Support payouts, with 65% being female.
The median quarterly payout was $600 for both female and male recipients, corresponding to the payout for those living in a 3-room HDB flat.

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15 Jan 2019

Support and Integration of Family Units with Foreign Spouses

The Ministry introduced the Marriage Preparation, Marriage Support, and Friendship Programmes to help foreign spouses adapt to life in Singapore, with over 95% of participants reporting positive outcomes in integration and marriage readiness.
Employment data shows an average of 14,000 non-resident spouses holding Long-Term Visit Passes were employed annually in Singapore over the past three years, while children from transnational families are integrated through local schools and the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum.
Transnational marriages have divorce rates comparable to Singaporean marriages, and divorced foreign spouses with custody of Singaporean children are generally granted renewable Long-Term Visit Passes and can seek support from community agencies and Social Service Offices.
The Ministry is currently reviewing existing programmes and will consider strengthening them or introducing new initiatives to better support transnational families, as highlighted by the follow-up questions from Members.

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14 Jan 2019

Measures Taken to Strengthen Institution of Marriage among Young Couples

The Ministry supports young couples' marriage aspirations by funding events and campaigns like Spark Connections to help singles meet in natural social settings through interest-based activities and accredited agencies.
HDB has increased the supply of Build-To-Order flats for first-timer families, introduced shorter waiting times for some units, enhanced housing grants, and allowed income assessment deferral for students or those serving National Service.
Mandatory marriage preparation programmes are required for couples where either party is a minor, and tailored support is provided for various couples, along with optional post-marriage and enrichment programmes to strengthen marriages.

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14 Jan 2019

Current Number of Informal and Professional Caregivers in Singapore

Ms Anthea Ong asked for the current number of informal and professional caregivers in Singapore, the total value of each sector, and how many salaried workers left employment to become primary caregivers in the last three years along with their demographic profile.
Minister Gan Kim Yong replied that as of 2017, there were about 8,300 staff providing direct care to seniors in the long-term care sector, while 6% to 8% of residents aged 18 to 69 provide regular informal care, though no estimate of informal caregiving's total value is available for comparison.
The Ministry of Manpower's 2017 survey showed that 202,000 residents left their jobs in the last three years without seeking new work, with 12,500 citing family caregiving as the main reason; most were females, married, and aged 40 or over.

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14 Jan 2019

Proposal to Allow Grandparents and Grandchildren to Be Considered as Family Nucleus under Public Rental Scheme

Joan Pereira asked if grandparents and grandchildren could be considered a family nucleus under the HDB Public Rental Scheme.
The Minister for National Development stated that HDB assesses rental requests on a needs basis.
HDB will assist households not meeting eligibility criteria, like grandparents with grandchildren, if they cannot buy a flat and have no other housing options or family support.

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