Family & gender — Topics

9 Jul 2018

Custody of Children in Divorce Cases

Seah Kian Peng asked for statistics on custody awards to mothers only, fathers only, or both parents in divorce cases over the last three years.
Desmond Lee provided a table with the breakdown of custody orders for divorces granted or registered from 2014 to 2016.
The debate centered on obtaining quantitative data on custody arrangements in Singapore divorces.

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9 Jul 2018

Managing Growth in Demand for Foreign Domestic Workers

Assoc Prof Randolph Tan raised concerns about the sustainability of growing demand for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) and potential long-term issues, prompting a response from the Minister for Manpower.
Mrs Josephine Teo noted that FDW numbers have grown by 40% over the past decade, driven largely by elderly caregiving and family needs, and highlighted government efforts to expand alternatives like day care, home care, and preschool services to moderate this growth.
The government is implementing levy increases and adjustments, such as raising FDW levies to $300 and $450 for first and second workers and raising the qualifying age for concessions, while maintaining a $60 levy for households with caregiving needs.
Additional measures include the Household Services Scheme for part-time cleaning, a Settling-In Programme for new FDWs, and support from NGOs to address social friction and ensure FDWs’ rights and integration.

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9 Jul 2018

Maternity Leave for Teachers During School Holiday

Rahayu Mahzam asked if the Ministry will review maternity leave for teachers giving birth during school holidays, as they lose leave days since holidays count as annual leave.
Ong Ye Kung explained that maternity leave follows Civil Service guidelines and the Child Development Co-Savings Act, with eight weeks of paid leave that must be continuous and another eight weeks flexible over 12 months.
He noted teachers have a unique work cycle with 12 weeks of school holidays annually, which is longer than other civil servants’ leave entitlements, and mentioned pro-family options like part-time work and various leave provisions.

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18 May 2018

Inmates Who Go through Divorce Proceedings during Incarceration or after Release

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked for data on inmates undergoing divorce proceedings during incarceration or after release over the past three years, and the recidivism rates of such inmates.
The Minister for Home Affairs, K Shanmugam, responded that the Singapore Prison Service does not track records of inmates undergoing divorce proceedings or after release.
Regardless of marital status, inmates receive programmes based on their re-offending risk and needs, including family programmes to strengthen relationships, with over 4,000 inmates benefiting in 2017.
The Prison Service plans to work with community partners to expand these family programmes to more inmates.

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7 May 2018

Ministry of Social and Family Development

MSF will expand preschool capacity and bilingual support so that most children can access affordable, quality early childhood education by 2023, while supporting educators and developing early support for low-income families through KidSTART.
MSF aims to strengthen families and support marriages, provide assistance through Social Service Offices to make help more accessible, and intervene more effectively for youths-at-risk through integrated and preventive approaches.
MSF will enhance support for persons with disabilities through the Enabling Masterplan, care for seniors with planning tools and community support, and introduce stronger legal protections for children and vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect.
MSF will grow the social service sector by developing professionals and voluntary welfare organisations, encourage meaningful community giving, and foster a caring society through stronger partnerships with the community.

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19 Mar 2018

Supply of and Demand for Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme Flats

Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for National Development about the current number of PPHS flats, households enrolled, and whether the 2017 rent reduction increased demand.
The Minister, Lawrence Wong, stated there are about 800 PPHS flats with approximately 650 taken up.
Since the rent reduction in March 2017, average applications for PPHS flats have increased by about 100%.
The rent reduction also led to a roughly 30% increase in the take-up of PPHS flats.
The debate highlights the relationship between rental adjustments and demand for provisional housing under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme.

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7 Mar 2018

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

Parliament debated enhancing the SG Cares movement to foster a caring society, with MPs seeking updates on volunteer coordination, data on volunteer engagement, and strategies to make volunteering more accessible, especially for youth and busy citizens.
Ministers outlined plans to improve social service delivery, including making Social Service Offices (SSOs) central one-stop touchpoints, simplifying applications for assistance schemes, and strengthening inter-agency collaboration to provide holistic support for vulnerable families and seniors.
Discussions highlighted the need to tackle inequality, support early childhood education (expanding preschools and mother-tongue teaching), and strengthen support for caregivers and persons with disabilities through the Enabling Masterplan and community partnerships.

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5 Mar 2018

Revision of Means Test for Legal Aid

Sitoh Yih Pin asked if the means test for legal aid could be revised to help more Singaporeans, especially those facing costly matrimonial or family disputes that strain their finances.
The Ministry of Law stated it regularly reviews the means test to ensure legal aid remains accessible to lower-income individuals who cannot afford private lawyers.
Legal aid is uniquely targeted at meritorious cases to avoid assisting one party against another, unlike broader social assistance programs.
For matrimonial disputes, the system excludes the spouse’s income and matrimonial property from assessments when the applicant is estranged or going through divorce.
Extra deductions are available for vulnerable applicants in family cases involving children or protection orders, guided by the Director of Legal Aid.

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1 Mar 2018

Committee of Supply – Head U (Prime Minister's Office)

Several MPs called for the Public Service to evolve and become more innovative, agile, and citizen-centric in the face of technological disruption, an ageing population, and higher public expectations, with specific suggestions on digital capabilities, skills upgrading, and reducing bureaucracy.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean affirmed that the 2017 committee's review found the existing political salary framework sound, but the Government decided to maintain current salary levels and structure, with no adjustments made for now.
Minister Josephine Teo outlined enhanced support for marriage and parenthood, including faster housing, more preschool places, increased ART co-funding, new unpaid caregiving leave standards, and extended Work-Life Grant, while also explaining Singapore's population strategy to balance ageing, low birth rates, and calibrated immigration.

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27 Feb 2018

Sexual Harassment Cases at Workplace and Through Use of Technology

The Minister for Home Affairs reported that from 2013 to 2017, police received an average of about 100 annual reports for upskirting using technology and about 20 annual reports for workplace harassment, with 97% of reports made by females.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked for additional statistics on sexual harassment outside technology and workplace settings and whether there are plans to strengthen Section 509 of the Penal Code to include men as victims.
The Parliamentary Secretary responded that the Penal Code is being reviewed holistically, including Section 509, to determine necessary enhancements.

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19 Feb 2018

Proposal to Give Priority for Singapore PR or Citizenship Applications by Minors who are Stepchildren of Singapore Citizens

Denise Phua asked if priority could be given to PR or citizenship applications for minors who are stepchildren of Singapore citizens.
The Second Minister for Home Affairs clarified that Singapore citizens can only sponsor children for PR or citizenship if they are born within a legal marriage or legally adopted.
She emphasized that stepchildren must be legally adopted by the Singapore citizen to be eligible for sponsorship.
Applications are evaluated holistically, with strong consideration given to family ties such as being the legal child of the sponsoring citizen.

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19 Feb 2018

Criteria to Determine Childcare and Preschool Subsidies

The Government provides universal Basic Subsidies of $150–$300 per month for Singapore Citizen children, with Additional Subsidies for working mothers in households with income thresholds of $7,500 or $1,875 per capita, and further support through schemes like KiFAS for kindergartens.
Childcare and preschool affordability is supported by fee caps for operators, the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, Child Development Account co-savings, and a growing share of market-stabilising Government-supported preschools.
Subsidy criteria were last reviewed in 2013 for childcare and 2015 for kindergarten assistance, with ongoing reviews of all measures to maintain affordability and quality.
For non-working or part-time working mothers, the Government offers half-day kindergarten options and considers case-by-case exemptions for childcare support based on individual circumstances such as health or caregiving obligations.

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19 Feb 2018

Enhancing Public Awareness of Special Needs Children and Needs of Their Parents and Caregivers

The Ministry of Social and Family Development highlighted ongoing public education campaigns like NCSS's "See the True Me" and inclusive infrastructure such as playgrounds to raise awareness of special needs children and their caregivers.
The Ministry, in collaboration with tripartite partners, encourages employers to support parents through flexible work arrangements, citing resources like the Work-Life Grant and the Tripartite Standard on FWAs.
Members of Parliament suggested more direct engagement with employers and HR teams, as well as sustainable daily awareness efforts using public spaces and established organizations like the Pioneer Generation Office.
The Ministry acknowledged these suggestions and emphasized the need for collective effort across public, private, and people sectors to build a more inclusive society.

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5 Feb 2018

Children Conceived through Surrogacy Overseas and Born to Singaporeans

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Ministry for Social and Family Development about Singaporeans' children born via overseas surrogacy, including their residency numbers, the percentage cared for by married couples who may not be biological parents, those couples' legal guardian status, and available options for the children's well-being.
The Government does not track the number of Singaporean children born through overseas surrogacy.
The legal relationship between couples and children from overseas surrogacy varies by jurisdiction, and couples are advised to seek legal advice on their rights and responsibilities under Singapore law.

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5 Feb 2018

Children and Families in KidSTART Programme

Rahayu Mahzam asked the Minister for Social and Family Development for the numbers of children and families in the KidSTART programme and a breakdown by programme components.
Desmond Lee responded that as of end 2017, more than 500 children and their families were supported under the KidSTART pilot programme.
The breakdown showed about 150 children on home visitation, 125 in KidSTART playgroups, and the rest enrolled in KidSTART-supported preschools.

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5 Feb 2018

Children Born in 2016 and 2017 Whose Birth Certificates Do not Bear Name of Father or Whose Parents Were not Married

The number of babies born to citizen mothers who were not married to the father at the time of birth registration was 843 in 2016 and 836 in 2017.
A further breakdown of children by whether the father's name is on their birth certificates was provided by the Minister for Social and Family Development.
The 2017 figure is provisional and subject to change, while the 2016 figure is final.
The data specifically covers children born to citizen mothers between 2016 and 2017.
The question was posed by Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang to address the status of children with unlisted fathers or unmarried parents.

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5 Feb 2018

Female Students Taking up Engineering Courses at ITE, Polytechnic and University

In the past five years, about 20% of engineering students at ITE, polytechnics, and universities were female, totaling around 3,600 female students annually.
Approximately 70% of female engineering graduates in full-time employment reported working in engineering-related jobs after graduation.
The Ministry has initiatives like Applied Learning Programmes in STEM at secondary schools and industry outreach by polytechnics to encourage more students, including females, to pursue engineering.
These programmes involve collaboration with industry practitioners and teachers to showcase the benefits of engineering careers.
The overall goal is to increase participation in engineering courses among all students, with a focus on making the field more appealing to females.

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5 Feb 2018

Designation of Lead Agency to Deal with Complex Cases of Children with Special Needs

Murali Pillai asked whether the Ministry of Social and Family Development will designate a lead agency to manage complex cases of children with special needs from dysfunctional families who present serious behavioural issues.
The Minister explained that current support relies on multi-agency collaboration, with Family Service Centres and Social Service Offices coordinating efforts and other programmes like EIPIC and SPED schools providing additional services.
The Government is working to enhance the support ecosystem for caregivers, including training grants and services through SG Enable, as part of the Third Enabling Masterplan.
For complex cases, the Ministry emphasised that mindset changes and parental involvement are crucial, and it will continue studying ways to improve cross-sector social service coordination and delivery.

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5 Feb 2018

Assessment of Institutions that Qualify for Tapping on Child Development Account

Rahayu Mahzam inquired about the assessment criteria for approving institutions for the Child Development Account (CDA) and potential expansion of approved categories.
Desmond Lee explained that institutions must be licensed or registered by relevant authorities (e.g., ECDA for childcare, MOH for clinics) to ensure quality and regulatory compliance, with approval revocable if not in the public interest.
The Government regularly reviews the CDA scheme, having expanded approved uses in 2012 to include items like pharmacy healthcare products and preschool fees, and welcomes more eligible providers to join.

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5 Feb 2018

Take-up Rate and Affordability of After-school Student Care Centres

The Ministry of Education has expanded school-based Student Care Centres from 50 to 162, with enrolment rising to 21,000, and aims to have them in all primary schools by end-2020, while community-based centres also provide additional capacity.
Affordability is ensured through the ComCare Student Care Fee Assistance scheme, which allows eligible lower-income families to pay as low as $5 per month, and the Ministry regularly reviews the scheme.
All registered centres must comply with supervision, safety, and hygiene requirements, and school-based centres undergo stringent procurement and oversight to maintain quality.
In response to feedback on capacity prioritisation, the Ministry works with operators to expand facilities where demand is high, without compromising quality.
A 40-hour training programme for student care staff was introduced in 2015 to uphold standards, with over 600 staff trained to date.

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