Family & gender — Topics

6 Nov 2017

Measures to Ensure Childcare Operators are Financially Sound

Ms Tin Pei Ling inquired about the number of childcare centres that faced financial issues over the past five years and suggested a student fee protection scheme similar to the Private Education Act.
Mr Ang Hin Kee questioned whether licensing criteria are sufficient to ensure financial responsibility, if safeguards will be established to screen operators, and how many centres have defaulted on salaries or fees recently.
Minister Desmond Lee explained that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) currently assesses centres on safety, staff quality, and applicant fitness, with low rates of abrupt closures.
The new Early Childhood Development Centres Act will allow ECDA to consider financial capacity during licensing to reduce default risks, and a fee protection scheme is under study, though it may increase costs.
Enforcement of salary payments falls under employment laws, with the Ministry of Manpower and CPF Board investigating defaults.

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6 Nov 2017

Measures to Help Build Stronger Marriages and Families

Seah Kian Peng asked how the Ministry can consider alternative resolution methods for family conflicts and proactively help couples build strong marriages and families.
Desmond Lee highlighted the impact of family conflicts, the establishment of Family Justice Courts and divorce support agencies, and the need to reduce adversarial litigation through methods like mediation and counselling.
The Minister introduced the concept of restorative and therapeutic justice to repair family relationships and announced a joint committee to explore multidisciplinary dispute resolution methods.
The committee, led by Permanent Secretaries and the Presiding Judge of Family Justice Courts, will include representatives from social services, legal, judiciary, academia, and government.
The Ministry will continue supporting marriage and family enrichment programmes through community partners and the Families for Life Council to strengthen relationships.

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6 Nov 2017

Impact of Reforms at Family Justice Courts

The Family Justice Courts have implemented reforms since 2014, including a judge-led approach, enhanced case management, child representatives, and community support agencies, leading to reduced case resolution times and positive early outcomes.
A new committee is being convened to further enhance the system, with plans for a joint survey to gather user feedback on the reforms.
Lawyers are urged to play a key role through specialized training under a proposed Family Law Practitioner accreditation scheme, focusing on client counseling and child-centric solutions.
Public education is emphasized to ensure court attendance and respect for proceedings, with legal aid options available for those in need.
The Ministry tracks maintenance order compliance through enforcement applications and is studying ways to improve adherence and reduce enforcement difficulties.

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3 Oct 2017

Trend of Women in Civil Service and Women in Leadership Positions in Civil Service

The Prime Minister reported that as of 31 December 2016, 56% of civil servants (approximately 84,000) were female.
Among leadership positions defined as super-scale grades, 45% were held by women.
Over the past five years (2012-2016), women accounted for 56% of new officers joining the Civil Service.

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3 Oct 2017

Additional After-school Care Places Given More HDB BTO Flats in Yishun

Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Ministry of Education about plans to expand after-school care places and cope with additional resources due to new HDB BTO flats in Yishun.
MOE is on track to open Student Care Centres in all primary schools by end-2020, with nine out of ten Yishun primary schools already having school-based SCCs.
The remaining Yishun primary school will get a school-based SCC by 2019, and community-based SCCs also supplement after-school care in the area.
MOE will work with the Ministry of Social and Family Development to monitor demand and plan new or expanded SCCs without compromising quality.

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3 Oct 2017

Childcare Centres at Places of Employment

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked how many workplaces have childcare centres and whether the Ministry would encourage larger companies to provide onsite facilities.
The Minister reported about 470 workplace childcare centres exist, making up a third of all centres in Singapore, with factors like employee profile and business viability influencing their setup.
The government has introduced schemes like the Community and Sports Facilities Scheme and the Enhanced Workplace Childcare Centre Scheme to support such centres.
While workplace centres are encouraged, the government also focuses on expanding childcare near homes, aiming to add over 40,000 new preschool places by 2022.

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3 Oct 2017

Compulsory Neo-natal Insurance for IVF

Louis Ng asked whether neo-natal insurance for IVF should be made compulsory at the point of a positive pregnancy test rather than at embryo transfer.
The Ministry of Health explained that requiring insurance at IVF enrollment keeps premiums affordable due to a larger risk pool, while deferring it to pregnancy could raise premiums due to a smaller risk pool.
The Ministry is currently reviewing the policy but did not specify a timeframe.
Only one insurance provider (Great Eastern) offers the neo-natal insurance, and the Ministry sees no need for more providers due to the small policy pool, though it will review this if necessary.

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3 Oct 2017

Egg Freezing Procedures at Public and Private Hospitals

Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Ministry of Health for data on egg freezing procedures and associated risks over the past three years.
The Ministry responded that egg freezing is only permitted for married women undergoing IVF or for medical reasons like cancer, with complication rates for procedures like over-stimulation, infection, and bleeding reported as below 1%.
In a supplementary question, Miss Cheng advocated for allowing egg freezing for healthy women without medical needs, citing international practices, and asked for policy reflection on changing trends.
The Ministry acknowledged the feedback and stated it is carefully considering the social and ethical implications of "social egg freezing," monitoring international developments, and reviewing its position with a focus on safety, regulations, and societal norms.

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3 Oct 2017

Grant for Companies to Offset Cost of Hiring Temporary Staff for Pregnant Employees

Louis Ng proposed a grant for companies to offset costs of hiring temporary staff for pregnant employees until their child turns two years old.
The Second Minister for Manpower highlighted the Work-Life Grant as a flexible support measure for family-friendly workplaces, noting its broad use and high company participation.
Louis Ng emphasized the need for more support beyond maternity leave and requested a study on workplace discrimination against pregnant employees.
The Minister cited examples of companies using creative solutions like temporary contracts and technology to support pregnant workers, advocating for company-specific approaches.
The Minister offered to collaborate on a study of workplace discrimination if there is interest from relevant parties.

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2 Oct 2017

Reported Domestic Violence Cases against Women

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah raised concerns about reported domestic violence cases against women, particularly those above 50, and asked about outreach to silent victims and public awareness efforts.
The Minister reported an average of 2,800 Personal Protection Order applications yearly, with 75% by women (20% above 50), and highlighted initiatives like the National Family Violence Networking System and the "Break the Silence" campaign.
In supplementary questions, Er Dr Lee noted a reported upward trend in cases from voluntary welfare organisations and requested a national study on root causes and interventions for elderly women.
The Minister responded that national data shows stable numbers for women above 50 but emphasized the invisibility of the problem and ongoing efforts, including a Vulnerable Adults Bill, to address family violence.

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11 Sep 2017

Number of Singapore Foreign Spouses Granted PR and Citizenship in 2016

Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Home Affairs about the number of foreign spouses of Singaporeans granted PR and citizenship in 2016.
K Shanmugam explained that foreign spouses may be granted PR and subsequently citizenship under the Family Ties Scheme.
In 2016, about 4,600 foreign spouses were granted PR and 3,400 were granted citizenship.

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11 Sep 2017

Rate of Uptake of Parent-care Leave in Public and Private Sectors from 2014 to 2016

Civil servants took up to two days of parent-care leave annually, with uptake rates of 39% in 2014, 40% in 2015, and 42% in 2016.
Parent-care leave is not mandated by law, and a 2016 survey found that only 19% of private employers offered it.
The public sector showed a steady increase in leave uptake over the three years, while private sector participation remained limited.

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11 Sep 2017

Measures to Protect Women in Crowded Places

Desmond Choo inquired about the Ministry of Home Affairs' efforts to protect women from outrage of modesty in entertainment outlets, public transport areas, and whether legislation needs enhancement.
K Shanmugam explained that entertainment outlet operators must follow licensing conditions to prevent crime, such as ensuring sufficient lighting and installing CCTV, while the Police conduct patrols and awareness campaigns in public transport areas.
The Minister highlighted current penalties for outrage of modesty, including fines, caning, and imprisonment, and affirmed that the government will enhance legislation if needed while urging public vigilance and reporting.

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11 Sep 2017

Work Permits for Male Foreign Domestic Helpers to Care for Male Elderly Disabled Persons

Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Manpower about the conditions under which male foreign domestic helpers are granted Work Permits to care for male elderly disabled persons at their residences.
The Ministry of Manpower evaluates applications for male foreign domestic workers on a case-by-case basis, exercising flexibility in exceptional situations, such as when families have special caregiving needs.
A male foreign domestic worker may be considered more suitable if the male elderly disabled person is of heavy build or behaves aggressively, or if the worker has relevant nursing or caregiving skills.
All applicants must meet the general eligibility criteria for foreign domestic workers.

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11 Sep 2017

Parents' Sick Leave Entitlement for Childcare

Mr Louis Ng asked if parents could use their own paid sick leave to care for sick children, especially for premature, multiple births, or babies with congenital illnesses.
The Government is committed to supporting parents but noted that using sick leave for childcare might leave parents insufficient leave for their own illnesses and could increase costs and affect employability.
The Government will consider better support for parents with greater caregiving needs, including those with pre-term, multiple births, or congenital illness, alongside existing enhanced parental leave provisions.

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11 Sep 2017

Impact of Increase in MOE Kindergartens on Smaller Preschool Operators

The Government aims to ensure access to quality and affordable preschools by increasing Government-supported places, including MOE Kindergartens, Anchor Operators, and Partner Operators, primarily in new housing estates.
Support extends to smaller private operators through schemes like the Partner Operator Scheme, with additional grants and professional development resources available to all operators.
The market will remain open with continued choice for parents, and smaller operators can differentiate themselves by offering niche programmes to meet diverse family needs.

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11 Sep 2017

Petition

Mr Louis Ng presented a petition from seven single parents, highlighting difficulties in securing public housing due to HDB rules that do not recognize unmarried parents or divorced individuals as part of a family nucleus, leading to long debarment periods.
The petitioners cited a study by AWARE showing 95% of single mothers faced housing challenges and urged non-discriminatory rules instead of case-by-case exceptions, referencing Singapore's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Key recommendations include amending the Housing and Development Act to prevent discrimination based on marital status and referring the issue to a Select Committee for further deliberation.
The petition was endorsed as compliant with parliamentary rules and referred to the Public Petitions Committee for review.

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1 Aug 2017

Students Suffering from Domestic Abuse

The Ministry of Education has systems and trained teachers to identify and refer students showing signs of domestic abuse, with training for all teachers expected to be completed by end 2018.
Students receive education on recognizing abuse, self-protection, and seeking help from trusted adults through Form Teacher Guidance Period and Sexuality Education lessons.
Some schools deploy the same teachers to a class for consecutive years to build trust, and peer support is encouraged so students can look out for one another.
MOE collaborates with the Ministry of Social and Family Development to use better screening tools and training to detect abuse and escalate serious cases for intervention.

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1 Aug 2017

Review of Family-related Laws Governing Legal Rights and Responsibilities between Step-parents and Step-children

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked whether there is a need to review family laws to define legal rights and responsibilities between step-parents and step-children, particularly on healthcare decisions, estate succession, and maintenance.
Tan Chuan-Jin responded that primary responsibility lies with biological parents, and step-parents only gain legal rights through adoption or legal guardianship, with maintenance obligations under the Women's Charter if the stepchild is accepted as family.
For estate succession, step-parents are encouraged to make wills to leave assets to step-children, as intestacy laws apply otherwise, and the Maintenance of Parents Act allows step-children to support senior step-parents if needed.

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1 Aug 2017

Couples with Unsuccessful Pregnancy after Three Cycles of Subsidised Assisted Reproductive Technology Treatment

Louis Ng asked how many couples and what percentage did not have a successful pregnancy after three cycles of Government-subsidised Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatment.
Gan Kim Yong explained that eligible couples can receive up to 75% co-funding for up to three fresh and three frozen ART cycles until age 40.
From 2013 to 2015, 75.3% of Government-funded ART cycles were unsuccessful after the first cycle, rising to 79.3% after the second and 81.9% after the third cycle.
The success rate of ART is higher for younger patients, with detailed breakdowns provided by year.

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