Family & gender — Topics

16 Sep 2013

Coverage of Childcare Subsidy Scheme for Children of Couples Undergoing Divorce

David Ong asked what assistance the Ministry can provide to families when childcare subsidy coverage becomes uncertain due to parental divorce.
Chan Chun Sing stated that eligible children continue to receive childcare subsidies during divorce, with the custodial parent typically applying as the main applicant based on their own income and working status.
The Early Childhood Development Agency reassesses subsidy amounts if interim custody is granted, and further financial assistance is available for families needing extra help.

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16 Sep 2013

Parents and Grandparents of Foreign Spouses Granted Long-Term Visit Pass

Gan Thiam Poh asked how many parents and grandparents of foreign spouses of Singapore citizens have held Long-Term Visit Passes over the last three years and the projected increase for the next three years.
Teo Chee Hean clarified that Singapore citizens can only sponsor immediate family members—spouses, children, and parents—for Long-Term Visit Passes, not parents or grandparents of foreign spouses.
Parents and grandparents of foreign spouses may enter Singapore on short-term visit passes, but extensions are considered only in exceptional cases where there are critical care-giving needs and no local alternatives.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority may allow extended stays on a case-by-case basis for limited durations to assist with interim care-giving while the family seeks long-term arrangements.
The response highlights a strict policy with limited exceptions for family care situations, without providing specific numbers or projections on pass holders.

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16 Sep 2013

Take-Up Rate for Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme

Mr Ang Wei Neng asked about the number of first-time married applicants and those with children who used the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS), as well as the availability of rental flats versus applicants.
Khaw Boon Wan responded that 327 married couples had taken up PPHS rental flats, with 225 of them having children.
Over 800 vacant flats were available for rental under the scheme, with enhancements planned to support more families awaiting their new homes.

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16 Sep 2013

Plans for Raising Total Fertility Rate

Teo Chee Hean explained that for Singapore to reach a total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.1, each married citizen woman would need to have an average of 2.43 children, noting that married women aged 40-49 in 2012 had 1.99 children on average.
The government has enhanced the Marriage & Parenthood Package to support families by improving housing access, defraying medical and child-raising costs, and introducing paternity and shared parental leave.
Initiatives like the Social Development Network and the $40 million Family Matters! Initiative aim to encourage social interaction, family life education, and a pro-family culture.
Over 80% of Singaporeans aspire to marry and have two or more children, but trends show more people staying single and marrying later, impacting fertility rates.
The government is encouraging everyone to foster a culture that prioritizes marriage and parenthood as important life goals.

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16 Sep 2013

On-site Location of Childcare Services at Government Buildings

Alex Yam Ziming asked about the number of ministries and statutory boards providing in-house childcare, whether all government agencies should proactively offer such services, and if the government should include them in new buildings.
Chan Chun Sing stated that about half of ministries and statutory boards have childcare centres, with the Early Childhood Development Agency facilitating setup through grants and assessments of demand, space, and local services.
The government will continue promoting workplace childcare centres in both government and commercial buildings to support working parents.

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16 Sep 2013

Assistance for Children of Disadvantaged Families

Dr Lily Neo highlighted that disadvantaged children from low-income families face significant challenges such as unstable home environments and lack of early education, and proposed targeted family support, early intervention, and parenting programmes to address these issues.
The Minister for Social and Family Development acknowledged the need for equitable and integrated social services, emphasizing tiered subsidies, cross-agency collaboration, and expanding community-based support structures like Family Service Centres.
Both speakers underscored the importance of early intervention and inter-ministry cooperation to break the cycle of poverty, with the Minister outlining ongoing initiatives such as the Vulnerable Family Pilot Programme and the Social Service IT Masterplan.

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16 Sep 2013

Affordable Pre-school Fees

Christopher de Souza asked whether MOE kindergartens could set an example to prevent for-profit pre-school operators from raising fees beyond what parents can afford.
The Senior Minister of State explained that MOE’s pilot kindergartens aim to provide affordable education and share quality materials, but influencing private sector fees is not their primary purpose, with ECDA focusing on affordability through subsidies and oversight.
De Souza raised concerns that private operators sometimes increase fees when government subsidies are added to Child Development Accounts, suggesting a need for stronger fee justification and oversight.
The Senior Minister of State clarified that private pre-schools must justify fee increases to ECDA and provide advance notice, and she agreed to convey the parents’ concerns to the Ministry of Social and Family Development for further consideration.

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16 Sep 2013

Housing Options for Divorcees with No Children

Dr Chia Shi-Lu inquired about expanding housing options for divorcees without children and shortening the debarment period for elderly, low-income divorcees.
The Minister of State outlined that such divorcees are treated as singles, with options including buying resale flats, Studio Apartments, or applying for 2-room BTO flats if they meet first-timer criteria, along with grants and rental schemes.
The debarment period for buying resale flats or Studio Apartments is waived, while for other cases it was reduced to three years, with flexibility for extenuating circumstances.
Dr Chia asked if these divorcees could be considered first-timers for BTO flats and if the rental debarment period could be further lowered for low-income cases.
The Minister clarified that first-timer status depends on previous housing subsidies, and rental debarment flexibility is considered case-by-case, especially for those without child custody.

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12 Aug 2013

Establishment of Fund for Childcare Operators

Ang Hin Kee proposed a fund similar to Australia’s to help childcare operators raise wages and retain educators.
The Ministry highlighted existing initiatives like scholarships, professional pathways, and training frameworks to support educators.
The Early Childhood Development Agency is studying HR and pay practices to determine further steps on wages and retention.
The Ministry mentioned ongoing efforts including enhancing scholarships, structured mentoring, and collaboration with employers and unions.

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12 Aug 2013

Abandonment of Elderly Parents

The Ministry reported low numbers of abandonment cases over the past three years, with fewer than five referred cases and fewer than ten annually from social service agencies and hospitals.
Cases are typically addressed through counseling, linking families to support services like home help or day care, and, in rare instances, placing the elderly in alternative living arrangements or repatriating them if abandoned overseas.
Existing laws such as the Mental Capacity Act and the Maintenance of Parents Act provide protections and financial support options for vulnerable elderly, while the government offers caregiver support through measures like the Foreign Domestic Worker Grant and plans to continue reviewing policies to strengthen family ties.

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12 Aug 2013

Use of MediSave for Parents' Medical Bills

David Ong questioned the number of MediSave withdrawal requests from seniors aged 60 and above for parents' medical bills and suggested a review to promote shared family responsibility in elder care.
Gan Kim Yong noted that in 2012, about 4,600 CPF members aged 60 and above withdrew an average of $2,000 from their MediSave for parents' treatment, representing 2% of that age group's total withdrawals.
He explained that using MediSave for family healthcare supports children caring for parents but must be balanced to ensure sufficient savings for their own needs, with top-ups via GST Voucher and financial assistance options available.

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12 Aug 2013

Number of Family Members of Singapore Citizens Granted Permanent Residency

Teo Chee Hean stated that from 2010 to 2012, an average of 3,800 spouses and 340 children and parents of Singapore Citizens were granted permanent residency annually under the Family Ties Scheme.
As of 31 December 2012, there were 58,600 spouses and 9,800 children and parents of Singapore Citizens who were dependant permanent residents under the Family Ties Scheme.
Grandparents and siblings of Singapore Citizens are not eligible for permanent residency under the Family Ties Scheme and must apply on their own merits.

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12 Aug 2013

Revising Income Ceiling for Purchase of HDB Flats

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar proposed revising the income ceiling for HDB flat purchases from gross household income to a per capita income limit to account for the higher expenses of married couples with children.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that the $10,000 ceiling ensures housing subsidies are prioritized for those in need, covering 80% of households.
He added that the government is open to reviewing cases of households exceeding the income ceiling if they face significant financial commitments such as medical or household expenses.

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12 Aug 2013

Repayment of CPF Funds when Co-owners Withdraw from Co-Ownership

Intan Azura Mokhtar proposed reviewing the CPF policy requiring parents to repay CPF funds used for their children's HDB loans when children withdraw from co-ownership to buy another flat with a spouse or fiancé/fiancée.
Tan Chuan-Jin explained that CPF funds must be refunded to maintain retirement adequacy, with a charge on the property ensuring proceeds from any sale are used to repay CPF principal and accrued interest.
He noted that the refund requirement applies when lifting the charge on a property co-purchased with parents, and the child must repay the CPF funds via transfer, cash, or a loan to proceed.

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12 Aug 2013

Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Bill

The Status of Children (Assisted Reproduction Technology) Bill clarifies legal parenthood for children conceived through ART, ensuring the gestational mother is the legal mother and establishing rules for the legal fatherhood of husbands or de facto partners, based on genetic ties, consent, or acceptance of the child.
The Bill addresses ART mix-ups by setting a default legal parenthood position while allowing court applications for declarations, aiming to prevent children from being left parentless and giving courts flexibility to act in the child’s best interests.
Amendments to the Evidence Act and Legitimacy Act modernize laws on paternity evidence and legitimation, including allowing DNA evidence to rebut paternity presumptions and extending legitimation rules to children whose mothers are domiciled in Singapore.
Parliamentarians supported the Bill as timely and necessary, but raised concerns about extra-territorial application, definitions like "de facto partner," and the need for public education on ART-related family issues.
The Minister clarified that the Bill is technical and limited in scope, focusing on parenthood determinations without regulating ART services or surrogacy, which remain under the Health Ministry’s purview.

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9 Jul 2013

Average Waiting Time for Foreign Spouses for Citizenship

R Dhinakaran asked about the average waiting time for 70,600 foreign spouses who were granted Singapore citizenship by end-2012 under the Family Ties Scheme.
Teo Chee Hean stated that these spouses were typically Permanent Residents for about five years before becoming citizens.
He noted that 95% of the applications were approved within 12 months of submission.
The response clarified that the five-year PR period is not part of the application waiting time but a prerequisite for eligibility.
The information directly addresses the query on waiting times, emphasizing the efficiency of the approval process for eligible applicants.

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9 Jul 2013

Cases Filed with Tribunal for Maintenance of Parents

About 300 elderly parents annually seek maintenance from their children, mostly resolved through mediation; Tribunal applications have decreased, with 110 in 2011 and 84 in 2012.
The default rate for maintenance orders is low at 5–7% over the past three years, and elderly parents without support are referred to social agencies for interim assistance.
Fewer than five abandonment cases were referred to the Ministry over three years, with social services and hospitals reporting an average of less than 10 annually; efforts focus on welfare and family reintegration.
The Ministry prioritizes family mediation and care arrangements over naming and shaming defaulters, considering the elderly's wishes and potential shame.
Low Tribunal numbers are attributed to successful mediation and reduced case backlog, with ongoing educational efforts to inform both elderly and children about rights and responsibilities.

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9 Jul 2013

Government Support for Shelters for Women Victims of Domestic Violence

The Ministry of Social and Family Development funds four shelters run by voluntary welfare organisations for women victims of domestic violence, providing temporary accommodation, counselling, and support for children, with coverage for capital and operating costs.
The government partners non-government organisations and community groups in public education, multi-agency networking, and support services to help victims seek assistance and reintegrate into school or work, while encouraging community reporting of abuse.
The Ministry is committed to allocating sufficient shelter space, facilitating reintegration support networks, and partnering with charities and the private sector, including relocating shelters as needed when leases expire.
Existing policies allow mothers and children to be housed together in shelters, with alternative arrangements made for older boys or unsuitable cases, while ensuring families spend time together to rebuild their lives.

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8 Jul 2013

Mandatory Closure of Childcare Centres Due to Outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Over the past two years, an average of two preschools per month have been mandatorily closed due to HFMD outbreaks, with each closure lasting a minimum of 10 days to control disease transmission.
Parents of affected children are advised to arrange alternative childcare, such as using their childcare leave or seeking support from family, friends, or neighbours.
Preschools may also be mandatorily closed for other communicable disease outbreaks, such as SARS, following guidelines from MOH and the Early Childhood Development Agency.

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8 Jul 2013

Advice on Ways to Reduce Level of Indoor Air Pollution

The Ministry advises parents with young children and pregnant women to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed, and avoid activities that generate particulate matter during haze periods.
Air cleaners such as mechanical filters, electrostatic precipitators, and ionisers are recommended for households, childcare centres, kindergartens, and schools, while ozone-generating cleaners should be avoided.
More detailed guidance on reducing indoor air pollution during haze is available on the NEA Haze website.

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