Building a family and raising children is an extremely difficult job. Luckily, we have the government to assist us in that area. Learn more about a Singapore that is made for families here.
In this article, you’ll read:
- Building a Singapore that is Made For Families
- 5 Ways the government is helping make life better for families in Singapore
- Childcare and education subsidies you should know about.
Anywhere you are in the world, being a parent is a challenging responsibility. But some countries are better than others when it comes to supporting parents, childcare and education, and providing a conducive environment for children and parents to live.
This is why some parents uproot their whole family to live in a place where they know their children will have a better chance at life. And for this reason, our government is doubling their efforts to support the families in the country.
During the Committee on Supply Debate on March 2, Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office spoke about the government’s strategies to build a more resilient population in Singapore. One of the key strategies she mentioned is “Building a Singapore that is Made For Families.”
Here are some of the areas where the government is working hard to improve the quality of life of families in Singapore:
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Maternity and Healthcare
Image source: iStock
“We continue to support Singaporeans who wish to start and expand their families,” said Minister Indranee Rajah. “We know that aspirations for Marriage and Parenthood (M&P) remain high. We will re-double our efforts to support Singaporeans who choose to get married and have children,” she added.
Part of the efforts to support citizens who want to start and grow their families include financial support for maternity care and co-funding for assisted conception procedures, health grants for newborns and free vaccination and developmental check-ups for children.
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Housing
Before starting their own family, most couples aspire to have their own place to live in and call home. This is why the government is also providing assistance to families in this area.
Did you know that couples buying new or resale flats for the first time can get housing grants to finance their new home? Moreover, families awaiting the completion of their new flats and who have a monthly household income of $7,000 or below, can rent a flat from HDB at subsidised rates, under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS).
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Education
One of the things parents worry about every day is their child’s future. Do they have enough resources to ensure that their child can go to school?
Thankfully, the government pledges up to S$180,000 in subsidies by the time the child reaches the age of 16. Moreover, they are working to lower preschool fees by providing government-supported pre-schools in the country.
“We are continuing to make quality preschools more affordable and accessible,” said the minister. “Lower-income working families pay as low as $3 a month at Anchor Operator preschools. By around 2025, 8 in 10 pre-schoolers can have a place in a quality, affordable government-supported preschool,” she added.
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Work-life harmony
Because of the ongoing pandemic, parents have the additional burden of looking after their child’s health and safety from Covid-19, all while working from home. This even led to one parliament member pushing for additional childcare sick leave and better implementation of paternity leaves, particularly among lower-income workers.
While Minister Indranee Rajah agrees, she is proposing a different approach in supporting parents and promoting a healthy work and life balance.
“I fully agree that parents need more flexibility and time away from work to care for their children,” she said. “We will consider Mr Ng’s feedback, continue to review the scope for more parental leave provisions, and work with employers to encourage their utilisation,” she added.
However, she added that this must also be balanced with the manpower and operational needs of employers, particularly Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), some of whom may still be grappling with the effects of the pandemic.
So instead of legislating more childcare leave, the government will encourage employers to exercise more flexibility in extending shared parental and childcare leave and encourage family-friendly workplace practices.
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Financial support
As mentioned earlier, the government is also providing financial assistance in the form of cash gifts and grants to families in Singapore – from conception to childcare, housing and education. The government is also contributing up to S$18,000 to Child Development account (CDA).
Through the Made For Families initiative, they are also partnering with businesses and establishments to lighten the load for families in Singapore.
“We launched the Made For Families brand mark in June 2020 to assure families of support from the government and community. To date, more than 90 businesses, organisations and community groups have adopted it, and we hope more will take action and join us. Together, we will support and celebrate all families at every stage of their journey,” said Minister Indranee Rajah.
Singapore is Made For Families infographic
Learn more about how Singapore is Made For Families here.
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