Singapore announces new support measures for families with children
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced new support measures for families with children on August 23, including for those considering having another child. As Channel NewsAsia reports, the package is intended to reduce the financial and practical difficulties faced by parents.
The new Baby Gift will amount to S$10,000 after a child is born. In addition, parents will receive annual Child Credits of S$2,000 for each child aged between one and 16. Columnist Malminderjit Singh noted that such cash support gives families greater flexibility than benefits tied to specific expenses.
Transport and housing
Wong also announced additional support for transport expenses for large families. According to the author, after the birth of a third child, families may need a larger car, while families of five can sometimes find it more difficult to get a standard hotel room when travelling.
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Families applying for Build-To-Order flats for the first time will receive an additional chance in the ballot for each child who is a Singapore citizen. At the same time, the government is only considering the possibility of further housing assistance for large families. Singh noted that some expenses can be reduced through clothes, books, toys and sleeping spaces that can be used by several children.
Time for parents
Separately, the prime minister announced a new childcare leave scheme that will take into account the number of children under the age of 12 in a family. In Singh's view, time is the most challenging resource for parents. Additional leave days may make it possible to attend meetings with teachers, care for sick children, help them with their studies and spend more time together.
According to the Marriage and Parenthood 2021 survey, 35% of married respondents in Singapore said that a family with three or more children was ideal, but only 25% planned to have that many children. The columnist, a father of three, wrote that twins made his family large within two years.
