Singapore parents could see cash payouts, enhanced child-related leave, and extended financial support well beyond a child’s first seven years under a series of recommendations being prepared by the PAP Women’s Wing. According to PAP Women’s Wing vice-chairwoman Gan Siow Huang, public engagement sessions held since May indicate that families face mounting pressures regarding costs, time, and health as Singapore’s total fertility rate fell to a historic low of 0.87 in 2025.
Public Feedback and Core Financial Concerns
At the sixth session held on July 26 at Junction 8 mall, Gan noted that families find childcare costs challenging and proposed that financial support like the Baby Bonus Scheme should extend into a child’s teenage years. According to Gan, who serves as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Trade and Industry, this adjustment would better reflect the current cost of raising children.
The PAP Women’s Wing also plans to urge the Government to extend the Baby Bonus Scheme—introduced in 2001—to single unmarried parents in Singapore. Furthermore, the group is pushing to reduce out-of-pocket infant care and childcare fees for middle-income households, noting that expenses remain substantial even after subsidies for anchor operator centres.
Did You Know? The Baby Bonus Scheme was originally introduced in 2001 to support parents in their decision to have more children by helping to manage upfront and ongoing child-raising costs.
Workplace Flexibility and Child-Related Leave
Beyond direct financial assistance, the public sessions highlighted significant concerns about balancing career demands with family care. According to Gan, parents with multiple or older children often lack sufficient childcare leave, prompting the group to push for enhanced child-related leave. While employers bear costs when providing such leave, Gan stated that the Government could offer additional support to help companies accommodate working parents.
Participants at the July 26 session, titled Making it Work and drawing about 120 attendees, voiced desires for broader cultural shifts. Zan Johan, a 39-year-old entrepreneur and mother of two boys aged eight and 10, shared that long working hours in Singapore often leave parents too drained to connect with sleeping children. Johan, who left an auditing job for the civil service before launching her own tech firm, advocates for stronger pushes toward flexible work arrangements like a four-day work week.
Fertility Costs and Future Policy Submissions
With Singaporeans marrying later in life, an increasing number of couples require medical assistance to conceive. To address this, the PAP Women’s Wing will also recommend that the Government reduce the costs associated with fertility screening and treatments.
Lionel Chua, a father of five working in risk management, emphasized that societal attitudes matter just as much as government policy. Speaking at the July 26 session, Chua noted that cultivating greater public tolerance toward young children in public spaces remains vital for families.
The public engagement sessions are scheduled to run until November. Following their conclusion, the PAP Women’s Wing plans to submit its final recommendations to the Government’s inter-agency Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup by the start of 2027. Chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, the workgroup was established during the February Budget debate following the release of the 2025 fertility figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the PAP Women’s Wing submit its recommendations?
The recommendations are scheduled to be submitted to the Government’s inter-agency Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup by the start of 2027.
Who chairs the inter-agency Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup?
The workgroup is chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah.
What changes are being proposed for the Baby Bonus Scheme?
The PAP Women’s Wing plans to propose extending the Baby Bonus and cash payouts beyond a child’s first seven years into their teenage years, and expanding eligibility to single unmarried parents in Singapore.
How do you balance workplace demands with family time under current Singapore work arrangements?
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