Court

A Singapore family court has granted care and control of three children, aged between six and 13, to their father, ruling that he is better positioned to provide the structure and supervision the children require. The mother, a 43-year-old financial adviser, has been ordered to pay her ex-husband, a 45-year-old private-hire driver, monthly child maintenance of S$1,190 (US$935).

Competing Claims of Care

The couple, who married in 2014, were granted an interim judgment for divorce in January 2025. The mother sought care and control, asserting she had been the primary caregiver. She expressed fear for the children’s safety, noting she had obtained a personal protection order for herself and their oldest child against the father.

She further alleged that the father was “highly incapable” of care, claiming he had breached the protection order by caning the oldest child. Her firstborn also reportedly indicated a desire not to visit his father.

Conversely, the father argued that the mother was unable to properly supervise the children, alleging she was frequently distracted by mobile devices. He claimed she delegated care to her parents, who did not treat the children well, and noted that the children sometimes left home without adult supervision.

Judicial Findings on Welfare and Routine

District Judge Edmund Chew stated that the paramount consideration in the case was the welfare of the children. He determined that the children’s needs would be best served by granting care and control to the father, citing an “urgent need for a stable routine” and close adult supervision.

The judge criticized the mother’s “very permissive adult supervision” and the lack of limits on screen time, which he found had led children to trade sleep for device usage. This lack of routine reportedly affected their performance in school, with the two older children sleeping in class.

Judge Chew also described the home environment as cluttered and messy, with insufficient space for the children to sleep or complete homework. He found it inappropriate that the children had been left home alone or walked to school unsupervised at ages as young as two and three.

Financial Obligations and Asset Division

The court determined the reasonable monthly expenses for the three children to be S$1,922. Maintenance was calculated based on the parents’ respective incomes: the mother earns S$8,300, while the father earns S$5,000.

the father was assigned 38 per cent of the expenses, while the mother was ordered to bear 62 per cent, resulting in the S$1,190 monthly payment. The judge rejected the father’s view that tuition classes were a luxury the parents could not afford.

Regarding the matrimonial flat, the mother must decide if she wishes to retain it. If so, she must pay the father approximately S$219,000 to transfer his share to her. Otherwise, the flat will be sold on the open market within six months, with the remaining proceeds divided 58 per cent to the woman and 42 per cent to the man.

Path Toward Co-Parenting

While granting care to the father, Judge Chew provided the mother with “generous access time,” including alternate weekends, certain holidays, and up to two weekday evenings per week.

The judge urged the father to continue working with the son’s counsellors to assist the teenager’s transition. He expressed a wish for the parents to operate as “co-workers and co-partners” rather than adversaries to help their children flourish.

Looking ahead, the stability of the children’s new routine may depend on the parents’ ability to co-parent effectively. A possible next step could involve the father implementing the more structured discipline methods encouraged by the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the court grant care and control to the father?

The court found that the children urgently needed a stable routine, including better sleeping habits and close adult supervision, which the father was better able to provide than the mother’s “very permissive” approach.

How was the child maintenance amount calculated?

The court found monthly expenses for the children to be S$1,922. Based on their incomes (S$8,300 for the mother and S$5,000 for the father), the mother was ordered to pay 62 per cent of the costs, totaling S$1,190.

What happens to the couple’s matrimonial flat?

The mother can retain the flat by paying the father about S$219,000. If she chooses not to, the flat must be sold within six months, with proceeds split 58 per cent to the mother and 42 per cent to the father after loans and costs are paid.

Do you believe a parent’s earning capacity should influence maintenance payments when care and control are shifted?