Second-best place for expats to raise kids
Posted: 11 March 2010 0726 hrs

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SINGAPORE: The talk may be all about how to help foreigners fit in Singapore, but children of expatriates here seem to find it relatively easy to integrate.

Some 56 per cent of expat parents said their children are more socially integrated here than they were in their home countries, according to the world's largest survey of expats, Expat Explorer.

Not only did 71 per cent say their kids adapted "really well" to the education system here (compared to the global average of 49 per cent), 65 per cent said their children found it easy to make new friends (global average 50 per cent).

Expat kids fit in easiest in Australia. In contrast, expat kids in the United Kingdom and United States struggled the hardest to make friends and integrate.

These were the findings of the second annual survey issued by HSBC Bank International, which polled over 3,100 expats from more than 50 countries.

Overall, Singapore was ranked next best, behind Australia, for expats to raise a family. Nine in 10 expat parents living here felt they had moved to a safer, more childcare-friendly place for their youngsters.

Three in four said education standards were better than in their home country (global average 56 per cent), while 70 per cent felt childcare had improved since moving here (global average 50 per cent).

But the Republic was also rated one of the most expensive place to raise a child - 60 per cent said they now spend more on childcare.

As for providing an environment to raise healthy kids, expat children in Singapore ate the least junk food, according to the survey. But over a third tended to spend less time outdoors and playing sports after moving here.

Overall, the UK was indicated as the worst country for childcare and education.

Agreeing with the survey's findings was one expat based here - Mr Sebastian Arcuri, HSBC Bank International's head of personal financial services.

"As a father of three young children, all born in Singapore, I have been able to experience first-hand how child-friendly Singapore is and can vouch for the high standard of childcare available here," he said.

"I found it easy to enroll my children in local kindergartens and international schools, which provide a quality education as well as a conducive environment for them to make new friends and integrate into the community here ... Having lived in five different countries, I think Singapore is a great place to raise children and I am very glad the survey confirms this."

- TODAY/sc