Adjournment motion on structuring Singapore for flourishing families

People need to feel secure raising a family in Singapore, and able to go beyond the traditional “five Cs” to chase a “sixth C” - children, urged MP Elysa Chen. She said increasing minimum annual leave and letting employees use sick leave based on dependents’ medical certificates will help in building a family-centric society. On support for mothers, she suggested extending maternity leave to six months, fully government-paid up to a cap. This will also make it more viable for employers to hire contract cover, she said. She proposed tax deductions for firms hiring stay-at-home parents returning to the workforce and more incentives to create lactation rooms. Childcare subsidies ought to be the same for working and non-working mums, she added, along with better accessibility to childcare centres and more childcare options. Housing policies must also proactively encourage families to grow. Ms Chen envisioned future adjoining Build-to-Order units designed for dividing walls to be knocked down, which larger and intergenerational families can apply for. In response, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said the Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup will take some of Ms Chen’s suggestions into account as it works on recommendations, with a full report expected next year.