Breakdown of Infant Care and Childcare Subsidies Received by Children in Last Three Years by Subsidy Category
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the breakdown of subsidies received for infant and childcare services between 2019 and 2021. Ms He Ting Ru inquired about recipient numbers, the distribution of subsidy types, and median additional subsidy amounts. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that enrolment grew to 126,000 children in 2021, with 95% of Basic Subsidies going to working mothers. He noted that Additional Subsidy recipients increased from 35% to 60% following the income ceiling revision to $12,000. In 2021, median additional subsidies were $380 for infant care and $260 for childcare.
Transcript
19 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in each of the last three years, in relation to infant care and child care respectively (a) how many children have received subsidies; (b) what is the percentage of those who have received (i) non-working mother subsidies, (ii) working applicant basic subsidies and (iii) working applicant additional subsidies; and (c) of those receiving additional subsidies, what is the median amount for the additional subsidies for each category.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: All families with Singaporean children enrolled in infant care and childcare programmes receive the Basic Subsidy, with a higher rate given to families with working mothers. The total number of infants and children receiving the Basic Subsidy has grown in tandem with rising enrolment, from around 107,000 in 2019 to around 126,000 in 2021. About 95% are for families with working mothers.
Families with a monthly household income of $12,000 and below, and with a working mother, are also eligible for the means-tested Additional Subsidy. In 2019, around 35% of families with children enrolled in infant care and childcare programmes received the Additional Subsidy. In 2020 and 2021, due to revisions in the qualifying income ceiling from a monthly household income of $7,500 to $12,000, around 60% of such families received the Additional Subsidy.
The Additional Subsidy for full-day infant care is up to $710 per month (median in 2021: $380). The Additional Subsidy for full-day childcare is up to $467per month (median in 2021: $260).