Capacity and Utilisation Rates of Current Childcare Places in Bidadari Estate and Projected Demand for Next Three Years

25 Mr Alex Yeo asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the current number and utilisation rate of infant and childcare places for the Bidadari estate within the Toa Payoh Planning Area; and (b) whether the current places are sufficient to meet the projected demand for young families in the Bidadari estate for the next three years.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: As of 2025, there were around 860 infant care and 8,700 childcare places licensed for operation in the Toa Payoh Planning Area, which includes the Bidadari estate. These places have not been fully utilised, with utilisation rates at 66% and 73% for infant care and childcare respectively, lower than the national utilisation rate of around 69% and 76%.

To cater to projected demand among families with young children, the Early Childhood Development Agency has been building infant care and childcare places in tandem with new Built-to-Order housing developments. New preschools, which will add another 125 infant care and 640 childcare places, will be starting operations in the coming months in the Toa Payoh Planning Area, with the majority in the Bidadari estate. These places will be mostly offered by Anchor Operators and do not include additional places that may be built by other preschool operators.