Rationale for Reduction in Childcare Leave When Child Turns Seven Years Old

1 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Prime Minister what is the rationale for reducing the amount of childcare leave from six days to only two days when the child turns seven years old.

Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Under the Child Development Co-Savings Act, parents of Singaporean children are provided with six days of paid childcare leave per year until their child turns seven years old. Childcare leave provisions have been enhanced progressively over the years. In 2008, childcare leave provisions for parents with children aged below seven years old were raised from two to six days. In 2013, two days of childcare leave were also extended to parents with children aged seven to 12, recognising that parents with children in primary school would also need time to tend to their children's needs. More days of childcare leave are granted to parents of younger children in the earlier years of their development as they require relatively more care from parents, compared to children in primary school.

We have taken a practical approach to calibrating the childcare leave provisions for parents with young children, balancing the caregiving needs of parents with the manpower and operational needs of employers. We will continue to study how to better support working parents, including partnering Singaporeans through the Citizens' Panel that will convene next month, to identify new ways to address work-life harmony issues.