Self-Employed Persons Qualified for Government-paid Care Leave Schemes

40 Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in each of the past five years (a) how many self-employed persons qualified for (i) Government-paid childcare leave and (ii) enhanced childcare leave; and (b) what is the proportion who claimed the (i) Government-paid childcare leave and (ii) enhanced childcare leave.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Between 2017 and 2021, an average of 33,000 self-employed persons per year qualified for the Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL), out of which around 20% have claimed GPCL. An average of 26,000 of them per year qualified for the Extended Childcare Leave (ECL), of which around 5% have claimed ECL.

The Government-paid portion of GPCL only covers the fourth to sixth days. The first three days of childcare leave are not covered. Hence, the GPCL claims data does not reflect the utilisation of childcare leave by self-employed persons.