Study on Demand and Need for Night-time Childcare Services
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the Ministry of Social and Family Development's study on the demand and need for night-time childcare services, as raised by Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M noted that while standard childcare hours meet most needs, over 40 centres currently exercise discretion to operate beyond 7 pm. Engagements with 650 families under the Community Link (ComLink) pilot revealed that night-time childcare services could be particularly useful for some low-income households. Consequently, the Ministry is studying the possibility of piloting night-time childcare at a ComLink site to better determine the demand and sustainability of such services. This approach seeks to address caregiving gaps for shift-working parents who cannot rely on relatives or other caregivers during non-standard hours.
Transcript
7 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what data has the Ministry collected in its study on the demand and need for more night-time childcare services; (b) what are the Ministry’s findings from the study; and (c) when will the study be concluded if it has not already been concluded.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: To cater to the needs of working parents, childcare centres are required to operate full-day services from 7 am to 7 pm on weekdays, and from 7 am to 2 pm on Saturdays. Childcare centres have the discretion to extend their services beyond the standard operating hours, taking into consideration demand and resources. Currently, over 40 childcare centres (or about 3% of centres) operate beyond 7 pm on weekdays.
The current arrangement meets the needs of most parents. For those working shifts or on weekends, many of them arrange for other caregivers, such as grandparents and relatives, to help out. Nevertheless, we understand that some families may face difficulties in making such caregiving arrangements.
As part of the Community Link (ComLink) pilot1 to provide greater support to families with children living in rental housing, we engaged some 650 families to understand their needs and circumstances, including caregiving arrangements. Engagements with some community partners indicated that night-time childcare services could be useful to some low-income families. We are studying the possibility of piloting night-time childcare at a ComLink site to better assess demand for and sustainability of such services.