Singapore expands childcare leave and child aid in family policy reset
Why it matters: The package includes lower preschool fees, more BTO ballot chances for parents and broader support as births stay well below replacement.
Singapore rolled out a broad family-support overhaul at the National Day Rally, giving working parents more childcare leave, boosting cash support for children and cutting preschool fees. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said each parent with Singaporean children age 12 and below will get eight days of leave for one child, 10 days for two and 12 days for three or more, replacing the current lower entitlements as children grow older. Children born on or after April 1, 2027, will receive a new SG Child Support Package with a S$10,000 cash Baby Gift and S$32,000 in Child Credits regardless of birth order. Full-day childcare fees will be lowered to S$150 a month by 2030, and families buying a first BTO flat will get an extra ballot chance for each child.