Childcare subsidies for stay-home moms, more maternity leave among proposals to support families
Allowing employees to use sick leave to care for sick children or elderly parents was also part of MP Elysa Chen's proposals.
Childcare subsidies for stay-home mothers and extended maternity leave are among the measures proposed by Elysa Chen to support families in Singapore. Speaking during an adjournment motion in Parliament on Aug 5, Chen called for the government to provide more childcare leave, extend childcare subsidies to stay-at-home mothers, and increase maternity leave to six months.
She also suggested allowing employees to use their own medical leave to care for sick children or elderly parents, and providing structured postpartum home visits. Chen emphasized the need for structural changes to address time, care, work, and housing challenges faced by young couples and parents. The Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah, is considering Chen's proposals and will produce a full report with findings in early 2027.
Statistics show a decline in marriages and births in 2025, which has heightened the urgency to act. Chen proposed making childcare subsidies universal and extending maternity leave to six months, with an optional additional six months at half-pay. She also suggested providing subsidies for under-utilised childcare operators to run shuttle services and introducing structured postpartum support, including home visits by trained maternity nurses.
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