{
  "id": 2788573,
  "title": "NDR 2026: Parents to get up to 12 days of childcare leave; government to bear the cost",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/ndr-2026-parents-to-get-up-to-12-days-of-childcare-leave-government",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-23T12:32:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Business Times - Singapore",
    "slug": "the-business-times-singapore",
    "url": "https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/ndr-2026-parents-get-12-days-childcare-leave-government-bear-cost"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced significant changes to childcare leave entitlements at the National Day Rally on Aug 23, 2026. Under the new rules, parents will receive up to 12 days of childcare leave, with the number of days depending on the number of children. Parents with one child (up to 12 years old) will get eight days, those with two children will receive 10 days, and those with three or more children will be entitled to 12 days. The government will cover the entire cost of all statutory child-related leave, up to the reimbursement limit, marking a shift from the current arrangement where financial costs are shared between the government and employers. This move, in response to parents' feedback that the existing arrangement \"is not enough,\" aims to provide \"significantly more leave while recognising that caregiving demands rise with the number of children.\" The government will consult with tripartite partners before implementing the changes. Wong also encouraged employers to be \"more supportive\" of employees who are parents, stating that parents who feel supported are better able to give their best at home and work. The new childcare leave entitlements will be a marked increase from the current six-day entitlement for every working parent, with two days for children aged seven to 12, and one day for children older than 12.",
  "summary": "Change will take effect after consultation with tripartite partners",
  "key_points": [
    "Parents to receive up to 12 days of childcare leave",
    "Government to cover full cost of statutory leave",
    "Change response to parents' feedback on current arrangement"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}