Childcare and infant care leave will now be extended to single unwed parents, said Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing in Parliament on Thursday.

From May 1, single parents will receive the same childcare leave extended to other parents: six days of childcare leave a year for children below the age of seven; two days for those aged between seven and 12 and six days of unpaid infant care leave a year if they have a child below the age of two.

On Wednesday, a number of Members of Parliament had asked for more assistance to be extended to single mothers.

Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC) called for single mothers to be treated as "mothers first and singles second", urging that they should be given benefits like maternity leave.