Managing costs among areas PAP Women’s Wing is looking at to encourage more to start families
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Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann said the PAP Women’s Wing will identify and understand people’s specific cost concerns.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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- PAP Women's Wing advocates for regular childcare subsidy reviews and monitoring disposable income spent on raising children due to Singapore's low birth rate.
- Government policies will evolve to support women, with employers encouraged to offer flexibility and address workplace discrimination against mothers.
- Surveys highlight financial pressures, housing policies, and the need for affordable childcare, shared parental responsibilities, and flexible work arrangements.
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SINGAPORE - A regular review of childcare subsidies is among the suggestions by the People’s Action Party’s Women’s Wing to manage the costs of raising children.
It also pledged to keep an eye on the proportion of disposable income couples are prepared to spend on raising a child, in order to make the necessary policy suggestions and advocate for a better environment for couples to start and grow a family.
“With Singapore’s birth rate being what it is, we have to be very realistic about the presence of barriers – whether real or in terms of people’s mindset – when it comes to marriage and parenthood,” Women’s Wing chair Sim Ann, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs, said on Sept 20.
“We have to ensure that policies are constantly updated to address these concerns,” she told media at the annual PAP Women’s Wing conference at Paradox Singapore hotel.
At the same event, Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung, who was the guest of honour, said the Government will continue to evolve its policies to support women through every stage of their lives.
Policies aside, mindsets as a society also have to evolve, he said. Schemes like shared parental leave
On encouraging couples to have children, he said “no amount of baby bonuses” would reverse the trend of a falling birth rate, acknowledging that choosing to start a family is a profound personal choice.
“But with stronger national support such as infant care and pre-school, shifting social norms with more men shouldering family responsibilities, and more forward-looking workplace practices, we can create a supportive environment,” he said.
Singapore’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell below 1 for the first time in 2023
Mr Ong, who is also Health Minister, also spoke of how employers play a key role in shifting mindsets, and that they should help employees – men and women alike – to manage work and personal life boundaries such that work, family and life can coexist in harmony.
The best way forward would likely be to combine new legislation on workplace practices with greater flexibility from employers and mutual understanding between employers and employees, he said.
The conference also included two panel discussions on the challenges in starting a family, covering topics such as financial stability, the readiness for relationships, and the challenges of navigating modern fertility issues.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung speaking to attendees at the PAP Women’s Wing conference on Sept 20.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Speaking to the media, Ms Sim said the Women’s Wing will identify and understand people’s specific cost concerns, such as the expectations of household income that a couple is able to attain prior to considering settling down and having children.
The Women’s Wing’s push for a better environment to start a family is in line with the findings of surveys that it conducted with NTUC Women and Family, as well as separate focus group discussions, that found more support was needed to bolster confidence in dating, marriage and parenthood.
For instance, on the dating front, respondents said that housing policies influenced their plans for marriage and children.
Financial stability and a supportive partner were among the key factors that influenced individuals’ confidence in pursuing a relationship or parenthood.
Focus group participants highlighted the financial pressures of having children, and emphasised the importance of more affordable childcare options.
These include subsidies for hiring helpers, childcare services, and introducing financial subsidies to address other needs, including transport, and to improve flexible leave arrangements for parents.
Participants also said that more could be done to address workplace discrimination against mothers, as well as encourage men to equally share the mental load of marriage and parenthood, and to promote flexible work arrangements.
(From left) West Coast-Jurong West GRC MP Cassandra Lee, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah, Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, and Fertility Support SG board member Simran Toor during a panel discussion at the PAP Women’s Wing conference on Sept 20.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Cost pressures featured prominently in both the panels on Sept 20 and the earlier survey findings.
During the panel on Singapore’s birth rate challenge, founder and counselling director of The Relationship Room Theresa Pong said what comes up frequently with couples beyond just costs is whether they have enough options.
Ms Pong said: “For example, do (they) have enough to buy a house in a certain estate that has lots of popular schools, or do (they) have enough to put their children in a top-tier enrichment centre... This is a conversation that many couples are having and are trying to negotiate in this realm.”
In the same discussion, Ms Sim said the Women’s Wing would continue to shine a spotlight on young people’s views about the affordability of everything that is associated with marriage as well as raising a family.
She added: “What I think we always need to keep a very close eye on is to ensure that you don’t have the emergence of insurmountable costs.”
