Childcare Sick Leave to Help Total Fertility Rate

MP Louis Ng’s speech during the debates on PMO’s Budget 

Singapore’s TFR was a dismal 1.14.

We have tackled this from a financial angle to lower the cost of having children.

However, in addition to financial constraints, time and stress are common concerns I hear, especially those thinking about having a second child.

While some have the luxury of working from home, COVID-19 has also shown us the limits of this for certain groups of essential workers. For them, childcare sick leave is critical for juggling the demands of work and parenthood. I’ve spoken up about this previously.

It has been more than a decade since childcare leave provisions were increased. Will PMO consider having specific childcare sick leave and providing this on a per child basis?

The Public Service already gives its officers childcare sick leave and it is on a per child basis. If the Government feels that childcare sick leave is important for people who work for us, then why is it not important for the people we serve? Let us level this playing field.

Watch the speech here.