If you ask any young married couple about what the hardest part about starting a family is, the reason you would likely hear often is, “Need to work, how to take care of a baby?”
“What about childcare or a nanny?” “Too expensive, you pay for me lah.”
Throughout the 16-month-long feedback initiative Forward Singapore, many Singaporeans shared their challenges and concerns in nurturing their children, especially those with infants and developmental needs, the Minister of State for Social and Family Development (MSF) Sun Xueling highlighted.
Said Ms Sun, “Parents often cited the initial 18 months as particularly demanding, balancing infant care with work responsibilities.”
Accessing infant-care centres near their residences proved challenging for some parents, with limited family support due to smaller family sizes and working grandparents.
In order to help parents achieve affordable and reliable services to look after their children, MSF has announced that the government would be piloting a new childminding scheme for infants aged two to 18 months.
This announcement was made in Parliament on 6 March 2024, and it is aimed to launch in the later half of 2024 for three years. It will accommodate 500 children in the first year and increase to 700 subsequently.
What is Childminding?
Though the definitions may vary household to household, a “childminder” is essentially someone who is hired to care for infants in the absence of both parents.
Though the job scope is similar to that of a regular babysitter, a childminder normally has to go through some childcare and safety courses in order to qualify for a job.
Childminding also involves providing children with expert care, education, and assistance in their development. Responsibilities may even include transportation to and from school, diaper changes, dressing, and bathing.
Ms Sun noted that childminders, also known as “nannies” by some, have been part of Singapore’s childcare landscape for decades.
In the 1970s and 1980s, it was more prevalent for childminders to care for children either in their own homes or at the child’s residence.
However, their popularity has waned over time, as parents may struggle to find reliable childminders or consider their services more costly compared to alternatives like infant-care centres.
In contrast, countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Denmark provide financial aid, including subsidies, to support parents in accessing childminding services to meet infant care demands, Ms Sun noted.
Costs and Benefits of the New Childminding Service
The MSF is introducing the pilot program to provide parents with an additional option for infant care. It aims to collaborate with designated operators to expand infant childminding services in Singapore.
Ms Sun stated that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will fund appointed operators to keep fees affordable. In turn, these operators would hire the childminders.
The new childminding service is projected to be priced around S$700 per month, comparable to what a median-income family pays for infant care at an anchor operator.
Full-day infant care fees at these centres are capped at S$1,235 for Singaporeans, with working mothers eligible for subsidies of at least S$600 per month, says MSF.
If it still sounds too expensive for you, fret not. Families will have the option to utilise the Child Development Account (CDA) to help offset the expenses for the service, with further details set to be disclosed later in 2024.
The CDA serves as a designated savings account for children, covering pre-school and healthcare fees. In the meantime, anchor operators also receive government grants to assist in offsetting costs, including staff salaries, in exchange for adhering to fee caps and quality standards.
Ms Sun highlighted that each childminder can care for a maximum of three infants either at their own residence or at a community venue like a community centre to allow for increased flexibility to communicate their care preferences and needs.
On the other hand, present-day infant care centres have fixed operating hours and are usually unable to accommodate infants who are ill.
Ms Sun states, “Parents who may prefer a more structured setting during working hours may opt for infant care centres for their infants. Those who prefer more flexible hours or more individualised care in a home setting may opt for infant childminding.”
Addressing Safety Concerns from Parents
Given that safety is a key concern for parents, the ECDA will perform background checks on operators, ensuring they adhere to specific service criteria.
These criteria encompass implementing guidelines on practices to keep the child safe, ensuring childminders are trained in essential areas like basic infant care and first aid, and establishing incident management procedures.
The ECDA will also conduct background checks on childminders, screening for criminal records and any history of child-related offences, stated an MSF spokesman in response to media inquiries.
Private childminding services, usually provided by home-based nannies, range from S$1,200 to S$2,800 monthly, according to the MSF spokesman. Unlike infant care centres, government regulations do not govern the prices of such services.
Childminding operators told media inquirers that parents often opt for their services due to challenges securing spots at infant care centres. Additionally, some parents are hesitant on hiring domestic workers for various reasons.
In her speech, Ms Sun mentioned that presently, approximately one in five infants is enrolled in an infant care centre. MSF aims to boost centre-based infant care spots by roughly 70%, equating to 9,000 more places by 2030.
She also mentioned that they will maintain communication with parents, childminders, and childminding operators, with further details set to be announced in the later half of 2024.
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