Made For Families is an ecosystem that supports parents and raising children through support from the government and community at large.
The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions have made clearer the importance of building and maintaining strong family ties at home, as well as supporting employees to balance their family and career aspirations. And the Made For Families brand mark represents the different ways – big and small – in which Singapore supports families.
Made For Families, an initiative by the National Population and Talent Division in the Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office, encourages companies, organizations and community groups to build a society that is Made For Families, by laying a foundation of support, from family-friendly spaces and workplaces, products and services, and family-bonding activities.
Why is Singapore Made For Families?
To help support Singaporeans in their journey to build a family, the Government has introduced several benefits and support, including enhancing the Marriage and Parenthood package. To get a summary of support measures for supporting marriage and parenthood, visit madeforfamilies.gov.sg
Marriage and Parenthood Support for Singaporeans
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The Marriage & Parenthood Package provides comprehensive support that is made for families, and has been enhanced over the years to address the evolving needs of Singaporeans. We've highlighted some of the benefits and supports available for families here.
1. Pregnancy and Pre-Pregnancy
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With the MediSave Maternity Package couples can use MediSave to help pay for pre-delivery care and delivery medical expenses. You can use up to $900 for pre-delivery medical expenses, between $750 and $2,150 for delivery expenses, depending on type of procedure, and up to $450 for each day's stay in hospital.
For those trying to conceive, the Government co-funds up to 75% for eligible couples below 40 years old undergoing treatments (e.g. Intra-Uterine
Insemination (IUI) or Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) treatment at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, National University Hospital and Singapore General Hospital.
Eligible couples can tap on MediSave for treatments up to $6,000 for the first cycle, $5,000 for the second cycle, and $4,000 for the third and subsequent cycles, within a lifetime limit of $15,000.
2. Parental Leave and Childcare Leave
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Working mothers get 16 weeks of paid Maternity Leave and for those who are not eligible due to their work arrangements, they can apply for the Government-Paid Maternity Benefit. Working fathers also enjoy 2 weeks of paid Paternity Leave.
For working parents with a child under 7 years old, you will be entitled to 6 days of Childcare Leave per working parent. For those with children between 7 - 12 years old, you will get 2 days per year.
Working parents with children below 2 years old will get 6 days of unpaid Infant Care Leave per year per working parent.
3. Cash Support
Source: Luma Pimentel
Parents will enjoy the Baby Bonus Scheme that comprises the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, which is given out in five installments over 18 months, and the a top up on the Child Development Account (CDA). The CDA is a special savings account where savings deposited by parents are matched by the Government, up to a cap depending on the child's birth order.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty, the Government extend a one-off Baby Support Grant of $3,000 to children born from 1 Oct 2020 to 30 Sep 2022 to reassure couples to proceed with their parenthood plans.
This was updated to include children born before 1 Oct 2020 but whose certified Estimated Date of Delivery (EDD) was on or after 1 Oct 2020.
4. Healthcare
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Newborns will have $4,000 Medisave Grant deposited into their Medisave account. This will help defray the child’s healthcare expenses, such as MediShield Life premiums, recommended childhood vaccinations, hospitalisation and approved outpatient treatments.
From 1 November 2020, Singaporean children will enjoy full subsidies for nationally recommended vaccinations and childhood developmental screenings.
5. Housing Subsidy for Families / Young Couples
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First-timer married couples with or expecting a child enjoy priority under the Parenthood Priority Scheme (PPS). First-timer families can also receive up to $80,000 in grants when buying a new flat and up to $160,000 when buying a resale flat.
Second-timer families with young children living in public rental flats attain home ownership again have the Fresh Start Housing Scheme to aid them.
Families awaiting the completion of their new flats can rent a flat from HDB at around half or less than half the market rate, under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS).
6. Pre-school and Education
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Working mothers are eligible for Basic Subsidy of up to $600 for full-day infant care and up to $300 for full-day childcare while non-working mothers are eligible for a Basic Subsidy of up to $150 per month.
Families with working mothers, and with gross monthly household incomes of $12,000 and below, are eligible for the enhanced Additional Subsidies, and those with children enrolled in kindergarten programmes in an Anchor Operator preschool or MOE Kindergarten, will be eligible for the enhanced Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme.
7. Transport
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The public transport system has been made more family-friendly with family-friendly washrooms that includes diaper-changing facilities at all Thomson-East Coast Line and Circle Line 6 stations, stroller restraint devices on public buses and nursing rooms at all new bus interchanges and integrated transport hubs, among others.
Priority Cabins pilot on the North East Line in end-2020 for expectant mothers, and parents with young children, amongst others.
For traveling overseas, application fees will be waived for parents who are applying for the first passport for their Singapore Citizen children born on or after 1 Jan 2019.
An Overview of Support and Benefits Made for Families
1. Baby Support Grant (BSG)
- One-off $3,000 cash grant
- For children born from 1 Oct 2020 - 30 Sep 2022
- Given to children who receive the existing Baby Bonus Cash Gift (BBGC)
- Children born before 1 Oct 2020 but whose certified Estimated Date of Delivery (EDD) was on or after 1 Oct 2020, can receive the BSG if they are eligible for the BBCG
- Comprises of Baby Bonus Cash Gift (BBCG) and Child Development Account (CDA).
- BBCG: $8,000 for 1st and 2nd child and $10,000 for 3rd and subsequent child.
- BBCG is given out in 5 installments over 18 months after child's birth.
- Eligible for BBCG if parents are lawfully married and child is Singapore Citizen.
- Eligible children will receive $3,000 of CDA First Step when the account is opened and every dollar saved by parents will be matched by Government, up to a cap depending on the child’s birth order.
3. MediSave Grant for Newborns
- $4,000 MediSave Grant for Newborns will be credited to the child's CPF MediSave account
- All Singapore Citizen newborns qualify, including children who are adopted and children born to unwed/divorced mothers. No application needed.
4. Free Nationally-Recommended Childhood Vaccinations and Developmental Screenings
- From 1 Nov 2020
- Free childhood vaccinations recommended under the NCIS will be made available at all polyclinics and Community Health Assist Scheme General Practitioner (CHAS GP) clinics.
- Free childhood developmental screenings will be made available at all polyclinics and CHAS GPs.
5. Waiver of Passport Application Fee for Newborns
- From 1 Jan 2020, passport application fee will be waived for Singaporean children's first passport applied before their first birthday.
- Parents who have an eligible child will receive an electronic notification via MyICA about the waiver on their personal dashboards.
