On 6 March 2024, Singapore's Minister of State for Social and Family Development, Sun Xueling, replied to Aljunied GRC MP Yim Yan Chung on whether informal childcare institutions should be included in the Ministry of Social and Family Services' "Babysitting Pilot Scheme".
The following is a translation of the Singapore Eye based on Parliamentary sources:
Yan Yansong
Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
First of all, I am pleased to hear that the Ministry of Social and Family Development plans to professionalize and subsidize babysitting services.
So, I would like to ask Minister Sun Xueling, what impact will this have on the existing informal childcare facilities? There are some residents who take care of the babies and children of the neighbors after school, and these people are usually older women who are not highly educated and who may not be allowed to be employed in the nursery operators.
As a result, it may be difficult for them to complete the formal courses and exams for "babysitting services". So, do these informal child care workers and parents who use their services also enjoy the subsidies provided by the scheme?
Sun Xueling
Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Social and Family Development
Minister of State
Thank you very much for your question.
Our aim is to provide more options for parents, and if there is an existing arrangement between the caregiver and the parent in the community, we will not step in and change the arrangement. Informal nurseries can continue.
But since we are working on a pilot, we hope that the results of this pilot program will guide us as a long-term plan. Therefore, we need to ensure that which determinants are sustainable and contribute to the establishment of a standard for better implementation.
So what I want to say is that, based on what you have just mentioned, if both of them are satisfied with the current informal arrangement, and at the same time have the will to continue, then they can continue to proceed as they are.
But if they want to be part of the pilot so that parents can take advantage of the subsidies provided by the government, then we will still require childcare workers to adhere to the standards I shared earlier.
This is also to make the Ministry of Social and Family Services' "Babysitter Pilot Scheme" a better way to carry out the pilot work, so that we can know what the determinants will make the pilot work smooth.
The following is the content of the question in English:
The Chairman: I know Mr Giam you have raised your hands several times. I had given priority to those who have filed cuts first. You can have the floor now.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: Thank you, Sir. I did file a cut on this. I am very glad to hear that MSF is planning to professionalise and subsidise childminding services.
So, my question for Minister of State Sun is, can I ask how this will affect existing informal childminders? I have residents who look after their neighbours’ infants and kids after school and these are usually older women who are not highly educated and may not be prepared to be formally employed by childminding operators. So, they may have difficulties completing formal courses and passing written tests. So how will these informal childminders and the parents who engage their services, be able to tap on the subsidies that MSF is offering under this programme?
Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his question. Our intent is to have more options for parents, which means that if there is an existing arrangement between a nanny or an infant childminder in the community with a parent, we are not going to go in there and change the arrangements. The informal arrangements can continue.
But because we are launching a pilot and when we launch a pilot, we do hope that the results from that pilot will guide us in being able to have it more as a permanent programme. So, we have to make sure then that the parameters are such that it is sustainable and, therefore, we will need to have certain standards in place.
So, what I would say is: in the situation that you mentioned, whatever is an informal arrangement right now – if it is something that they are happy with and there is something ongoing, it is something that they have been doing for a long time between the parent and the infant childminder, they can just go ahead with whatever it is that they have right now. But if they should want to be able to be part of this pilot so that the parent is able to make use of the subsidies that the Government is providing, then we would require the childminder to adhere to the standards that I have shared earlier. This is also so that MSF is responsible for the pilot and then we know what are the parameters that would make this work.
CF丨Editor
Edited by CF丨
Singapore Parliament丨Source
Singapore Parliament丨Source
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