Strong families are the bedrock of our society, in which children are nurtured, and through which we pass on our values and sense of kinship from one generation to the next.
Singaporeans want a fulfilling family life, filled with joy and laughter. The Government is committed to building a supportive environment for Singaporeans to form families and raise children.
The new and enhanced Marriage & Parenthood Package 2013 is designed to help you fulfil your family aspirations. The package comprises a comprehensive range of measures to address our evolving needs as we move through life – from marriage, to becoming parents, and raising children.
Parenthood Priority Scheme
First-timer married couples with children will be given priority allocation for their HDB flats by setting aside a proportion of flats for them.
Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme
First-timer married couples with children can rent a flat from HDB at an affordable rental rate while awaiting the completion of their flats.
Enhanced Co-Funding for Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) Treatment
The Government will co-fund up to 75% of the cost of each ART treatment received at public hospitals, with co-funding now extended to three fresh and three frozen cycles. Couples with more than one child will now also be eligible for co-funding.
Accouchement Fees for Higher-Order Births
Accouchement fees in public hospitals will no longer be differentiated across birth order. This will help defray the cost of deliveries for couples who may be thinking of having more children.
Enhanced Baby Bonus
Parents will receive an enhanced cash gift of $6,000 (up from $4,000) each for their 1st and 2nd child, and $8,000 (up from $6,000) each for their 3rd and 4th child. The cash gift will be fully disbursed earlier, within 12 months of the child’s birth instead of the current 18 months.
Medisave Grant for Newborns
Each citizen newborn will have a CPF Medisave account opened for him/her, with a Medisave grant of $3,000 deposited.
MediShield Coverage for Congenital & Neonatal Conditions
Newborns will be covered under MediShield from birth without having to be assessed for pre-existing conditions, including for congenital and neonatal conditions, so long as their parents do not opt them out.
Extended Child Care Leave
Both parents have 2 days of paid child care leave per year each if they have at least one child aged 7-12 years.
Adoption Leave
Adoptive mothers with an adopted infant aged below 12 months will be entitled to 4 weeks of paid adoption leave.
Enhanced Maternity Protection for Pregnant Employees
Working mothers will be entitled to maternity leave benefits if they are dismissed without sufficient cause or retrenched within the duration of their pregnancy.
Government-Paid Maternity Benefit for Shorter-Term Workers
Working mothers who are not eligible for maternity leave may apply to receive the Government-Paid Maternity Benefit, as long as they have been in employment for a total of at least 90 days in the 12 months leading up to childbirth.
Paternity Leave
Working fathers will be entitled to one week of paid paternity leave.
Shared Parental Leave
Working fathers will be entitled to share 1 week of the 16 weeks of maternity leave, subject to the agreement of the mother.
At the Marriage and Parenthood Package 2013 Press Conference, on the 21st of January 2013, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean emphasised that encouraging Marriage and Parenthood is fundamental in building a strong Singaporean core.