Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled major family support enhancements on August 23 at the National Day Rally aimed at helping working parents and reducing preschool costs [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Starting April 1, 2027, each working parent with Singaporean children aged 12 and below will receive annual childcare leave of 8 days for one child, 10 days for two children, and 12 days for three or more children. This is an increase from the current 6 days for the youngest child aged six and below, which then drops sharply to 2 days for primary school-aged children regardless of number [8, 9, 10, 11, 12].

The government will reimburse employers for the full duration of childcare leave up to a cap, and self-employed individuals can claim compensation for income lost during this period [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. On the financial aid front, every child born on or after April 1, 2027, will receive a $10,000 Baby Gift in cash plus $32,000 in Child Credits. The Child Credits, which also apply from 2026 to Singaporean children aged 16 and younger, provide $2,000 annually on their birthdays for any use [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. Children born before April 1, 2027 will continue to get existing Baby Bonus payouts until March 31, 2027, with top-ups by April 30, 2027 to ensure a minimum $10,000 total payout [8, 9, 10, 11, 12].

On preschool affordability, fee reductions will be phased in starting 2028, targeting $150 monthly for full-day childcare and $300 for infant care by 2030 at government-supported preschools [1, 2, 3, 4, 7]. Unlike today, all families will qualify for full childcare and infant care subsidies regardless of whether the main subsidy applicant is working. Currently, full subsidies apply only to families with working main applicants, with means-tested caps of up to $767 monthly for childcare and $1,310 for infant care. Lower-income families will maintain extra subsidies to pay even less than the new fees [1, 2, 3, 4, 7].

Prime Minister Wong said, "Likewise, we want every Singaporean child to have access to quality pre-school at fees that families can comfortably afford" and called the changes "fundamental shifts in state support for marriage and parenthood" [8, 1]. He also noted the complex global environment marked by US-China rivalry and geopolitical tensions, saying, "The world is more contested, unstable and dangerous than before, and this is the new normal" [5].

Some parents welcomed the relief but noted challenges remain. One parent, Chen Siyuan, said if infant care fees drop by half, she would consider preschool over hiring a helper but added the "biggest concern for dual-income families is having to pick up children on time amidst work demands" [7].

The government aims to increase supply and improve quality of government-supported preschools, which currently subsidize about 80% of preschool children [7]. The new family benefits reflect a commitment to provide nearly $70,000 in direct support per child and align childcare support more closely with that for primary education [5, 6].