Having children may mean a shift in time and responsibilities, and most parents take time to adjust. In Singapore, our government understands the struggles working parents have when it comes to work-life and their new role. Thus, to support raising families, childcare leave benefits are introduced to allow parents to spend time with their young children. This makes it important for parents to know what childcare leave policies are in place, giving families the clarity to plan their childcaring support system.
What is childcare leave in Singapore?
In Singapore, childcare leave is mandated by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Eligible working parents of kids who are citizens are entitled to paid and extended childcare leave per year. Parents of non-citizens have 2 days of childcare leave a year in accordance with the Employment Act.
This means that if your child needs to go for his immunisation, medical appointments or simply just to take a day off to bond with the baby, mummy or daddy can apply for childcare leave without affecting their annual leave entitlement from their employers.
Childcare leave entitlement and eligibility criteria
Regardless of the number of children you have (by birth or by adoption), working parents also need to have worked for their employer or be self-employed for at least 3 continuous months in order to be eligible to utilise their childcare leave. The child must also be under 7 years old and a Singapore citizen. By default, childcare leave is based on the calendar year and thus, needs to be utilised by the end of that year and cannot be carried forward to the following year.
For kids born in late December, or if there’s another preferred period to start your childcare leave, parents can discuss with their employers about using a different 12-month period to calculate.
Types of childcare leave in Singapore
Did you know that besides childcare leave, there is also infant care leave that parents can apply for? For working parents, there are 3 types of leave in place to support raising families.
Paid childcare leave: This is the most talked about childcare leave for working parents. Eligible working dads and mums are entitled to 6 days of government-paid childcare leave per calendar year.
Extended childcare leave: This leave supports eligible working parents of Singapore citizen children between 7 and 12 years old (both inclusive) to claim 2 days of leave per calendar year. Parents who are self-employed, adoptive, foster parents, step-parents and legal guardians are entitled to extended childcare leave in Singapore too.
Unpaid infant care leave (UICL): This applies to parents with kids under 2 years old and are entitled to take up to 12 days of leave per calendar year. Termed as ‘unpaid’, it is akin to taking no pay leave when you wish to utilise it. Note that this is different from the maternity leave, paternity leave or shared parental leave benefits for new parents.
Is there childcare leave for foreigners who are parents working in Singapore? As a rule of thumb, foreigners or Permanent Residents (PR) residing and working in Singapore get to enjoy the childcare leave entitlements too as long as the eligibility criteria is met.
How to claim childcare leave
To ensure a smooth application process and arrangement at work during your absence, it is respectful to inform your immediate supervisor, employer and Human Resource personnel ahead of time.
- Ensure that you still have outstanding childcare leave to take. Use this childcare leave calculator to find out how many days of childcare leave you have left.
- Inform your team and employer in advance.
- Submit the declaration form (GPCL1) to your employer together with a copy of your child’s birth certificate (not required for foster parent/kin carer), Singapore citizenship certificate of child (if applicable but not required for foster parent/kin carer, Letter of Identity for foster parent/kin carer (if applicable), Legal Guardianship document (if applicable).
- Apply for your childcare leave according to your company’s leave application process.
Impact of work-life balance on family life
Raising and nurturing your children is a lifelong responsibility. Working parents are often faced with the dilemma of entrusting young kids to caregivers when you are at work. By utilising your childcare leave, working parents can plan to spend time with kids especially during their early childhood years. While work is important, parents also appreciate the time away from work responsibilities and step into the dad or mum role to be a present parent. Taking a step towards better work-life balance is also about good time management which becomes more important now with a family.
Forging a trusted childcaring support system for your family
We understand how important it is for working parents to have a positive relationship with their preschooler’s caregivers. At Little Footprints Preschool, our educators are trained and qualified early childhood specialists who play an impactful role during the early learners’ years.
Book a school tour to visit your nearest Little Footprints Preschool and learn how our theme-based, experiential learning approach can support your child’s all-round development while you manage work-life balance.
Share this article with other parents who will benefit from learning about this too: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
