The Singapore government offers financial support to Singapore citizens with children to help them cover the initial cost of infant and child care enrollment through different-tiered subsidies. The Singapore citizens can check the article to learn about the monthly Infant and child care subsidies.
Singapore Infant and Child Care Subsidies
The Singapore government provides Infant and childcare different tiered subsidies based on the applicant’s income background and employment status. The government provides basic and additional subsidies along with special approval support under the scheme.
- Basic Subsidies: The basic subsidy under the infant and child care subsidies refers to full-day preschool expenses for infants (2 to 18 months old) and children (18 months to 6 years old).
- Additional subsidies: The additional subsidies are for Singaporeans who have financial distress and need additional support for child care. It is a means-tested subsidy granted by the government for lower-income Singapore families to help them afford preschool enrollment and fees and work without worrying about the child.
- Special Approval: It is a special subsidy helping parents in unexpected situations when they can’t continue their work due to unforeseen circumstances. Eligible Singapore citizens will get this subsidy for a limited time based on their case, however, the parents will receive the higher subsidies in the special approval subsidy.
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) manages and regulates infant and child care subsidies. The Singapore government started these subsidies to reduce the financial burden and stress of new parents as infant care and child care can be expensive for low-income families.
Singapore Infant and Child Care Subsidies Eligibility
Singaporeans can check their eligibility for Infant and childcare subsidies from the below eligibility requirements based on the type of subsidy:
For all subsidies
- The child must be a Singapore citizen to receive the subsidies.
- The child should be enrolled in an ECDA-licensed infant or child care center.
Basic Subsidy:
- The basic subsidy is based on employment status, the working-class applicants (mother or father) who work (includes full/part-time and freelance work) for at least 56 hours in a month are eligible.
- The non-working applicants are also entitled to a basic subsidy.
Additional Subsidy:
- The working Singaporeans with 56 hours of work in a month and a gross monthly household income is $12,000 and below or their per capita income is $3,000 or below.
Special Approval Subsidy:
- Applicants who are not working due to the following circumstances will receive the special approval subsidy:
- Studying/training/ taking a course (for at least 56 hours a month)
- Applicants looking for a job
- Applicants who are medically unfit to continue their work due to log-time illness, hospitalization, or permanent disability
- Pregnant Applicants
- Applicants caring for a special needs or sick family member
- Applicants caring full-time for 24 months and below age child
- Applicants who are confined in a prison or jail
- Children who fall under the ComCare Short-To-Medium Term Assistance (SMTA/ HDB’s Public Rental Scheme/Long-term Assistance (LTA) automatically qualify for Special Approval subsidy
- Non-parent applicants caring for child as foster parents, grandparents, legal guardians, and children’s home
Singaporeans can download the LifeSG mobile application to estimate the subsidies and the amount of subsidies for their children.
Singapore Infant and Child Care Subsidies Rates 2024
As mentioned earlier, Singaporeans receive Infant and Child care subsidies based on the child’s age, household income, program type enrolled, and employment status of the applicants.
The authority directly disbursed the subsidy payment to the registered child care center and the child development account (CDA) (if the parents qualify for the other grants), rather than the parent’s accounts.
Infant Care Subsidies (for two to 18 months old infants):
| Employment Status | Gross Monthly Household income | Per capita income | Basic Subsidy | Additional subsidy |
| Working applicants | $3000 and less | $750 or below | $600 | $710 |
| $3001 to $4,500 | $751 to $1125 | $640 | ||
| $4501 to $6000 | $1126 to $1500 | $500 | ||
| $6001 to $7,500 | $1501 to $1875 | $380 | ||
| $7501 to $9,000 | $1876 to $2250 | $240 | ||
| $9001 to $10,500 | $2251 to $2625 | $100 | ||
| $10,501 to $12000 | $2626 to $3000 | $40 | ||
| Above $12,000 | Above $3000 | Not available | ||
| Non-working applicants | – | – | $150 | Not available |
For childcare subsidies (for 18 months to seven years old child):
| Employment Status | Gross Monthly Household income | Per capita income | Basic Subsidy | Additional subsidy |
| Working applicants | $3000 and less | $750 or below | $300 | $467 |
| $3001 to $4,500 | $751 to $1125 | $440 | ||
| $4501 to $6000 | $1126 to $1500 | $340 | ||
| $6001 to $7,500 | $1501 to $1875 | $260 | ||
| $7501 to $9,000 | $1876 to $2250 | $190 | ||
| $9001 to $10,500 | $2251 to $2625 | $130 | ||
| $10,501 to $12000 | $2626 to $3000 | $80 | ||
| Above $12,000 | Above $3000 | Not available | ||
| Non-working applicants | – | – | $150 | Not available |
How to apply for the Singapore Infant and Child Care Subsidies?
Singaporeans who meet the eligibility requirement of the infant and child care subsidies can apply for subsidies through their ECDA-licensed infant and child care center through the following guidelines:
- You should complete the subsidy application form (Form 1) with the relevant documents supporting your applications, like working hours proof, income proof, etc.
- You should submit Form 1 to the authority through your ECDA-licensed child care center.
- You must fill in the correct contact number and email address as ECDA will contact you via SMS or Email to acknowledge your application.
- The ECDA will contact you shortly regarding the approval or status of your application.
When will your subsidy eligibility be re-assessed?
Singaporeans should be aware of the re-assessment of the infant and childcare subsidies to continue the support. According to the ECDA guidelines, the beneficiaries will get a re-assessment on the following conditions:
- When you enroll the child into a new infant and child care center
- When your child goes to a child care center from an infant care program.
- When your child is promoted to Kindergarten from Nursery class.
The ECDA will notify the beneficiaries before the re-assessment of the applicants for subsidies so, you can be assured of your payments. Remember, your child must attend preschool for at least a day a month to be eligible for the government subsidies.
The Singapore government’s support to families with dependent children enrolling for child and infant care is a great move that will lower the burden on parents and improve the overall development of future generations.