Childminding: Demand for services set to rise with more government support

Operators currently charge 1,200 to 3,500 a month for full-day baby care

- Theresa Tan

On a typical weekday, Ms Luiza Lee's parents help to look after her two sons, who are four years old and four months old, while her domestic helper handles the household chores.

But as and when she requires more help such as when her elder son is ill and cannot attend preschool or when her parents are not free, she turns to Aunty SG, which provides on-demand childminding services, for help.

Ms Lee, 33, started using Aunty SG after her elder son was born.

Ms Lee, who works in the investment management industry, said: "I like the flexibility of having adhoc services. Infantcare centres are more structured and more rigid, as you have to attend for five days a week." She also prefers to have a childminder come to her house, as she does not know who else is in the childminder's house, among other reasons.

On March 6, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is launching a new childminding scheme in the second half of 2024 to give parents another infantcare option.

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will fund appointed childminding operators to keep fees affordable.

The ministry plans to keep childminding fees similar to what a median-income family pays, after subsidies, for infant care at centres run by anchor operators, Ms Sun said. This sum works out to be around $700 a month.

Ms Sun added that families will be able to use the Child Development Account (CDA) to further defray the cost of the service.

The CDA is a special savings account for children that can be used to pay pre-school and healthcare fees, while anchor operators receive government grants that help offset costs in return for meeting fee caps and quality criteria.

Ms Lee, the parent, said any subsidy would be most welcome.