More families using childminding and elder-minding services

Demand for part-time services expected to rise with offer of flexibility, stand-in help

- Shermaine Ang

More than 40 infants are enrolled in a new significantly subsidised nanny service here in childminders' homes and in rooms in Tampines East and Nee Soon East community clubs (CCs).

Another 180 families have indicated their interest in enrolling in the service for infants aged two months to 18 months, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) on Aug 14.

ECDA, which is under the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), launched the three-year childminding pilot in December 2024 to provide more affordable infant caregiving options for parents.

Around 50 of these childminders are currently caring for infants under the pilot, out of nearly 200 childminders who have undergone background checks by ECDA.

The agency said it is encouraged by the growing interest in the pilot.

"Parents have shared positive feedback on the dedicated care their infants receive and the convenience, especially since childminders can accommodate parents' caregiving preferences," it said.

ECDA said it will continue to work with operators to explore more community premises to meet demand from parents and childminders, and enhance services.

This includes matching families with childminders in convenient locations more efficiently.

Separately, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said it will be ceasing manpower concessions for basic childminding services under its Household Services Scheme (HSS).

MOM said it assessed, in consultation with MSF, that there is no need to provide manpower concessions for childminding services owing to the low take-up rate. Current migrant worker quota concessions will cease from March 2026.

The HSS was introduced in 2017 as a pilot to allow companies to hire more migrant workers for cleaning and other part-time domestic services. Approved companies under the HSS are eligible for additional work permit quotas.