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In a move to enhance support for new parents, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that parents will soon receive an additional 10 weeks of shared parental leave. The new scheme, set to be fully implemented on April 1, 2026, aims to provide greater flexibility and support for families during the crucial early months of a child’s life.
Currently, parents are entitled to 20 weeks of paid parental leave. With the new policy, this will increase to 30 weeks, or about 7.5 months. The scheme will be rolled out in phases to allow employers time to adjust to the new arrangements. Additionally, new fathers will benefit from an increase in government-paid paternity leave from two to four weeks, further supporting a balanced approach to caregiving.
Ms. Toh, a 29-year-old mother who gave birth to her first child in February last year and is expecting her second in October, expressed her delight at the announcement. Although she will not be eligible for the new leave until after the scheme is implemented, she sees it as a positive development that could influence her family planning decisions. “The increased leave is attractive enough to make me consider having more children,” she said. “Currently, paid childcare leave is too little, especially when you have two or three children.”
Similarly, Ms. Elizabeth Teh, who has a one-year-old son and is planning to expand her family, welcomed the increased leave. “Any additional time that you can take with your child, during those formative months, is definitely a game changer,” she said. “The first few months are hard work, and having more time to be together as a family is so precious.”
Mr. Eric Wu, who married earlier this year, also noted that the expanded parental leave makes having children more appealing. “There are still things to consider like the cost of living and nursery fees,” he said, “but the increased leave is promising because it means there’s more time to take care of your children.” Wu emphasized the importance of being present during a child’s early development and how the extended leave would allow him to share parenting responsibilities more equitably with his wife.
The policy changes are part of the government’s broader effort to address the needs of working parents and encourage family growth. By increasing the time parents can spend at home with their newborns, the government hopes to provide better support for families and help ease the challenges associated with early child-rearing.