Singapore to Launch Childminding Service Trial: One Nanny for Up to Three Infants

To help parents manage infant care, Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will launch a three-year childminding service trial for infants in the second half of 2024. The program will initially cater to 500 children aged two to 18 months, with plans to expand capacity to 700, announced Minister of State Sun Xueling in Parliament on March 6.

This childminding pilot is intended to complement the government’s efforts to increase center-based infant care options, providing parents with an additional caregiving alternative. Sun noted that while nannies were a common choice in the 1970s and 1980s, their use has declined due to limited availability and higher relative costs compared to infant care centers.

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will select and appoint operators to hire childminders, with each nanny permitted to care for up to three infants. Care will be provided either at the nanny’s home or community centers and clubs, with an estimated monthly cost of around $700 — comparable to rates at full-day infant care centers run by anchor operators. Parents may use the Child Development Account to offset these costs.

To ensure child safety, ECDA will conduct background checks on both operators and childminders. Additionally, service standards will include guidelines for child-safe practices, transparency on childminder profiles, and mandatory training in infant care, first aid, and hygiene.

Sun noted that ECDA and operators will work collaboratively to establish industry standards, and the MSF will continue engaging with parents and childminding operators, with more details expected later this year.