A Parent’s Guide to Infant Care Subsidies in Singapore

For many families with working parents, infant care is an important source of support – it provides essential care for their infants and the consistency of a daily routine. However, managing infant care expenses can be a concern amidst Singapore’s rising cost of living. To address this, the Singapore government has a range of subsidies available for infant care programmes, alongside childcare and kindergarten programmes. These subsidies aim to make quality infant care and early education more accessible, ensuring every child the opportunity to flourish during their crucial developmental years.

In this guide, we will delve into the various infant care subsidies available, their eligibility requirements, and how to apply for them. You’ll be equipped with the knowledge to maximise these benefits, and to plan your child’s future and your family’s finances with confidence. 

For more information on preschool and childcare subsidies available in Singapore, please see our article here.

Infant Care and Child Care Subsidy Scheme

Under the Infant and Childcare Subsidy Scheme, all Singapore Citizen children enrolled in infant care centres licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) are entitled to receive a Basic Subsidy of up to $600 per month for full-day infant care. 

They may also be eligible for Additional Subsidy on top of the Basic Subsidy, if the main applicant (mother or single father) is working at the point of the subsidy application and the family’s gross monthly household income is $12,000 or below. To qualify, the main applicant must work at least 56 hours per month. 

For households with 5 or more family members, they may choose to calculate their income on a per capita basis to qualify for higher infant care subsidies. Children from these households can benefit from Additional Subsidy if the per capita income is $3,000 or less.

Further, families with a monthly gross household income of $6,000 and below or a per capita income of $1,500 and below will qualify for the full infant care subsidies for their income tier (i.e. both the Basic Subsidy and the Additional Subsidy), regardless of the main subsidy applicant’s working status. 

The table below shows the amount of infant care subsidies that a child enrolled in a full-day infant care programme is eligible to receive. 

^Subject to a minimum co-payment by parents. 

It should be noted that the exact amount of infant care subsidies that your child may be eligible for will depend on:

• the working status of the main subsidy applicant; 
• your family’s means-tested income at the point of the subsidy application (where lower income families will receive more); and 
• your child’s infant care programme service type (e.g. full-day, half-day or flexi-care) and preschool fees. 

Notwithstanding the provision of infant care subsidies, families are subject to a minimum co-payment of programme fees, which will increase as your household or per capita income rises. For more details on subsidy and minimum co-payment amounts for infant care, please visit the ECDA website. 

Special Approval for Infant Care Subsidies: 

Applicants in the following groups may apply for higher subsidy support under Special Approval. 

• Applicants who are currently not able to work due to specific circumstances and have a gross monthly household income above $6000 or per capita income above $1500 may apply for higher subsidies under Special Approval for a limited time. Non-working applicants may apply for extra subsidy support if they are:
  • Looking for a job
  • Studying, training or on a course for at least 56 hours a month
  • Pregnant
  • Medically unfit for work due to hospitalisation, long-term illness and/or permanent disability
  • Caring for a sick family member or special needs child
  • Caring full-time for younger children aged 24 months and below 
  • Incarcerated

• Non-parent caregivers who are caring for a Singapore citizen child enrolled in an infant or childcare centre (e.g. grandparents, legal guardians, foster parents and children’s homes) may apply for higher subsidies on a time-limited basis.

• Children under the HDB’s Public Rental Scheme or ComCare Short-To-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA) or Long-Term Assistance (LTA) will automatically qualify for maximum preschool subsidies upon applying for Special Approval, until the next fixed point of subsidy assessment. 

How to Apply for Infant Care Subsidy Singapore 

All applications for Basic and Additional Subsidy should be made through your infant care centre. The infant care subsidy will only take effect from the month when the application is successfully submitted to ECDA.The subsidy will be directly disbursed to your child’s infant care centre and parents will only need to pay the net fee, which can come from your child’s Child Development Account. 

ECDA will reassess subsidy eligibility when your child enrols in a new preschool or when your child progresses from infant care to childcare. 

Calculate your child’s infant care subsidies 

Determining your eligibility for subsidies and financial assistance is a critical step in making well-informed choices about your child’s early education and planning out your family’s finances with confidence. Refer to ECDA’s website to verify that you meet the eligibility criteria for infant care subsidies. If you’re uncertain, seek guidance from your preferred infant care centre on the eligibility requirements, necessary documentation, and the application process.

To obtain an estimate of the amount of infant care subsidy that your child may be eligible for, you may wish to use the ECDA Subsidy Calculator or refer to the Childcare and Infant Care subsidy tables. This will help you determine the various subsidy options available to your family based on your household or per capita income and the type of infant care programme.

Little Skool-House: A Fun and Comfortable Place to Learn and Grow

The best learning happens when your child is secure and comfortable in their environment. At Little Skool-House, we are dedicated to creating a safe and nurturing environment where your child can learn, play and develop. With our award-winning teachers and our relationships-based curriculum, our infant care programme is designed to foster confidence in your child from an early age and prepare your child for the future.

Find A Little-Skool House Near You

Frequently Asked Questions about Little Skool-House

What are the types of programmes available at Little Skool-House?

At My Little Skool-House, we offer infant care services for infants aged 2 to 17 months, as well as full-day and half-day preschool programmes for children aged 18 months to 6 years old.

Apart from infant care subsidies, are there subsidies available for childcare and kindergarten programmes in Singapore?

Yes, there are also subsidies available for childcare and kindergarten programmes, for children enrolled in child care centres licensed by the ECDA and in kindergartens operated by Anchor Operators or the Ministry of Education. These include the Basic Child Care subsidy, Additional Child Care Subsidy and subsidies under the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme. For more details, check out our article on preschool and childcare subsidies here.