GRANT FOR PLACING CHILDREN WITH REGISTERED FOSTER MOTHERS

Dr Koh Lam Son asked the Minister for Community Development whether he will consider a grant to working mothers who place their children with registered foster mothers.

The Minister of State for Community Development (Dr Seet Ai Mee) (for the Minister for Community Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am answering on behalf of my Minister.

There is no plan to give a grant to working mothers who place their children with registered foster mothers.

Currently there is a very big pool of foster care-givers including grandparents, relatives, foster mothers, neighbours and others. Such care-givers may or may not be paid. If the Member's suggestion were implemented, everyone who looks after the child of a working mother will seek to register as "foster mothers' whether she is paid or not. This means that grandparents, relatives and neighbours who now help out willingly and gratis will also register. Maids may also register as foster mothers. In effect, the grant will become a "child allowance".

The tax incentives and enhanced child relief announced recently are sufficiently attractive. There is no plan for a separate child allowance.

Dr Koh Lam Son (Telok Blangah): Sir, as far as the working mothers are concerned, is it not the Minister of State's objective with the subsidy that she is giving to subsidize children in day-care centre to help to lighten the burden of working mothers? So why should she discriminate against working mothers who prefer to send their children to registered foster mothers as compared to the child-care centres. Why should there be a discrimination as far as the working mothers are concerned?

Dr Seet Ai Mee: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is going to be difficult for us to draw the line between the care-giver who can be considered for registration and one who cannot. Control measures to prevent such abuse will be difficult and expensive. So it would be difficult for us to implement this kind of subsidy.