Take-up of Government-Paid Childcare Leave by Parents

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development from 2019 (a) how many and what percentage of mothers took Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL); (b) what is the average and median number of days of GPCL taken by mothers; (c) how many and what percentage of fathers took GPCL; and (d) what is the average and median number of days of GPCL taken by fathers.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Ministry of Social and Family Development only tracks the number of parents who took more than three days of Government-Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL), as employers only claim for reimbursement for this group. In 2019 and 2020, about 76,000, or 60% of eligible working mothers took more than three days of GPCL 1 each year. During the same period, about 83,000 fathers, or 55% of eligible working fathers, took more than three days of GPCL each year. Of this group, the average and median amount of leave taken was six days in 2019 and 2020, for both mothers and fathers. Data after 2020 is not yet available.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 7:

1 As employers only claim reimbursement from the Government for employees who take more than three days of GPCL, we do not require them to submit information for employees who took three days or less. These figures are rounded to the nearest thousands.