Early childhood sector aims to recruit 1,800 more infant care educators by 2030

Under the place-and-train arrangement, employers hire candidates first, who then receive part-time training for the role. The grant covers up to 70 per cent of training stipends and 50 per cent of course fee subsidies for eligible trainees.

Training stipends will be raised across trainee categories, with extra support for infant care certification such as the Assistant Infant Educator and Fundamentals Certificate in Infant Care courses. 

Funding under the grant will be extended by three years to Dec 31, 2030, and ECDA will explore overseas partnerships to widen the pool of candidates.

“ECDA’s focus is to build a strong and well-trained infant care workforce. Infant care educators require specialised knowledge and skills to support the developmental and caregiving needs of infants,” it said.

The agency is also looking to draw on preschool educators already qualified to work in infant care. 

More than 2,000 hold such qualifications, but only about 4 per cent were working as infant educators as of August, with the rest serving older age groups.

ECDA said it is exploring additional support for educators interested in infant care, to encourage more of them to take up such roles and obtain certification where needed.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a Teachers’ Day celebration at E-Bridge Pre-School at Sumang Lane on Friday, Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming said the government’s focus is to build a strong and well-trained infant care workforce.