gradual rise in paternal involvement at home.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\nThe number of stay-at-home dads outside the labour force has risen from about 1,900 in 2022 to 3,000 in 2025, based on data from the Ministry of Manpower\u2019s annual Labour Force in Singapore reports.<\/p>\n
They now make up 7.4 per cent of residents outside the labour force for childcare in 2025, up from 3.5 per cent in 2022.<\/p>\n
Over the same period, the number of stay-at-home mums fell from about 51,600 to 37,300.<\/p>\n
While these figures exclude stay-at-home parents who combine part-time work with caregiving, experts say they reflect a broader rise in hands-on fatherhood in Singapore, driven partly by the normalisation of flexible and hybrid work during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
But they cautioned against overstating the shift, noting that workplace norms remain less supportive of fathers taking up larger caregiving roles, and that mothers are still the primary caregivers in most families.<\/p>\n
More fundamental changes are needed to move towards a more egalitarian society, they said, with research showing the benefits of higher paternal involvement.<\/p>\n
Besides those who leave work for full-time caregiving, stay-at-home dads also include those who continue working in different capacities, said Centre for Fathering\u2019s chief executive Xander Ong.<\/p>\n
While the non-profit organisation does not track the number of fathers who stay home, it has observed that more are opting for work arrangements that allow them to be more present for their families, he said.<\/p>\n
They include those on part-time, freelance, or flexible arrangements, as well as a growing number running home-based businesses.<\/p>\n
Surveys conducted by the Centre for Fathering among 669 fathers in 2024 and 801 in 2025 showed a higher share of dads engaged in part-time work, self-employment or entrepreneurship. The figure rose from 14.5 per cent to 16.4 per cent over the two years.<\/p>\n
The proportion of fathers who were not currently working \u2013 including those in between jobs \u2013 also rose to 5.4 per cent in 2025, up from 4.8 per cent in 2024.<\/p>\n
What is common among these men is the desire to be present for their children in both the amount and quality of time, said Dr Ong.<\/p>\n