[SINGAPORE]\u00a0Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will soon provide more details on plans to help parents with the costs of raising children and to lighten the load on families.<\/p>\n
He will share more about the government\u2019s plans on Aug 23 at the\u00a0National Day Rally (NDR)<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 the biggest political speech of the year.<\/p>\n The government has heard concerns from parents and families who feel stretched as they juggle competing demands, he said.<\/p>\n That is why it is conducting a major review on how families are supported in Singapore across various life stages \u2013 not only at the point of marriage and parenthood, but throughout life\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n In his National Day message on Aug 8, he said the government is taking a fresh look at issues like the costs of raising children, access to affordable infant care and childcare, and other ways to lighten the load on families.<\/p>\n This review is driven by an\u00a0inter-ministry Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup<\/a>\u00a0that was tasked in April to look at some of these issues amid\u00a0a record-low total fertility rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n PM Wong, in his message taking stock of how far Singapore has come and the road ahead, noted that family life is coming under strain across the world.<\/p>\n Parents feel pressured to give their children the best start in life with rising expectations, and many are also caring for their own ageing parents while balancing the demands of work.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hear these concerns in Singapore too,\u201d he said in his message filmed at the National Stadium, the site of the 2026 National Day Parade.<\/p>\n SEE ALSO<\/p>\nHow far Singapore has come<\/h2>\n