Budget 2026: Are Current Family Policies Missing the Real Cost?

Budget 2026 continues to expand support for families through measures such as Child LifeSG credits and enhanced preschool and student-care subsidies, continuing efforts to ease the financial burden of raising children. But some argue that while these schemes reduce upfront costs, they may not address the longer-term income and career penalties associated with caregiving.  So, are current family policies targeting the right constraints? And could more structural forms of support, including experimentation with caregiving compensation, influence decisions around family formation?  Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore, joins the Breakfast Show to unpack what a deeper rethink of family policy might look like amid mounting demographic pressures. For more Budget 2026 insights: https://www.moneyfm893.sg/whats-on/budget-2026/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.