Towards shared child raising responsibility : self-help groups and childcare support in Singapore.

Abstract

Despite the backings of a reputably efficient government, Singaporean parents find childcare support provided by self-help groups ineffective. The present study seeks to uncover and achieve an understanding of the problems that self-help groups face in the process of providing effective childcare support. By way of in-depth interviews with respondents from the provider end, findings reveal four salient themes in their discussion of problems associated with providing childcare support: 1) managing parents’ expectations; 2) funding; 3) bureaucracy; and 4) social attitudes. The study concludes that the problem generally lies in a lack of direct communication between all stakeholders, causing a disparity between high expectations of parents and limitations of self-help groups. This empirical study seeks to fill the gap in the literature on childcare support provided by self-help groups in Singapore, and advances the state’s goal of shared child raising responsibility.

Key words: Self-Help Groups, Childcare, Family, Bureaucracy, Structural inefficiencies, State policies