Executive Summary - Ministry of Social and Family Development

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYSTATE OF THE FAMILYIN SINGAPOREThis Report on the State of the Family in Singaporepresents key trends on the family in Singapore. Itdraws data and statistics from administrative sources,survey findings and published studies. It was put togetherby the Ministry of Community Development, Youth andSports (MCYS) and the Committee on the Family toupdate Singaporeans on how our families are doing.Family ties and families in Singapore are still strong. Thetrends show that the majority of Singaporeans enjoy aclose knit family and the family continues to be pillar ofemotional and financial support for most. This isencouraging news but we recognize that families todayface stresses and strains in meeting the challenges ofheavier work commitments and changing social values.While marriage and parenthood remain important lifegoals, many young Singaporeans are choosing to delayfamily formation while they pursue higher education andtheir careers. Our lives have become more hectic andmany Singaporeans face a time squeeze as they try tobalance their responsibilities between work and family.The family is the cornerstone of our society. It providesan important buffer for individuals and for societies intimes of major challenges and turmoil. As a community,we must remain committed to strengthening Singapore’sfuture by strengthening our families. I hope that theinformation found in this report can help encourage morediscussion on what we can all do to build strong andstable families in Singapore.I would like to thank Mr. Willie Cheng, Chairman of theCommittee on the Family as well as members of theCommittee on the Family. Their role as an advisory bodyfor family policies and programmes has contributedtowards the strengthening of families in Singapore.Mrs Yu-Foo Yee ShoonMinister of StateMINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,YOUTH AND SPORTSThe Big PictureHAPPY together – that is what families in Singapore are,generally.Most households have a family nucleus, Singaporeans havepro-family attitudes, and there is a strong consensus that thefamily is the buttress of emotional and financial support.Families are also close-knit with married children staying intouch with their parents. Relationships between parents andtheir children are also healthy. For instance, most teenagersfeel appreciated and can get along with their familymembers.But with more dual-income families, greater educationexpectations and time pressures, some troubling signs arebeginning to emerge.There are more broken marriages among couples who havebeen married for less than 10 years and those who havebeen together for more than 20 years. Sandwiched couples(i.e. those who have to take care of their elderly parents andtheir own children) feel the squeeze in juggling the demandsof work and family commitments.These findings are highlighted in the State of the Family inSingapore (SFS) 2004 report. Compiled by the Ministry ofCommunity Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) andthe Committee on the Family, it draws from several surveysand published data.1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: STATE OF THE FAMILY IN SINGAPOREThe family exists at the heart of allsocieties. It is the first and mostbasic institution to which every one ofus belongs. It is therefore importantthat we develop a keen understandingof how families in Singapore arefaring – what are their strengths andwhat are the challenges they face.We should be heartened that thesurvey shows that families inSingapore are, on the whole, doingwell. At the same time, we shouldalso worry that the trends are creepingin the wrong direction. Unless weproactively address this, like theproverbial frog in the beaker of waterthat is slowly but surely being boiledalive, the outlook for families ageneration from now would not berosy.How do we ensure that familiesremain healthy and well? Much of ouractions today address the ailments ofdivorces, abortion, delinquency, etc.Perhaps we should also focus some ofour energies on more important butless urgent aspects of preventivemeasures such as education and theupbringing of our young. At the rootof this, is holding high our familyvalues.Family values start with each of us,not just talking about it, but acting inthose beliefs. Our examples will makemore impressions on the young thanour talk. It’s a small step that each ofus can continually take that canperhaps make a big difference.We hope this report would helpdevelop a better understanding of thestate of the institution of the family inSingapore and in so doing, help take astep towards building strong andstable families, and a stronger societyin Singapore.Willie ChengChairmanCOMMITTEE ON THE FAMILYBackgroundThe State of the Family in Singapore report presents keynational trends on the family.Covering primarily the period between 2001 and 2003, thestudy draws data and statistics from government agencies,survey findings and published studies.Some of the key studies include:• Survey on the Social Attitudes of Singaporeans (SAS) –a series of longitudinal studies conducted annually byMCYS since 2001, it covers the attitudes of Singaporeanstowards a wide range of topics including family, ethnicrelations and life satisfaction.• Social Aspects of Public Housing in Singapore –Kinship Ties and Neighbourly Relations – the 2000Housing and Development Board monograph delved intothe social aspects of public housing, covering some 8,690households.• 2002 National Youth Survey –a nationwide survey by the National Youth Council of morethan 1,500 young people aged 15-29 years, sought toidentify their attitudes towards school, home and familyvalues, among other things.Positive Structuresand TiesSingaporeans have strong pro-family attitudes, with a consensus thatthe family is crucial for emotional and financial support.STRONG BONDSThe Survey on the Social Attitudes of Singaporeans (SAS) 2000 foundthat 8 in 10 households have a family nucleus. A nucleus could comprisea married couple, with or without unmarried children, and a parent orgrandparent. It could also include one parent with unmarried children.9 in 10 people viewed their families as being close-knit and were satisfiedwith their family life, according to findings in the SAS 2001-2003.2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: STATE OF THE FAMILY IN SINGAPORESingaporeans’Attitudes Towards Emotional Support In The FamilyStatements% Agree2001 2002 2003I have a close-knit family. 97 97 93My family members tell me their personal problems. 88 88 86When I am troubled, I would talk to one or more of 88 88 85my family members.Source: Survey on Social Attitudes of Singaporeans (SAS) 2001, 2002, 2003There is also wide consensus that the family is the primary channel through which values can be transmitted across generationsand that grandparents play an important role.NURTURING CHILDRENThe SAS surveys also found that 99 per cent of Singaporeans agreed that parentsshould nurture their children to develop positive values. Most felt that the rightvalues could be effectively taught in the family context through parents andgrandparents.In fact, 99 per cent of those surveyed in SAS 2002 and 2003 agreed that parentsshould communicate regularly with their young children. For instance, parentsshould ask their children how their day went or talk about common activities – busyschedules notwithstanding.In fact, most felt happiest when theywere with their children. In theMinistry’s Study on Marriage andProcreation (SMP) in 2004, aboutthree quarters of the 3,000 marriedrespondents surveyed agreed with thestatements:• “I believe that in our modern world,the only place where you can feelcompletely happy and at ease is athome with your children” and• “I always enjoy having childrennear me”.ChildrenFamily structure and ties playa critical role in the well-beingand development of children.The trends show that childrenin Singapore are healthy withaccess to adequate healthcareand education.A 2000 Singapore PressHoldings survey of 1,742Primary 4 to 6 children,showed that three-quarters ofthem enjoyed close bonds withtheir parents and siblings.Despite the stresses of acompetitive education system,both the SPH Survey and aUNICEF Survey in 2001, ofchildren aged 9 to 17 years,found that the majority werealso doing well emotionallyand reported to being happy“most of the time”.3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: STATE OF THE FAMILY IN SINGAPORENURTURING TEENSParents also have a moderately good relationship with theirteenaged children. Findings from the 2002 National Youth Survey(NYS) 1 showed that 9 in 10 teenagers were happy with their lives.The same ratio also felt appreciated by their families and 7 in10 said that they could get along with their family members.They were also close to their mothers – a third would turn totheir mothers for advice on a problem and two fifths, forimportant life decisions.1The National Youth Survey findings used in this report only apply to respondentsaged 15-18 years old.Quality of Family RelationshipAgree (Percent)Disagree (Percent)Male Female Male FemaleI feel appreciated for who I am. 93 90 1 3We enjoy having dinner together and talking. 78 79 3 7The only time I’m being noticed is when I have a problem. 23 17 61 64We can’t get along with each other. 15 10 72 72Total Sample 206 187 206 187CARING FOR PARENTSThe ties between married children and their parents also remained strong, according to aHousing and Development Board (HDB) survey, Social Aspects of Public Housing inSingapore: Kinship Ties and Neighbourly Relations.The 2000 monograph showed that even married children who lived apart, rather thannext door to their parents, kept in touch through frequent visits and contact or had thegrandparents assist in caring for their grandchildren. For instance, three fifths ofmarried children (59 per cent) visited their parents at least weekly.Adult children also continued to care for their parents financially and emotionally.According to the 2000 Census, three quarters of the elderly aged 65 years and abovenamed their children as their main source of income. This is consistent with SAS 2001and 2002 in which 99 per cent agreed that it was the children’s duty to give monthly allowances to their elderly parents.The Census also found that nearly three quarters of the senior citizens also lived with their children and only 9 percent of thenon-ambulant elderly lived alone.These findings indicate that intergenerational ties are still positive in Singapore and filial piety remains a key moral in society.4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: STATE OF THE FAMILY IN SINGAPORESome Stresses EmergingSome troubling signs, which indicate that marriage, family formation and the family unit will face increasing challenges in thelong term, have begun to emerge. The concerns include an increasing rate of divorces, more parenting pressures and greatertensions faced by sandwiched couples.DIVORCESSingapore’s divorce rate has been rising steadily since 1980. The Report of Marriages and Divorces, from the Department ofStatistics (DOS), showed a doubling – from 3.8 to 8 divorces per 1,000 married women from 1980 to 2003. Children bear morethan the fair share of burdens associated with the weakening of marriages. In 2003, at least 5,900 children under the age of 18witnessed their parents’ divorce.Starter MarriagesCouples are splitting up even before they reach their 10th wedding anniversary. Nine per cent of civil couples married in 1994divorced before their 10th year together compared to 7 per cent for the 1987 cohort. For Muslim marriages, 16 per cent of the1994 cohort dissolved their marriage within the first ten years compared to 11 percent of the 1987 cohort.Divorces by Marriage Cohort (First 10 years of marriage)181615 15141413 121611 1112AMLA1088 88 86897 74Women’s Charter201986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995Marriage CohortSource: Registry of Marriages/Registry of Muslim MarriagesOf particular concern is the trend of “starter marriages” – divorces in nuptials less than five-years-old where couples usuallyhave no dependent children. We are seeing an increasing number of young non-Muslim marriages (under 5 years) break up. Themajority of these early non-Muslim divorcees (73 per cent) do not have children. Such early break ups are pervasive in theUnited States and have been documented by Pamela Paul, an editor at consumer trends publication, American Demographics.She interviewed 60 young divorcees and found that the couples were “mesmerized by the romantic idea of marriage and blindedto reality”.5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: STATE OF THE FAMILY IN SINGAPOREEmpty NestersThe proportion of couples who break up after 20 or more years of marriage has nearly doubled – from 11.4 per cent in 1990 to20 per cent in 2002. Most of these divorcees are aged 50 years and above and the majority do not have dependent children below18 years old.This trend of “empty nest” divorces gives rise to an emerging group of elderly “singles”.25201510511.4 12.6 14.1 13.910.19.111.4Divorces among Marriages Lasting 20 Years or More10.116.610.619.511.420.3 21.6 21.2 20.321.5 21.6 2021.1Women’s Charter12.2Muslim Law Act01989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004Year10.111.215Source: Report of Marriages and Divorces13.114.712.312.5PARENTING PRESSURESThere is no dearth of research to show that the quality of relationships between parents and their teenaged children act as a bufferagainst emotional distress, substance abuse, early sexual activity and suicidal thoughts or attempts. As today’s families juggle theincreasing demands of work and family life, that buffer has had to absorb more shocks.Results from the 2002 NYS showed that teenagers, though happy with life, felt a sense of alienation from their families.Nearly 23 per cent of male and 17 per cent of female teenagers indicated that the only time they were noticed was when they hada problem and when they could not get along with family members.Teenagers also reported finding it harder to talk to their fathers compared to their mothers. Nearly 44 per cent would turn to afriend first if they had a problem. Mothers came second (33 per cent) and then, fathers (11 per cent).The number of juvenile offenders arrested, aged between 7 and 15 years, rose 42 per cent from 2001 to 2003. A total of 2,515teenagers were nabbed in 2003 – up from 1,461 in 2001, according to the Singapore Police Force.Teenage pregnancy and abortion trends also indicate that teen sexuality is an area to be watched. The number of teenage birthspeaked at 952 in 2000, from 704 in 1997, before dipping to 849 in 2002.There were 1,626 teenage abortions in 2001 – up from 1,368 in 1998. Teenage abortions accounted for 13 per cent of allabortions carried out in Singapore in 2002.6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: STATE OF THE FAMILY IN SINGAPORENumber of Teenage Abortions between 1998 to 2002Number of Teenage Abortions2000150010005000199819992000 2001 2002YearSource: Ministry of HealthSANDWICHED FAMILIESWith Singapore’s fast-greying society, a significant proportion of couples find themselves squeezed in a situation where theyhave to take care of their elderly parents as well as their own children.With smaller families and the decline in the traditional extended family model, sandwiched couples find that they have fewerfamily members to turn to for help. The primary caregiver is also often in the position of having to negotiate on care-givingarrangements with other family members, leading to tension in the family.Also, with the dual-income trend, sandwiched families find it tough to cope with their own needs – housing, financial, medicaland emotional – and those of their ageing parents and their growing children.Other FindingsSome other signs are also starting to emerge. These include delays in marriage and having children, weaker bonds among singleswith their family members, and changing values towards family norms.LATE MARRIAGE AND CHILD-BEARINGThe SAS results 2001-2003 showed that Singaporeans desire nuptials and 8 in 10 would prefer to get married than to remain single.Despite the positive attitudes towards marriage and parenthood, delayed marriage and childbearing remain the dominant trends.Although the SMP study found that nearly 4 out of 5 people felt that a three-child family was “just nice”, in reality, individualsplanned to have just two children on average.The constraints cited for their choice: not enough time and energy for children, and concerns about financial support.7

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: STATE OF THE FAMILY IN SINGAPORESINGLES AND THE FAMILYWhile the SAS surveys consistently showed that the most Singaporeans, including singles have high levels of communicationwithin the family and enjoyed close ties.All three SAS surveys (2001-2003) showed that singles would talk about their problems to their family members. 8 singles in 10singles compared to 9 in 10 married people said they would confide in their family members and that they would hear from theirfamily members when the latter had personal problems.The findings are encouraging as they show that most singles enjoy strong family ties, with support felt between them and theirfamily members.MORE LIBERAL VALUESWhile the majority of Singaporeans hold positive attitudes towards family, the single, younger and better-educated cohorts appearto be holding more liberal values towards divorce and having children out-of-wedlock.In all three SAS studies, only 48 per cent of singles – compared to 67 per cent of married people – frowned on divorce. And 7 in10 singles disapproved of unmarried persons having babies. The ratio was 8 in 10 for the married group.Although such attitudes do not necessarily translate into behaviour, they indicate that societal norms are shifting and may haveimplications on behaviour long-term.Singles responding to “It is better to get married than to remain single”,By Gender and Education (% Agree)Education 2001 2002 2003ConclusionsMale Female Total Male Female Total Male Female TotalPrimary & None 50 23 33 68 63 65 77 55 67Secondary/ITE 85 67 76 78 68 74 75 67 71Junior College/Pre-U 90 79 81 98 65 78 88 65 77Polytechnic 79 72 77 78 56 67 85 65 77University 71 69 71 84 79 82 82 61 72Source: Survey on Social Attitudes of Singaporeans (SAS) 2001, 2002, 2003On the whole, there is a positive picture of families in Singapore. The dominance of families with a stable family structure,Singaporeans’ pro-family attitudes, and strong consensus that the family is the buttress of emotional and financial support augurwell for families here. Surveys also show that most Singaporeans feel they have close-knit families and are satisfied with theirfamily life. Intergenerational families and ties remain strong. This positive state of affairs indicates that the family remains thefirst line of care and support.Nevertheless, heavy work commitments and the stresses of modern family life, and changing social values are putting strains onstrong and stable family ties. The slow but steady rise in divorces is also of concern. The Many Helping Hands approach of rallyingfamilies, the people, private and public sector must continue, so that Singapore will continue to be a Great Place for Families.A full copy of the report on the State of the Family can be found at: www.cof.org.sgFamily Policy UnitMinistry of Community Development, Youth and Sports512 Thomson Road 10th Storey MCDS Building S298136