Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah said in Parliament that the Government will redouble efforts to support Singaporeans who have children (Birth numbers similar to 2020 - drop less than what was feared, March 3). I am encouraged by this.

The pre-school subsidies that are available to parents are welcome, but mean little when set against the reality of the current lack of pre-school places in newer housing estates.

My daughter and son-in-law moved into their new estate in Bukit Batok about four years ago.

There are many young couples in the area who have started families. This has resulted in a severe lack of pre-school places in the vicinity, to the point that some parents opt to join waiting lists as soon as they are expecting.

My daughter is currently struggling to find a pre-school place for her five-month-old son near her home.

Without accessible childcare, she will be forced to resort to more expensive options than the Baby Support Grant can cover, and will have to spend more time commuting daily.

I urge the Government to help young couples who have children or want to have children by building more pre-schools in new housing estates.

Access to good pre-schools and flexible work arrangements are what new parents need to maintain work productivity while caring for their infants and young children.

When new parents in Singapore feel assured that they will be able to find affordable childcare no matter where they live, we can confidently claim that the Republic is indeed Made For Families.

Yeo Chwee Hong (Dr)