Take-Up Rate for Eldercarer Foreign Domestic Worker and Plans to Expand Scheme to Include People with Special Needs

Ms Rahayu Mahzam
MP for Jurong GRC

Question No. 1443

To ask the Minister for Health (a) what has been the take-up rate of the Eldercarer Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Scheme which provides FDWs with comprehensive training in eldercare; and (b) whether there are plans to expand or develop the scheme to include training FDWs to care for people with special needs.

Written Answer

1      The Eldercarer Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Scheme was started in November 2016 to provide eldercare training to FDWs prior to their placements with households. The FDWs undergo a Basic Eldercare Course, comprising two days of classroom training and half a day of on-the-job training on managing the day-to-day care of an elderly person. Households can apply for the Caregivers Training Grant (CTG), which is an annual $200 subsidy (per care recipient) that can be used to offset the Eldercarer FDW Scheme training cost. As of 30 September 2019, 413 FDWs have been trained under the scheme.

2      Similarly, households who wish to equip their FDWs to care for persons with special needs can apply for the CTG as well. In addition to eldercare courses, the CTG also covers courses that specifically train caregivers to care for persons with special needs, such as autism and intellectual disabilities.