More families are having their maintenance disputes resolved through mediation, instead of resorting to legal action, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports Sam Tan yesterday.

Updating the House on the impact of the amended Maintenance of Parents Act, which was passed in November 2010 and promotes a "conciliation first" approach, Mr Tan said 85 per cent of cases received in the first 10 months of last year were resolved through mediation, an improvement over 2010's 78 per cent. In total, 286 elderly parents sought help on maintenance matters last year.

The Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents Act, which provides a legal channel for aged parents to seek maintenance from their children, also saw a 40-per-cent drop in applications last year. There were 110 applications filed last year and 41 per cent of these applications were settled by mediation. Alicia Wong