FamilyMatters@Business grant enhanced for neighbourhood malls

SINGAPORE – More is being done to encourage neighbourhood shopping malls to go family-friendly, to better cater their businesses or services to families with young children, elderly or the disabled.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will enhance the FamilyMatters@Business Grant, which provides funding capped at $50,000 to help businesses adopt practices that welcome families, by a significant four-fold increase to $200,000.

Neighbourhood malls can apply for a one-off grant that subsidies up to 70 percent of their costs incurred in implementing family-friendly initiatives such as offering convenience, assuring safety and enhancing family experiences of families. This enhanced grant will take effect from Oct 1 later this year.

Some of the infrastructure, amenities and services include safe pick-up and drop-off points with ramps near main entrance of the mall, non-slip floors, safety bells and grab-bars in washrooms and stairways, nursing rooms, child and elder-friendly toilets and free rental of prams and wheelchairs. Frontline staff are also trained to handle first-aid, AED, emergency evacuations and the needs of families with young children, frail elderly and disabled members.

The purpose of this implementation contributes to the overall sense of family-togetherness that the MSF aims to nurture in Singapore.

The FamilyMatters@Business Grant has funded over 50 businesses since its introduction in April last year. More than 5,600 businesses have pledged to be more family-friendly and over 430 were awarded the Businesses for Families Mark.