10 Questions to Ask when Choosing an Infant Care Centre for your Baby in Singapore

The 10 questions to ask when choosing an infant care centre in Singapore cover licensing, staff ratios, illness rules, feeding and sleep routines, safety, fees and how the centre talks to you. Ask all ten on a visit, watch whether the answers match what you see, and shortlist only the centres where they do.

Most parents book a tour, admire the classroom and leave with a brochure but very few answers. This guide gives you the questions, the answers worth hearing and the signs that should make you pause. It sits alongside our overview of childcare centres in Singapore and our comparison of infant care vs a helper vs grandparents.

Before you visit: do the groundwork

Infant care centres in Singapore are licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). Infant care covers babies aged 2 to 18 months, and waiting lists can be long, so many parents start looking during pregnancy. Look the centre up on LifeSG's Search for preschools, which ECDA points parents to, for its details and estimated fees after subsidies before you spend an afternoon on a tour.

• Shortlist two or three centres near home or work. A short commute matters more than it looks when you are doing it daily on little sleep.
• Visit at a busy time such as mid-morning, not only during a staged quiet hour. Ask if you can see feeding or nap time.
• Bring your questions in writing, and note the answers on the spot. Tours blur together by the third centre.
• Go with your partner if you can. Two people notice different things.

The 10 questions, and what good answers sound like

1. Is the centre ECDA-licensed for infant care, and for how long?

Ask to see the licence and its validity period. A centre should be able to tell you its licence status without hesitation. If a centre is applying for renewal, ask where that stands.

2. How many babies does each caregiver look after?

ECDA's minimum for infant care is one qualified staff member for every five babies aged 18 months and below. The useful follow-up is the real ratio in the room at 8am, at lunch and at 5pm, and what happens when someone is on leave or on a break. A centre that staffs to the minimum on paper may feel stretched at feeding time.

3. Will my baby have a consistent main caregiver?

Babies settle faster with a familiar face. Good centres assign a key person and can explain how handovers work. Ask about staff turnover too. Long-serving educators are usually a sign of a well-run team.

4. How do you handle breast milk and formula feeds?

Ask how expressed milk is labelled, stored and warmed, how bottles are prepared, and how feeds are recorded. If you are breastfeeding, ask whether you can come in to nurse. Ask what happens if your baby refuses the bottle. For weaning, ask whether the centre follows your instructions on introducing solids and allergens. Our guide to baby-led weaning may help you decide what to request.

5. What does the sleep routine look like?

Ask where babies sleep, how often they are checked, and whether they are put down on their backs on a firm, clear surface. The centre should also be able to say how it works with your home routine. If you are sleep training, read our sleep training guide first so you know what you want to ask for.

6. What is your sick-baby policy?

Babies in group care catch things. Ask which symptoms mean a baby must stay home, when you will be called, how long a baby must be well before returning, and whether a doctor's memo is required. Our piece on kids falling sick in childcare explains what to expect in the first year.

7. How do you keep the centre safe and clean?

Look at the nappy-changing area, the hand-washing routine, how toys are cleaned and how visitors are screened at the door. Ask about the emergency plan, first-aid trained staff and who you are called by if your baby is hurt. Ask how incidents are reported to parents.

8. How will I hear about my baby's day?

Many centres use an app or a daily log for feeds, naps, nappies and photos. The more useful question is how staff handle concerns. Can you speak to the key caregiver at pickup? Is there a named person for feedback?

9. What are the full fees, and what is not included?

Ask for the monthly fee in writing and separate items such as registration, deposit, meals, milk, nappies, wipes, insurance and enrichment. Ask how fees work during a baby's absence and what notice you need to give to withdraw. Every Singapore citizen baby in an ECDA-licensed centre gets a Basic Subsidy for full-day infant care: $600 a month if the mother works at least 56 hours a month, or $150 if she does not. Working families with a gross household income of $12,000 or below can add an Additional Subsidy of up to $710, and that income ceiling rises to $15,000 from 1 January 2027. Our cost of having a baby guide shows where this sits in your budget.

10. How does the centre help my baby move on later?

Ask whether the centre has a playgroup or childcare programme for older children and whether infant care graduates get priority. This is worth knowing even if you are not sure you want to stay. It affects how many moves your child faces.

What to watch while you are there

Answers matter, but so does what you see. Spend five minutes quietly observing.

• Do caregivers respond to crying babies quickly and gently, or do babies wait?
• Are babies held, spoken to and played with, or mostly placed in cots and bouncers?
• Does the room smell clean, and are floors and surfaces tidy without being staged?
• Do staff look relaxed and know each baby's name?
• Do they answer hard questions openly, or deflect to a brochure?

Answer-checking table: green flags and red flags

Timing and paperwork

Start early, because popular centres fill up. A working mother whose baby is a Singapore citizen can get 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave if she meets MOM's criteria, and many parents time infant care around the end of it. Our guide to maternity and paternity leave covers the dates to plan around. Before the first day, make sure your baby's immunisations are on schedule and bring the records the centre asks for. See baby vaccinations in Singapore for the national schedule.

Plan a gradual start if the centre allows it. A few short settling-in visits before full days help babies and parents. Expect some tears at drop-off from both of you.

After you choose: the first month

• Check in daily for the first week, then weekly. Ask how feeds and naps went compared to home.
• Label everything: bottles, clothes, pacifiers and blankets.
• Tell the caregivers what soothes your baby, quirks and all. The odd details help them most.
• Review your decision at the one-month mark. If something feels wrong, raise it early and in writing.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can a baby start infant care in Singapore?

Licensed infant care in Singapore takes babies from 2 to 18 months old. Individual centres set their own intake dates, so confirm directly with each centre and look it up on LifeSG's Search for preschools.

When should I register my baby for an infant care centre?

Early. Many parents contact centres during pregnancy because vacancies for babies are limited, especially near MRT stations and workplaces. Ask each centre how its waiting list works and whether registering carries a fee.

Are infant care fees subsidised?

Yes, for Singapore citizen babies. For full-day infant care, ECDA's Basic Subsidy is $600 a month when the mother works and $150 when she does not, and working families earning $12,000 a month or less can add up to $710 more. Rates change, so check the current figures on the ECDA website rather than relying on an older article. That goes for this one too.

Is infant care better than a helper or grandparents?

There is no single right answer. Centres offer regulated standards and set hours, while family or a helper offers one-to-one attention at home. Our comparison sets out the trade-offs.

Should I worry about my baby falling sick more often?

Frequent minor infections are common when babies start group care. If your baby has a fever, trouble breathing, poor feeding or seems unusually drowsy, see a doctor promptly.

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. For your baby's health, speak to your doctor or polyclinic, and confirm licensing, ratios and subsidies with ECDA before you decide.