More business should take on family friendly model :Halimah Yacob

More businesses should take on a family friendly model says Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah Yacob. 

And to encourage more to do that, the government is reviewing its current grant for businesses. 

Two-million dollars was set aside for the Businesses for Families Grant in 2010. 

Businesses can claim up to 70 per cent of actual costs incurred in making their operations family-friendly. 

To date, some $1.5 million has been disbursed to 38 businesses. 

And a total of 68 companies have benefited from the grant since it was introduced in 2007. 

Madam Halimah says the review will involve pumping in more money to the fund to encourage more businesses to come on board. 

But she added everyone has to play their part. 

"The government can do only so much. We can provide the grant, we can try to raise awareness, but beyond the grant we need to have partners who can raise awareness who say, we believe in this. You know sometimes we look at these population efforts, initiatives in bits and pieces. But these are the ones that help to build a whole, it helps to build a more supportive environment. For instance in companies, if employers adopt family friendly practices that means promote work-life balance that's one plank of it and then when people are away from work, during their social time, they have businesses that support them in their family activities." 

Madam Halimah added Singapore still has a long way to go in this area, compared to other countries. 

She was speaking to the media during a visit to Northpoint Shopping Centre - a mall that has been accredited with the Businesses for Families Mark for its family friendly initiatives. 

Currently, 278 businesss outlets have also been accredited with the Mark.