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SINGAPORE: Nearly 50 adoptive mothers have enjoyed government-paid maternity leave since 2005.

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) said recent policy changes have also made it easier and faster for them to do so.

Instead of waiting for nearly half a year, adoptive mothers can now apply for leave about six weeks after the adoption process starts.

After trying to have a baby for some 14 years, the Mathews turned to adoption.

They took in Emily, a foreign baby, when she was just two weeks old in 2004.

Government-paid maternity leave for adoptive parents was unheard of at that time so the couple struggled initially to take care of the infant and handle piles of adoption paper work.

Elsie Mathews said: "Our daughter was quite a tiny girl, about 2.5 kg, when she first came. Very feeble, so we really had to stand together and see her through. I had to take one month's leave and that left me with very few days for the rest of the year (to be used) in the event that the child falls sick or to go through interviews and other procedures. So there was a little anxiety all the way."

But with recent reforms for adoptive mothers to apply for maternity leave earlier, they are now more confident of adopting a second baby.

Mathews Mathew said: "Having the leave is actually a plus point for us. In a way, we can work through the whole process of bringing up a child. We don't have to think through, and say 'oh we don't have the leave, how are we going to manage?'. All these anxieties are removed. It's actually removing an obstacle."

About 700 adoptions take place in Singapore each year.

According to agencies, the entire process can take up to five to ten months for married couples.

That includes a five-week home study conducted by MCYS on adoptive parents.

For single parents looking to adopt, the entire process can take two to three years.

But most do not seem to mind the wait.

Agencies said a majority of eager childless parents are self-employed and are financially stable.

Rajalakshmi Ramoo, Director, Amman Baby Adoption Services, said: "They don't ask about the baby bonus or maternity leave. Most of them are married for 15 years, 16 years. They have waited for so long. They went for IVF and after the treatment, they waited for at least 10 to 20 years. And they're very happy to adopt the child."

The agency handles about 60 adoptions a year.


- CNA/so

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