July 26, 2026

The Transnational Family Care Programme was launched in July 2024 to address the growing needs and challenges faced by transnational families in Singapore. With about one-third of citizen marriages involving a Singaporean marrying a non-citizen, the number of transnational families is growing in Singapore, constituting an integral part of its social fabric. While community programmes such as the Transnational Family Care Programme focus on legal and social assistance, familial relationships, such as those with in-laws, are crucial in shaping the experiences of foreign spouses. 

 In the article ‘Expanding the Family Circle: Local In-law Relationships and Their Role in Supporting Foreign Spouses’ (Family Relations, 2024), Ruth Ang-Tan and Associate Professor Hyekyung Choo (both from NUS Social Work) investigate the role of local in-laws in the lives of foreign spouses from low-income, cross-national families in Singapore. Through in-depth interviews with Chinese-national foreign spouses, the study explores how their relationships with their Singaporean in-laws facilitate social integration and access to resources, emphasising the role of local in-law relationships as a support system for these families. 

 The researchers found that siblings-in-law (SILs) were crucial pillars of emotional and practical support, often surpassing the contributions of parents-in-law (PILs). SILs played significant roles in providing companionship, navigating local systems, and fostering a sense of belonging. Unlike PILs, whose advanced age often limited their ability to provide practical help, SILs often have higher capacity to provide support, frequently acting as bridges to community resources and advocates within the extended family network. Compared to PILs, SILs tended to form closer relationships with foreign spouses. This stronger bond likely arises from their shared generational status, fostering peer-like interactions in contrast to the more hierarchical dynamics typically associated with PILs. 

 As Minister Indranee Rajah noted during the launch of the Transnational Family Care Programme, “There are challenges which are unique to transnational families, such as cultural integration and emotional support, especially for those who are new to Singapore”.  As a melting pot of cultures, fostering positive in-law relationships can enhance the integration of foreign spouses, strengthening social cohesion and stability. Policies that encourage inclusive family dynamics and leverage the strengths of extended family members, particularly SILs, could play a transformative role in supporting cross-national families.  

 Read the article here.