Women’s Charter 1961 - Singapore Statutes Online

Duty to maintain child accepted as member of family

70.—(1) Where a person has accepted a child who is not his or her child as a member of the person’s family, it shall be the person’s duty to maintain that child while he or she remains a child, so far as the father or the mother of the child fails to do so, and the court may make such orders as may be necessary to ensure the welfare of the child.

(2) The duty imposed by subsection (1) ceases if the child is taken away by his or her father or mother.

(3) Any sums expended by a person maintaining that child are recoverable as a debt from the father or mother of the child.

(4) An application for an order under subsection (1) may be made by —

(a)	any person who is a guardian or has the actual custody of the child;
(b)	where the child has attained 21 years of age, the child himself or herself;
(c)	where the child is below 21 years of age, any of his or her siblings who has attained 21 years of age; or
(d)	any person appointed by the Minister.

(5) Subsections (4) to (9) of section 69 apply, with the necessary modifications, to the making of an order under this section.

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