27 November 2025
- The ‘Child Secure Project’ is Income Insurance’s latest initiative that seeks to build resilience and protect children from the emotional struggles that rises when a parent has critical illness
- ‘Mummy Needs Me,’ is a free expert-guided resource to help parents hold open and age-appropriate conversations about critical illness, a crucial proactive step to emotionally prepare children who may one day become young caregivers.
Income Insurance Limited (“Income Insurance”) today launched an expert-guided eBook ‘Mummy Needs Me’, a free resource to help families navigate the emotional complexity young caregivers undergo when a parent is struck by critical illness. This new initiative is part of Income Insurance’s latest “Child Secure Project” that aims to close the often over-looked protection gaps of children who have to take on the role of a child caregiver under such circumstances.
Developed with expert guidance from a senior child psychologist and case worker, the eBook equips parents with insightful perspectives, practical tips, reassurance techniques, and tools to acknowledge and manage the emotional toll such tough times may have on their children.
About one in four Singaporeans[1] will experience a critical illness in their lifetime, as cancer accounts for 26.4% of all deaths[2], followed by heart disease and stroke. While critical illness is on the rise amongst Singaporeans, there is little documented data on how child caregivers are supported. Recognising this is an invisible social concern, Income Insurance sought to better understand how critical illness in parents affects children.
The recent “Child Secure Project” Research Study by Income Insurance revealed that young caregivers (aged 10-20) undergo significant emotional strain and fear, with parents being unaware of their silent struggles. The key findings from the study include:
- Parents underestimated their children’s distress:
72% of parents believed their children coped well when they fell critically ill, but only 64% of children agreed, and over a third said they struggled significantly.
- Children felt the need to stay strong and provide emotional support for the family:
Nearly 8 in 10 youths experienced fear, sadness, and stress, but a high proportion coped by keeping their emotions to themselves.
- Children were forced to grow up too soon:
Approximately 1 in 3 children gave up activities to do chores or care for sick parents or siblings, and 1 in 2 “sensed” financial strain on the family, including some who had to take on part-time work to help the family financially.
- Children fell through the cracks as support remained focused on adults:
As a result of their circumstances, 29% reported feeling isolated and alone as they felt that no one around them could relate to what they were going through. 1 in 3 felt their friends “did not know what to say”. More than 6 in 10 children expressed that they would have liked more emotional support, with 41% feeling their parents only somewhat understood the impact on them.
- Protection offers relief amidst financial strain, and counselling is critical to recovery:
1 in 2 families saw spending cuts, and 58% of youths felt guilty about spending money. Among parents who had critical illness coverage, 68% felt that the payouts covered a significant portion of their financial burden, while counselling support for kids was seen by both parents and children as essential to recovery.
Additionally, recent research[3] also shows that supporting children’s mental health and emotional literacy from an early age is crucial in building a strong foundation for their emotional, social, and cognitive development. It shapes their long-term health, relationships, and life outcomes.
“True protection goes beyond insurance. We created the eBook to help parents have open conversations with their children and to prepare them for life’s curve balls,” said Mr. Dhiren Amin, Chief Customer Officer, Income Insurance. “When a parent falls critically ill, it changes the family’s routines and relationships. While insurance provides financial protection, our research shows that children often bear emotional and caregiving burdens that go unseen. The eBook helps families acknowledge these pressures, and our Child Secure Project can also support children who may be growing up faster than they should.”
This eBook is an extension of Income Insurance’s Child Secure Project, which was launched early this year. With the Child Secure Project, policyholders of Complete Life Secure who are battling critical illness can sign up for 10 counselling sessions for their child(ren) aged 7 to 18[4] at one of Income Insurance’s counselling service provider partners such as Care Corner, EMCC (Eagles Mediation and Counselling Centre), Kaleidoscope Therapy Centre, Psych Connect, REACH Community Services, and The Singapore Counselling Centre (SCC).
The Child Secure Project is a mark of Income Insurance’s purpose to empower financial well-being for people in Singapore and build a more resilient future, allowing them to navigate tough times with confidence and assurance.
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‘Mummy Needs Me’ offers an intimate perspective on the experiences and challenges faced by young caregivers
Inspired by real-life experiences, ‘Mummy Needs Me’ is a series of diary entries by a 13-year-old protagonist, Sara, whose childhood is abruptly interrupted when she becomes a caregiver to her cancer-stricken mother. It captures her daily struggle as she deals with a whirlwind of emotions while silently carrying the weight of adult responsibilities, sacrificing things she loves doing, and growing up faster than she should.
Some tips recommended by the psychologist in the eBook include:
- Acknowledging your child’s desire to help, even if it’s just emotional support.
- Allow your child to express these feelings without judgment.
- Talk to your child about how they feel when others find out about the illness, and any worries they may have.
- Explaining what’s happening in an age-appropriate language so they feel more assured and their imaginations don’t run wild.
- Celebrate small wins at home, as kids need positive emotional anchors to grow healthily.
- Sibling relationships may also be impacted. Be sure to provide individual attention to each child.
Hardcopy editions will be shared with the Singapore Cancer Society and service agency partners of the Child Secure Project. The book will serve as an added resource at counselling and family programmes.
The eBook is available for download on the following digital platforms: Google Play, Apple, Everand, Kobo, Vivlio, OverDrive.
For images of ‘Mummy Needs Me’ eBook, as well as profiles of potential interviewees, please refer to the media kit here.
For more details about Income Insurance’s Child Secure Project, please visit Income’s Child Secure Project.
For more information or media enquiries, please contact:
Saeloun Asia, on behalf of Income Insurance
Victoria Foo
Saeloun-Income@saelounasia.com
About Income Insurance
Income Insurance Limited (Income Insurance) is one of the leading composite insurers in Singapore, offering life, health and general insurance. Established in Singapore to plug a social need for insurance in 1970, Income Insurance continues to put people first by serving the protection, savings and investment needs of individuals, families and businesses today. Its lifestyle-centric and data-driven approach to insurance and financial planning puts the company at the forefront of innovative solutions that empower the people it serves with better financial well-being.
Additionally, Income Insurance is committed to being a responsible business that champions the environment and builds stronger communities by supporting financial inclusion, education for youth-in-need and seniors’ well-being.
For more information, please visit www.income.com.sg
- ‘Mummy Needs Me,’ is a free expert-guided resource to help parents hold open and age-appropriate conversations about critical illness, a crucial proactive step to emotionally prepare children who may one day become young caregivers.
Income Insurance Limited (“Income Insurance”) today launched an expert-guided eBook ‘Mummy Needs Me’, a free resource to help families navigate the emotional complexity young caregivers undergo when a parent is struck by critical illness. This new initiative is part of Income Insurance’s latest “Child Secure Project” that aims to close the often over-looked protection gaps of children who have to take on the role of a child caregiver under such circumstances.
Developed with expert guidance from a senior child psychologist and case worker, the eBook equips parents with insightful perspectives, practical tips, reassurance techniques, and tools to acknowledge and manage the emotional toll such tough times may have on their children.
About one in four Singaporeans[1] will experience a critical illness in their lifetime, as cancer accounts for 26.4% of all deaths[2], followed by heart disease and stroke. While critical illness is on the rise amongst Singaporeans, there is little documented data on how child caregivers are supported. Recognising this is an invisible social concern, Income Insurance sought to better understand how critical illness in parents affects children.
The recent “Child Secure Project” Research Study by Income Insurance revealed that young caregivers (aged 10-20) undergo significant emotional strain and fear, with parents being unaware of their silent struggles. The key findings from the study include:
- Parents underestimated their children’s distress:
72% of parents believed their children coped well when they fell critically ill, but only 64% of children agreed, and over a third said they struggled significantly.
- Children felt the need to stay strong and provide emotional support for the family:
Nearly 8 in 10 youths experienced fear, sadness, and stress, but a high proportion coped by keeping their emotions to themselves.
- Children were forced to grow up too soon:
Approximately 1 in 3 children gave up activities to do chores or care for sick parents or siblings, and 1 in 2 “sensed” financial strain on the family, including some who had to take on part-time work to help the family financially.
- Children fell through the cracks as support remained focused on adults:
As a result of their circumstances, 29% reported feeling isolated and alone as they felt that no one around them could relate to what they were going through. 1 in 3 felt their friends “did not know what to say”. More than 6 in 10 children expressed that they would have liked more emotional support, with 41% feeling their parents only somewhat understood the impact on them.
- Protection offers relief amidst financial strain, and counselling is critical to recovery:
1 in 2 families saw spending cuts, and 58% of youths felt guilty about spending money. Among parents who had critical illness coverage, 68% felt that the payouts covered a significant portion of their financial burden, while counselling support for kids was seen by both parents and children as essential to recovery.
Additionally, recent research[3] also shows that supporting children’s mental health and emotional literacy from an early age is crucial in building a strong foundation for their emotional, social, and cognitive development. It shapes their long-term health, relationships, and life outcomes.
“True protection goes beyond insurance. We created the eBook to help parents have open conversations with their children and to prepare them for life’s curve balls,” said Mr. Dhiren Amin, Chief Customer Officer, Income Insurance. “When a parent falls critically ill, it changes the family’s routines and relationships. While insurance provides financial protection, our research shows that children often bear emotional and caregiving burdens that go unseen. The eBook helps families acknowledge these pressures, and our Child Secure Project can also support children who may be growing up faster than they should.”
This eBook is an extension of Income Insurance’s Child Secure Project, which was launched early this year. With the Child Secure Project, policyholders of Complete Life Secure who are battling critical illness can sign up for 10 counselling sessions for their child(ren) aged 7 to 18[4] at one of Income Insurance’s counselling service provider partners such as Care Corner, EMCC (Eagles Mediation and Counselling Centre), Kaleidoscope Therapy Centre, Psych Connect, REACH Community Services, and The Singapore Counselling Centre (SCC).
The Child Secure Project is a mark of Income Insurance’s purpose to empower financial well-being for people in Singapore and build a more resilient future, allowing them to navigate tough times with confidence and assurance.
‘Mummy Needs Me’ offers an intimate perspective on the experiences and challenges faced by young caregivers
Inspired by real-life experiences, ‘Mummy Needs Me’ is a series of diary entries by a 13-year-old protagonist, Sara, whose childhood is abruptly interrupted when she becomes a caregiver to her cancer-stricken mother. It captures her daily struggle as she deals with a whirlwind of emotions while silently carrying the weight of adult responsibilities, sacrificing things she loves doing, and growing up faster than she should.
Some tips recommended by the psychologist in the eBook include:
- Acknowledging your child’s desire to help, even if it’s just emotional support.
- Allow your child to express these feelings without judgment.
- Talk to your child about how they feel when others find out about the illness, and any worries they may have.
- Explaining what’s happening in an age-appropriate language so they feel more assured and their imaginations don’t run wild.
- Celebrate small wins at home, as kids need positive emotional anchors to grow healthily.
- Sibling relationships may also be impacted. Be sure to provide individual attention to each child.
Hardcopy editions will be shared with the Singapore Cancer Society and service agency partners of the Child Secure Project. The book will serve as an added resource at counselling and family programmes.
The eBook is available for download on the following digital platforms: Google Play, Apple, Everand, Kobo, Vivlio, OverDrive.
For images of ‘Mummy Needs Me’ eBook, as well as profiles of potential interviewees, please refer to the media kit here.
For more details about Income Insurance’s Child Secure Project, please visit Income’s Child Secure Project.
For more information or media enquiries, please contact:
Saeloun Asia, on behalf of Income Insurance
Victoria Foo
Saeloun-Income@saelounasia.com
About Income Insurance
Income Insurance Limited (Income Insurance) is one of the leading composite insurers in Singapore, offering life, health and general insurance. Established in Singapore to plug a social need for insurance in 1970, Income Insurance continues to put people first by serving the protection, savings and investment needs of individuals, families and businesses today. Its lifestyle-centric and data-driven approach to insurance and financial planning puts the company at the forefront of innovative solutions that empower the people it serves with better financial well-being.
Additionally, Income Insurance is committed to being a responsible business that champions the environment and builds stronger communities by supporting financial inclusion, education for youth-in-need and seniors’ well-being.
For more information, please visit www.income.com.sg
[1] National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) data - https://www.nccs.com.sg/your-care/about-cancer/cancer-statistics, https://www.nccs.com.sg/news/patient-care/princess-of-wales-diagnosis-highlights-rise-in-cancer-cases-among-those-under-50 , and https://www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg/learn-about-cancer/cancer-basics/common-types-of-cancer-in-singapore.html
[2] MOH statistics on Health Hub - Principal Causes of Death
[3] Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing in Singapore: A landscape brief of promotion, prevention, and literacy programmes for children aged 3-11, SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI), October 2025
[4] Applicable for the child of Complete Life Secure policyholder between ages 7 and 18 upon successful claim of a critical illness or dread disease. Other policy and campaign Ts&Cs apply.
