First week with your new helper: what to cover

By APEX Maids Agency Pte. Ltd. · MOM EA Licence 25C3180 · UEN 202547196H. Based in Jurong West and serving households across Singapore. Our website is apexmaids.sg and our phone is 8405 6661.

Before she arrives

• Sleeping space ready. MOM’s well-being guidance requires adequate accommodation. A separate room is preferred; if not available, adequate space and privacy. MOM-stated requirements include a mattress, pillow and blanket, ventilation (fan if natural ventilation is insufficient), no sharing with an adult or teenage male household member, no recording devices in sleeping/changing/bathroom areas, and access to basic bathroom and toiletries. Practical recommendation: provide personal storage (wardrobe or lockable cabinet) she can access freely, including for her passport and Work Permit card.
• Written duty list. List the main daily and weekly tasks. Be specific: meal times, laundry days, school pickup times, care routines.
• Emergency contacts. Employer’s phone, a second family contact, police (999), ambulance (995), nearest clinic address.
• Neighbourhood orientation plan. Nearest supermarket, MRT station, park, pharmacy and playground route.

Day 1: arrival and house tour

• ☐ House tour: every room, appliances, locks, laundry area, recycling, building access card and any restricted areas.
• ☐ Introduce household members and their daily patterns (school times, work hours, nap schedules).
• ☐ Show her own space and where to store personal belongings securely, including her passport and Work Permit card.
• ☐ Go through the duty list together. Ask what needs clarifying. Adjust if something is unrealistic.
• ☐ Exchange phone numbers and agree how to reach each other during the day.
• ☐ Agree the first rest day. Record the arrangement. See rest day rules.

Days 2–3: supervised routine

• ☐ Work alongside her on the main duties so she sees how you want things done.
• ☐ Show meal preferences and dietary requirements. Walk through a typical day’s meals. See the food allowance and meals guide for a planning framework.
• ☐ Neighbourhood walk together: supermarket, pharmacy, playground route, building facilities.
• ☐ MOM settling-in measures. Identify which of MOM’s three mandatory measures apply to your situation and record the actual deadlines separately. Do not assume all three are due in the first three days.

Days 4–5: increasing independence

• ☐ Let her handle familiar tasks on her own. Observe and give specific feedback.
• ☐ Introduce remaining duties: laundry routine, ironing preferences, pet care if applicable.
• ☐ Discuss phone use and rest day arrangement in writing. MOM’s well-being guidance includes helping your helper keep in contact with her family. The phone arrangement discussion guide has a printable worksheet for this conversation.

Days 6–7: review and adjust

• ☐ Sit down and ask what is working and what is unclear.
• ☐ Adjust the written schedule based on the first week’s experience.
• ☐ Confirm the rest day pattern for the month ahead.
• ☐ Set a follow-up check-in for the end of week 2.

Safety handover checklist

Prepare this before she starts. Keep any clinician-supplied care instructions private between the family and the care provider; do not publish dosing details or collect medical data through this site.

• ☐ Emergency numbers posted where she can find them (kitchen, hallway).
• ☐ Household routine handover: which doors to lock, alarm codes, gas shut-off, water heater. For above-ground homes, go through the window cleaning safety checklist together.
• ☐ Child pickup rules if applicable: who is authorised, school contact, pickup time.
• ☐ Key and access card management. Agree who holds what and where spares are kept.
• ☐ What to do if she cannot reach the employer. Second contact person and instructions.

Communication in the first month

The first month is an adjustment for both sides. Short daily check-ins during the first two weeks help catch misunderstandings early. The right frequency after that depends on the household; some families find a weekly check-in enough, others prefer daily. Write the agreed routine down so both sides can refer to it.

If something needs care beyond the helper’s experience, involve a family member or qualified professional rather than expecting the helper to manage clinical or complex tasks independently.

If things are not working after the first few weeks, see your options before the situation gets harder to resolve.

Related planning guides

If you are still choosing a helper, prepare the household brief before the first week.

• Compare candidates at interview
• Plan the return-to-work handover
• Ang bao and gift planning for later occasions