Support for Students with SEN and their Caregivers

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng, Jalan Besar GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development in view of the recent death of the twins in Upper Bukit Timah, what lessons can be learnt on the protection of children with special needs and the guidance and support for caregivers, at the national, community and family levels.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms He Ting Ru, Sengkang GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many students are there currently in mainstream schools who have been diagnosed as requiring extra learning support or having special needs; (b) what additional support has been mandated and available to these students and their families.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Ang Wei Neng, West Coast GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) in the last three years, whether there is an increase in the number of persons with disability, particularly among the student population; and (b) whether the Ministry has plans to improve the support for caregivers of persons with disability.

Response

1. Mr Speaker Sir, may I take questions 34 to 39 together with Minister Masagos, please. I was deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of 11-year-old twin brothers Ethan Yap and Aston Yap on 21 January. My MOE colleagues and I mourn their passing, and extend our condolences to their family, friends and schoolmates. I believe Members in this House will also agree with us that the pain hits especially hard, because such young lives have been lost.

2. Soon after the twins' deaths were made public, the media reported that the boys had special needs. Today, I will not touch on the specifics of this case as it is before the court, and I urge members of the public not to speculate on the incident or to prematurely draw conclusions on what should be done. But today, together with Minister for Social and Family Development Minister Masagos, I will address how the Government takes a whole-of-community approach to provide targeted support to children with special needs and their caregivers across the different life stages.

3. Mr Speaker Sir, it is our goal for children with special needs to reach their potential, to be confident in themselves, and to be equipped with life skills and values so that they can grow up to lead, as much as possible, as normal, as independent a life as possible.

4. This starts from the early years, where early detection and timely intervention are critical. Parents are encouraged to refer to the developmental milestones in the Health Promotion Board's Child Health Booklet as reference points, and take their children for regular childhood developmental screenings at General Practitioner, or GP, clinics or polyclinics. If any delay in the child's development is detected, the child will be referred to paediatricians for further diagnosis of developmental concerns. In the preschool, teachers many also flag up children with suspected developmental delays to early intervention professionals, who will work with paediatricians to determine the children's needs. Those children identified to require early intervention, or EI, will be referred to the appropriate EI programmes based on the level of support needed. Depending on the programme, children may receive EI support with their preschools or at EI centres.

5. For the schooling years, to help parents decide how to best support their child's special educational needs, MOE has collaborated with hospitals, EI Centres and special education or SPED schools to develop common standards to guide professional assessments and align the recommendations we give to parents. Based on these assessments and recommendations, parents decide whether to enrol their child in a mainstream primary school or SPED school. MOE also holds an annual Parent Forum, in collaboration with KK Women's and Children's Hospital and National University Hospital, to help parents better understand how mainstream and SPED schools can support their child's needs. Parents of children with special educational needs are invited as speakers to share their experiences in choosing a school and working with the school to support their child.

6. Today, some 27,000 students with mild special educational needs attend mainstream schools, supported by teachers who implement inclusive classroom practices, and Allied Educators who specialise in learning and behavioural support. Because of their additional needs, some may need pull-out support during or after curriculum time. Those who need additional support in literacy and numeracy join the Learning Support Programmes for English Language and Mathematics at Primary 1 and 2. And those with Dyslexia may join the School-based Dyslexia Remediation programme for Primary 3 and 4 students. Last year, we announced that we are rolling out the TRANsition Support for InTegration, or TRANSIT, for Primary 1 students with social and behavioural needs. 37 schools have implemented this programme, and more will be coming on board.

7. When children have higher support needs, professionals will recommend a SPED school because these schools have specialised instruction and customised facilities, specially-trained teachers, and Allied Professionals. Currently, approximately 7,000 students, or around 20% of all students reported with special educational needs, attend the existing 22 SPED schools. These students have moderate to severe special needs. Across mainstream and SPED schools, the number of students reported with special educational needs has risen by about 5% in the last 3 years, largely due to growing awareness and early identification.

8. Parents are our key partners as they provide valuable insights into their children's unique needs. This is why schools engage families early to find out their child's needs. Schools then provide details of the support available in school, and how the school and parents can work together to support their child. When schools and families communicate, they build relationships and share strategies that can be used in school and at home.

9. In some cases, parents of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools may find that the mainstream environment does not suit their child. With the advice of MOE Educational Psychologists and the school's teachers and Allied Educators, they may conclude that their child is better supported in a SPED School. MOE also provides Post-Diagnosis Educational Guidance to render emotional support and assistance to parents in the journey towards acceptance of their child's special needs.

10. In SPED schools, teachers work closely with parents to exchange information on their children's progress and support the application of skills at home and in the community. Each school has a Social Worker who can help families with additional emotional or financial needs, if needed. Families can also access programmes outside of curriculum hours such as holiday activities and outings run by the schools or Social Service Agencies (SSAs), in collaboration with external organisations and volunteers. There are also Special Student Care Centres, which provide before-and-after school care services for school-going children with SEN. SG Enable as well as SSAs also organise parent and sibling engagement activities, including workshops and camps where participants provide mutual support by sharing experiences and advice.

11. To help students and families transit from SPED to post-school life, MOE works with the SPED schools to implement school-wide processes of transition planning for students at the secondary years, where each student has an Individual Transition Plan reflecting his/her post-school interests, strengths and aspirations. MOE also works with MSF, SG Enable and the SPED schools for the School-to-Work Transition Programme, to support work-capable students in transiting from school to work. For SPED graduates who do not transit to employment due to higher needs, MOE works with SPED schools and SG Enable to facilitate their transition to post-school options based on their abilities and needs, including for students identified for MSF-funded services.

12. Mr Speaker, all parents plan on providing for their children in every possible way until they reach independence as adults. So, when parents discover that their child will need a lot more support and for a lot longer, even into adulthood, they experience heartache, shock and even fear. This is an unplanned journey and can be a challenging one. Many of us know such families, among our friends, relatives, or in the community. Some of us are ourselves a family of a special person.

13. I am heartened to hear of families who have drawn strength from circles of support and who have in turn given support to others allowing them to cope with the stress and challenges of journeying alongside their special child.

14. Let us do our part, to serve as a circle of support for these children and their families. We cannot say, "Let the other neighbour help. Let the other relatives help. Let the other company hire him." We need not wait for one another – let us all make the first step. Let them know that we value them and their children. Let us remind them that they are not alone. When the parents need a break, let us step in to play with or accompany their children. When they seek an understanding employer or colleague, let us be that understanding employer or colleague. Let us be a community that reaches out in both words and deeds to demonstrate care and kindness. Let us be an inclusive society that uplifts one another, that leaves no Singaporean behind, and moves forward as one.