ABOUT $3.6 million will be set aside by the Government to help parents of disabled children pay for early intervention programme fees.

The fund will benefit parents whose special-needs children are under the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (Eipic).

It helps to improve the communication and motor skills of disabled children up to the age of six.

With means testing to kick in fully by 2010, some families with children in Eipic will have their subsidies reduced.

Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC) expressed concern that as a result, some families will not be able to afford the fees.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, said: 'Let me reassure Denise that no disabled child should pull out of the Eipic programme because of a lack of funds.'

LICENSING FOR ALL CHILDREN'S HOMES?

THE Government plans to license all children's homes and is reviewing the Children and Young Persons Act accordingly.

The move follows an incident at the Darul Ihsan Orphanage last year when abuse was reported.

The orphanage is one of 13 welfare homes not licensed by the ministry.

As a result, there were 'statutory limits' on what the authorities could do about the case, such as how far they could go in inspections, auditing and ensuring of standards, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.

The homes may be required to do regular reviews of the children in their care and be subject to inspections by the ministry.

BETTER INTEREST FOR BABY ACCOUNTS

PARENTS can expect higher interest rates for their baby bonus accounts from Aug 1.

That is when OCBC and Standard Chartered Bank take over the management of the Baby Bonus Child Development Accounts from DBS.

Competition has led to better interest rates, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.

The Child Development Account (CDA) was started in 2001 as part of the Baby Bonus package to encourage Singaporeans to have more children.

The Government matches parents' contributions to the account, but up to a specified sum.

Money in the accounts can be used to pay for childcare and kindergarten fees, among other things.

Baby Bonus-CDA Nets cards will be given to parents to make it more convenient for them to use their Baby Bonus funds.

More details will be announced in May, said Dr Balakrishnan.