I’m heartened by the Early Childhood Development Agency’s proactive approach in raising salary benchmarks for early intervention roles within social service agencies (Early intervention educators’ annual pay to rise by up to 16%, April 27).

The challenge is also to attract and retain qualified individuals for these critical positions. As with nursing in eldercare, there is a concerning reliance on foreign expertise to fill these specialised roles, which is not viable in the long run.

Furthermore, the challenges that come with such early educational intervention contribute to a troubling turnover rate among staff, compounding the difficulties faced by young children with special needs and their caregivers. This turnover heightens the distress faced by the children and also disrupts the continuity and effectiveness of their learning and development.

To better support early intervention educators sustainably, we must also prioritise continuous training and development, offering specialised programmes in areas like autism spectrum disorder and speech and language therapy.

Additionally, raising awareness of the crucial role these educators play in supporting children with special needs and fostering supportive work environments that prioritise their well-being are essential steps. Providing resources and support to manage workload and stress will further enhance the profession, ensuring high-quality care and education for children with special needs.

The growing recognition of children with developmental needs in Singapore has facilitated early testing, but teachers in both mainstream and special needs schools must receive adequate training to understand and address diverse educational needs. Those with more severe needs require additional support and closer attention, underscoring the importance of a robust support mechanism for professionals in this field.

Jude Ang Hock Guan