Provide the best start in life for every child, says President Halimah

SINGAPORE - It is important to provide the best start in life for every child, regardless of what their needs are, especially for children with developmental needs, said President Halimah Yacob on Monday as she visited PCF Sparkletots @ Fernvale Blk 455 to observe the implementation of the Inclusive Support Programme (InSP).

She affirmed such integrated programmes which conduct early intervention alongside early childhood education, adding that she hopes that after the evaluation period is over, the InSP programme can be expanded to many more pre-schools. “What I liked very much is that (the programme looks) at the child, and develops the curriculum plans around the child’s needs,” she said. 

InSP was launched in 2021

with the aim of supporting children with developmental needs who require medium levels of early intervention support in pre-schools.

The programme is designed to be integrative in nature, allowing children with developmental needs to learn alongside their typically developing peers. This gives them opportunities to learn valuable social skills and gain confidence in communicating with others.

PCF Sparkletots @ Fernvale Blk 455 is the first of seven pre-schools to host such a programme, selected after thorough consultation with the Early Childhood Development Agency.

Key features of the centre include a gym and a sensory room, which provide equipment and activities designed around certain senses, such as sight and touch.

According to Dr Honey Ng, deputy director of PAP Community Foundation’s Inclusive Education Team, dysregulated children – or those prone to meltdowns and outbursts due to the difficulty they face in registering emotions – can calm down through various sensory stimuli in those activities.

A more interactive environment for the children can also act as a “third teacher”, she said. 

As part of the programme, early childcare and early intervention professionals collaborate to come up with lesson plans for the children. Notable features include teaching keyword signing to children, visual cards and a calming corner where children can express their emotional needs. These give them an alternative channel to communicate with their teachers and peers, which greatly benefits children with speech delays.

Madam Halimah acknowledged the tremendous benefits InSP has brought to parents of children with developmental needs, calling it a blessing for them.

A common issue for these parents is the amount of time needed to ferry their children to a separate centre for early intervention, then take them to childcare right afterwards, she said, noting that this process is very resource-intensive for the parents and tiring for the children.

Madam Halimah also noted that efforts to create an inclusive community in Singapore have improved, due to the prevalence of such support programmes and an increase in community dialogues that help break down the idea of special needs as a taboo topic.

“But, of course, there is always something more that we can do,” she said. “And I’m sure the community fully supports (this programme), because what we want to see is that every child is given a good start in life.”