Children Education Services
Infant Toddler Program
Early Experiences last a lifetime
Our Infant Toddler Program (ITP) is an Early Intervention Program registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development. It supports families and their children with Down syndrome aged 0 to 48 months.
ITP helps families build knowledge and skills to meet the developmental and learning needs of their child through everyday learning opportunities in a safe, fun, and loving environment. The play- and exploration-based New Zealand approach provides opportunities for families and children to experience learning in a meaningful and purposeful way. Infants and toddlers learn through all their senses by touching, smelling, hearing, seeing, and tasting different materials from an early age, honing their skills in exploration, investigation, problem-solving and decision-making.
The program also provides opportunities to meet other families for support, to discuss challenges and share information and resources.
Focus is on areas
Fine/gross motor skills
Sensory development
Engagement and Self-regulation
Social Interaction
Centre-based sessions are conducted on a weekly basis, along with home visits on a monthly basis to support parents.
This ensures that families of infants and toddlers with special needs have the opportunity to enhance the development of their children within their everyday routines, activities and places.
Integration Facilitation Support Program
Providing positive experiences in mainstream settings
Our Integration Facilitation Support Program (IFSP) caters to students with Down syndrome aged 3 to 14 years who are enrolled in Early Childhood Education Centres and mainstream education settings.
DSA adopts a student-centred approach by collaborating with parents and teachers to assimilate children with Down syndrome into the school community. IFSP aims to increase the possibility of children with Down syndrome completing basic mainstream education. Our MOE-registered teachers will support the student’s schooling journey by providing differentiated learning experiences that focus on academics, self-advocacy, and social-emotional skill development through exploration, modelling, and learning.
We believe all children are born with the innate ability to reach their own excellence, and we seek to address the total needs of the child as a learner and active participant.
Services include
Promotes positive outcomes through engaging and collaborating learning experiences
In-class support during lesson time
Consultation and resource support for schoolteachers to embed intervention strategies into classroom routines and activities
Enhancement of the family’s capacity to provide learning opportunities for their child
Prenatal Support
Making an informed decision
DSA has a Prenatal Support service to guide and support expectant parents to make well-informed decisions. The team provides relevant, accurate, balanced, and up-to-date information about Down syndrome and living with Down syndrome. All expectant couples may contact DSA for free pre-natal support sessions and counselling for an empowered pregnancy.
Education Enhancement Program
Building an inclusive society
Our Children Education Services team provides a series of professional development workshops for early educators and schoolteachers. The workshop modules are geared to provide knowledge, build capacities, develop leadership abilities, and grow professionally.
Adult Education Services
Adult Enhancement Program
Enabling Independence
The Adult Enhancement Program (AEP) is designed for adults with Down syndrome and/or intellectual disability age 18 and above. DSA adopts an active support approach that engages the mind and promotes relationship building, positive language, and motivation. This method of delivery stimulates all five development domains – physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and language.
We believe that personal development occurs on a continuum and individuals learn and pick up skills differently. As such, AEP activities are designed towards the goal of minimal dependence on family and society. Our AEP team also work closely with our industry partners to prepare learners, who are placed or will be placed in open employment for work life and render support to help them succeed in the workplace.
Learning goals
Lifelong functional and self-care skills
Independent living skills
Social emotional learning
Community integration
Schedule: Monday to Friday
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: DSA Centre @ Bishan
Independent Living and Training Centre
Empowering Independence
The Independent Living and Training (ILT) Centre adopts an active support model to promote opportunities for adults with Down syndrome and/or intellectual disability age 18 and above to develop, practise and maintain independent skills together with their peers. The preparatory support service enables the practice of transitional life skills utilising local community infrastructure, thereby promoting greater independence.
The ILT Centre aims to support transitional life chapters from being solely supported by their caregivers to practising independent living skills and actualising adulthood lifestyles based at home or at a community accommodation option with drop-in support in the future. The module-based quality person-centred programs help to assist our persons with Down syndrome to better realised their goals and aspirations through their journey in gaining greater self-independence.
Learning goals
Independent living with minimum support in a community setting
Foster mutual support among fellow peers
Socio-emotional learning
Community integration
Schedule: Monday to Friday
Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: ILT Centre @ Telok Blangah Crescent
Enrichment Programs
Visual Art
During the Visual Art sessions, learners will use a mixture of craft, drawing and painting on mediums like paper, canvas, and cloth. This helps our learners to explore self-expression, develop creativity and understand visual patterns. The program improves the fine motor skills and level of concentration of our learners.
Schedule: Tuesday
Time: 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
Age group: 10 years old and above
Dance
Learners learn the art of communication through body language. They are taught a variety of dance techniques ranging from traditional to modern dance styles. Dancing improves their gross and fine motor skills, coordination, balance, visual-spatial reasoning, as well as boosts their self-confidence.
Creative Dance (Basic)
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Age group: 12 to 18 years old
Fusion Dance (Intermediate)
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Age group: 18 years old and above
*Note that the age group categorisation is only a guide. Students will be grouped after an evaluation by the instructors and discussion with parents.
Percussion
Through fun and engaging learning, learners are taught different drumming styles and rhythmic patterns. The lessons emphasise basic rhythms, speed and use of hand techniques. Aside from fostering their creative expressions, drumming develops their memory, focal attention, discipline, motor planning and teamwork.
Drums & Percussion 1
Schedule: Wednesday
Time: 6:00pm to 7:00 pm
Age group: 13 years old and above
Drums & Percussion 2
Schedule: Wednesday
Time: 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Age group: 13 years old and above
*Note that the age group categorisation is only a guide. Students will be grouped after an evaluation by the instructors and discussion with parents.
Speech & Drama
In every child there is a need for expression and a desire to be known. Drama provides a safe space and instils in our learners the confidence to express themselves. It also helps to develop their skills in thinking, memory, speech, language, and motor planning and sequencing.
Speech & Drama 1 (Junior)
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Age group: 6 to 12 years old
Speech & Drama 2 (Senior)
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Age group: 13 to 18 years old
Speech & Drama 3 (Senior)
Schedule: Tuesday
Time: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Age group: 18 years old and above
*Note that the age group categorisation is only a guide. Students will be grouped after an evaluation by the Association and discussion with parents.
Literacy & Numeracy
kidsREAD
Literacy is essential for communication. kidsREAD, a program supported by National Library Board and run by a group of dedicated DSA volunteers, encourages the habit of reading. It encompasses dynamic reading activities that develop reading skills, creativity and imagination while working on pronunciation, verbalisation, and social communication. This program explores different genres of books to cultivate the children’s progressive reading habits.
kidsREAD 1 (Senior)
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Age group: 14 to 25 years old
kidsREAD 2 (Junior)
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Age group: 8 to 17 years old
Sports & Fitness
Aikido
Aikido is a modern Japanese martial art that enables one to defend against an opponent of larger size and strength. It focuses on continuous, circular motion and the dynamics of movement.
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Age group: 12 years old and above
Bowling
Bowling develops good muscle tone and improves one’s balance, coordination, and motor skills. Instructors work on bowling techniques and prepare selected learners for competitive events. It is also a good platform for learners to interact with each other and hone their interpersonal skills.
Bowling
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Venue: Singapore Recreational Club
Age group: 12 years old and above
Zumba
Zumba provides a full body workout, effectively engaging the muscles through moving and dancing to upbeat music. It also improves one’s flexibility and balance.
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Age group: 10 years old and above
Family Support Services
Care Planning
FSS works with parents to identify and discuss suitable pathways for their child with special needs. Areas of discussion includes education, health, and social needs. Relevant resources will also be shared with parents to aid them in making informed parenting decisions.
Caregivers’ Ukulele Group
Leaning an instrument and playing together builds rapport between caregivers and promotes caregiver resilience in a supportive environment. This instrument is chosen as it is easy to learn and has reported stress-relieving benefits.
Deputyship
Deputyship is a partnership between FSS and NUS Law School. This program helps parents of children with special needs with their deputyship applications so that they can continue to make legal decisions for their child after he/she turns 21.
Educational Talks
FSS organises specialised workshops throughout the year to equip parents and caregivers with relevant knowledge to promote mental wellness and better support their child’s development from infancy to adulthood. These workshops helped to increase the confidence and skills of caregivers in their caregiving role.
Parent Support Group
Parent Support Group serves as a platform to provide peer support for parents or caregivers of children with special needs. Trained parent mentors (who have children with Down syndrome) will share their personal parenting experiences and provide guidance and information regarding education, medical and community resources for children with special needs.
Their roles as friends and guides provide an unparalleled support system. Sharing their joys and sorrows, new parents will know that they are not alone in their journey.
