Children Development Services
Early Start Programme
Early Experiences last a lifetime
The Early Start Programme (ESP) serves children from birth to 4 years of age.
ESP is designed to place a greater emphasis on cognitive and social development, preparing children for EIPIC or mainstream Early Childhood Development Centre learning environments. ESP includes activities to develop pre-reading, pre-math, and problem-solving skills.
ESP is a specialized intervention programme for children with identified developmental delays or disabilities, offering tailored support and therapies to address their specific needs.
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 Development Services
Adult Enhancement Program
Enabling Independence
The Adult Enhancement Programme (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 with the aim to support our learners’ further development based on their needs. Based on the assessment and observations of each learner’s needs, they will be involved in a differentiated teaching programme which will provide different learning opportunities and activities.
Our AEP team also work closely with our industry partners to prepare learners, who are placed or will be placed in open employment and supported employment for work life and render support to help them succeed in the workplace through the Work Readiness Assisted Programme (WRAP).
WRAP endeavours to bridge the disconnect between Skills Training and Job Support and narrow the gap between employers’ expectations and the client’s ability to actually meet them.
WRAP serves to enable the following:
- Develop clients to be competent in terms of knowledge, skills, and character in which it covers various aspects of client’s development through vocational training and be ‘Job ready’ when placing out to work.
- Provide opportunity for them to play an active and valued role in society.
- Promote inclusiveness and equality in employment with the hope that employers will recognise the individual potential and provide the right opportunity or support.
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 is a purpose built outfit that 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 living 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 supported community accommodation. The module-based quality person-centred programmes help to assist our persons with Down syndrome to better realise their goals and aspirations through their journey in gaining greater self-independence.
The learners in the ILT Centre attend the Enhanced Independence Programme which serves to enable the following:
- Support our learners’ further development based on their needs.
- Based on the assessment and observations of each learner’s needs, selected learners will be involved in this programme which provides different learning opportunities and activities.
- Empower learners to plan and execute self-initiated activities based on the domains planned for them in the Independent Living and Training Centre where they have opportunities to practice the skills they have learned.
- Provide opportunities for them to play an active and valued role in society through community integration and volunteer activities.
Our ILT Centre 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 through the Work Readiness Assisted Programme (WRAP).
WRAP endeavours to bridge the disconnect between Skills Training and Job Support and narrow the gap between employers’ expectations and the client’s ability to actually meet them.
WRAP serves to enable the following:
- Develop clients to be competent in terms of knowledge, skills, and character in which it covers various aspects of client’s development through vocational training and be ‘Job ready’ when placing out to work.
- Provide opportunity for them to play an active and valued role in society.
- Promote inclusiveness and equality in employment with the hope that employers will recognise the individual potential and provide the right opportunity or support.
Learning goals
Independent living with minimum support in a community setting
Foster mutual support among fellow peers
Socio-emotional learning
Community integration
Schedule: Wednesday and Friday
Time: 11:00 am to 3:00 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: 4:00 pm to 5:30 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
Learning 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.
Caregiver Support Group
Caregiver Support Group aims to provide a holistic peer support ecosystem in DSA for caregivers of children with special needs. The group offers a safe environment for you to share your caregiving journey and enhance your access to knowledge, skills, resources and support within the community. Such interaction can provide emotional support, social support, and informational support which allow better stress management and reduce the sense of isolation.
