Children Development Services
Early Start Programme (ESP)
Early experiences last a lifetime
The Early Start Programme (ESP) provides early intervention and transdisciplinary specialist therapy for children, aged zero (0) to four (4) years old, with Down syndrome and other special needs. ESP is Baby Bonus Approved and a Registered Early Intervention Programme with the Early Childhood Development Agency.
ESP provides critical support during early childhood for our children to develop, grow and learn such that they can reach their best potential and achieve a higher quality of life.
Our team, comprising of Early Intervention Teachers, Speech Therapist, Physiotherapist, and Social Workers, works closely with parents and caregivers to develop an Individual Plan for each child with customised intervention catering to their unique needs across six (6) key domains including:
• Fine motor
• Gross motor
• Cognitive
• Language and communication
• Social
• Adaptive life skills
ESP is a caregiver-accompanied programme. While the transdisciplinary team delivers the specialist intervention to our children, they also coach parents and equip them with key knowledge and skills to continue stimulating and supporting their children at home to develop to their full potential.
Areas of Focus
Fine/gross motor skills
Sensory development
Engagement and Self-regulation
Social Interaction
Centre-based sessions are conducted on a weekly basis to ensure 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 Programme (IFSP)
Providing positive experiences in mainstream settings
The Integration Facilitation Support Programme (IFSP) supports students with Down syndrome, aged three (3) to 14, in their education by facilitating their inclusion and learning in schools. The programme is offered to children enrolled in different educational settings, including early childhood centres, mainstream primary schools, and special education schools.
IFSP offers individualised support through one-to-one education support sessions designed to complement the schools’ curriculum and customised to the unique learning needs of each child. To promote the holistic educational achievements and development of our children, IFSP focuses on the following domains:
i. Cognitive skills and academics (literacy and numeracy)
ii. Social emotional learning
Where possible, our IFSP teachers deliver one-to-one support in the child’s school to promote situated learning and facilitate the successful inclusion of the child in the school environment. In addition to school-based sessions, IFSP started to offer centre-based sessions to cater to the different needs and situations of our children in 2024. DSA also extended the support beyond school terms and offered additional educational support sessions during the school holidays to ensure that our children continue to be supported and sustain their momentum to maintain their progress during the academic break. This initiative was warmly received by parents.
Our specially trained teachers work closely with parents and caregivers in developing the individual learning plan and delivering the customised support required for each child. The IFSP team provides regular progress reports to the parents with recommendations on home strategies for parents to continue to support their children’s learning at home. Where needed, DSA also conducts workshops and sharing sessions for teachers on how they can support students with special needs to promote inclusive education in schools.
Services include
Engaging and collaborating learning experiences that promote positive outcomes
In-class support during lesson time
Enhancement of the family’s capacity to provide learning opportunities for their child
Tiny Talker (New!)
Play-based language and communication programme
Designed specially for children aged 4 years and below, Tiny Talker focuses on play-based language and communication development, guided by a professional speech therapist.
Through engaging activities and guided play, we’ll help your little ones build strong early communication skills in a fun, nurturing environment.
Day: Every Saturday
Time: 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Venue: DSA Centre @ Bishan
Education Enhancement Programme
Building an inclusive society
Our Children Development 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 Programme (AEP)
Enabling Independence
The Adult Enhancement Programme (AEP) is designed for individuals aged 18 and above with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities and special needs. The programme focuses on building essential life, functional, and vocational skills to enhance our learners’ independence in their activities of daily living (ADLs) and capability for meaningful social interactions and is customised to meet the differing needs of learners with different functional capabilities.
AEP offers varied classroom-based and experiential training to develop the skills of our learners across five (5) key development domains and a holistic range of modules. AEP teaches and trains our learners to:
• Develop personal strategies and skills for self-care and managing daily activities.
• Master functional skills that support independent living.
• Learn to travel and live independently.
• Enhance vocational skills and employability through both in-house and external placements to prepare for open and supported employment.
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
Enhanced Independence Programme (EIP)
Empowering Independence
The Enhanced Independence Programme (EIP) is conducted at DSA’s Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC). EIP offers a modular programme to strengthen the instrumental functional life skills for our learners to develop their planning, decision-making, and community participation skills to enhance their capabilities for independent living in the community.
EIP aims to enhance learners’ capabilities in the following areas:
• Food and consumer education
• Mobility training
• Community integration outings
• Money and budgeting skills
• Social and emotional skills
• Home living skills
• Recreational and social engagement activities
• Vocational training at DSA Thriftshop
To promote higher-level functioning skills of our learners to lead independent lives, our trainers guide our learners in decision-making and planning skills and how they can apply their functional and adaptive skills in the real home environment and community.
At the purposefully built ILTC which is modelled as a typical home environment, our learners are guided to plan and make decisions on their daily lives. EIP trainers guide our learners in initiating and planning their daily living and social activities, helping them hone decision-making skills and apply practical life skills in real-life situations.
The programme also conducts training and activities in the community to promote social inclusion and enhance our learners’ capabilities for community living. Through different community engagement activities and volunteering work, our learners can contribute actively and be recognised as valued members of society.
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
Work Readiness Assisted Programme (WRAP)
The Work Readiness Assisted Programme (WRAP) was launched in July 2023. WRAP supports adults with Down syndrome in their journey towards employment and independence. The programme adopts a person-centred approach, tailored to the unique needs and aspirations of each individual with the aim of enhancing employability and life skills.
Our team 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.
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.
Joyful Living (Senior Programme)
Joyful Living (JL) is especially designed for individuals aged 35 and above with Down Syndrome. The main focus of the program is on enhancing their quality of life through meaningful engagements. As individual grows older, their needs evolve and this program aims to provide a supportive enriching environment where they can continue to thrive. JL ensures members stay actively involved in a variety of experiences tailored to their interests and abilities. Through social, recreational and skill building activities, the program fosters independence, confidence and a sense of fulfilment.
Schedule: Monday, Tuesday and Friday
Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: DSA Centre @ Bishan
Enrichment Programmes
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 programme 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.
FunStep Dance
Schedule: Friday
Time: 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Age group: 11 years old and below
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.
Drums & 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.
Schedule: Saturday
Time: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Venue: Singapore Recreational Club
Age group: 12 years old and above
Swim Sprouts
A fun and safe introduction to swimming for young learners! This class helps children aged 8 and below build water confidence, learn basic strokes, floating, and water safety through engaging games and guided instruction by a certified swim coach. Perfect for beginners and early swimmers.
Schedule: Saturdays
Time: 5:00pm – 5:45pm
Venue: Kallang Basin ActiveSG Swimming Complex
Age group: 8 years old and below
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
Support and Advocacy Services
Psychosocial Support
SAS provides professional interventions to address personal and family challenges and enhance overall wellbeing through:
• Information and referral
• Casework and counselling
• Financial and social assistance
• Future care planning
Community Partnerships
Building a supportive ecosystem to promote social inclusion and enhance the capability of individuals with Down syndrome to live independent lives in the community.
Research and Advocacy
Increasing understanding of individuals with Down syndrome to increase support and promote meaningful social inclusion and fulfilment of the fullest potential of individuals with Down syndrome. Encourage self-advocacy through talks and workshops.
Family and Caregiver Support
SAS aims to build a holistic support ecosystem to strengthen caregivers’ support network and address challenges from the pre-natal stage and beyond through:
• Caregivers’ Support Programme
• Family Support Services (FSS)
• Workshops and activities to promote mental wellness
and caregiving capability
• Caregivers’ interest groups and support groups
