More Funding for Development Support-Plus Programme for Children Requiring Early Intervention Support

5 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry can provide more funding for the Development Support-Plus (DS-Plus) programme that supports children who require low levels of early intervention support.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) funds a suite of Early Intervention (EI) programmes tailored to support children requiring different levels of EI support. Along with the Development Support – Learning Support programme, the Development Support-Plus (DS-Plus) programme supports children requiring low levels of EI support in preschools. EI professionals support the child in his or her preschool up to twice a week, co-teaching the child alongside the preschool teacher.

The Government has been increasing spending on EI over the years, including the DS-Plus programme, expanding the number of EI places and lowering fees for EI services. DS-Plus fees are subsidised and, with ECDA's support, sector partners reach out to parents and preschools to offer DS-Plus to eligible children in the preschools they are enrolled in.