Public Healthcare Pathways for Special Educational Needs Assessment for Children, and Wait Times from Referral to Therapy and Between Therapy Sessions

15 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) what is the pathway for Special Educational Needs assessment under the public healthcare system for children aged seven and above; and (b) what is the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile wait time (i) from initial referral to formal diagnosis (ii) from formal diagnosis to the commencement of subsidised therapy sessions and (iii) between subsequent therapy sessions respectively.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Where necessary, schools refer children to Response, Early Intervention, Assessment in Community Mental Health teams and/or Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) at the Public Healthcare Institutions. Parents who are concerned may also seek help at SOCs.

Wait times generally range from one to four months from referral to assessment by a healthcare professional, and from two weeks to three months from assessment to therapy. Wait times between therapy sessions vary based on interventions and are not tracked.