By Elgin Chong, TODAY, 31 Oct 2014
A pilot programme to help vulnerable mothers and their young children has seen 23 families come on board since it was announced in July.
Known as Temasek Cares — Kids Integrated Development Service (KIDS) 0–3, the programme is the first of its kind in Singapore and aims to help 300 families with their children’s educational, social, physical and psychological needs from birth to the age of three.
Since the pilot began, 23 mothers and their children have benefited from the programme.
The pilot was launched officially yesterday by Temasek Cares, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and the Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre, with more details of the programme provided.
To qualify for the programme, the mother must have a per capita income of S$650 or less. She must also be a Singapore citizen or a permanent resident and live in Ang Mo Kio.
During the programme, a nurse will be assigned to teach the expectant mum basic childcare and family planning from her sixth week of pregnancy. Before the child is born, community health visitors will be roped in to aid with parent-child bonding until the three years are up.
And throughout the three years, social workers will be on hand to look into the psychological welfare of both mother and child.
To help the programme reach out to the targeted number of expectant mums, Temasek Cares has injected an initial seed funding of S$2.3 million to set up a Temasek Cares KIDS Centre, which provides parenting classes. The funds will also be used for the appointment of nurses, social workers and community health visitors, who will conduct periodic house visits.
Professor Chay Oh Moh, who directs the programme, hopes the initiative will help children from vulnerable backgrounds begin on an equal footing with other children when they start schooling.
“I hope that this concept will not just be Temasek Cares-driven, but something that will be adopted nationwide,” added Prof Chay.
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