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

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.

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.