Barriers of Access to Support Schemes for Caregivers of Persons with Disabilities

Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what has been the trend of caregivers of persons with disabilities who have sought assistance to improve their mental well-being; (b) what are the barriers to access for caregivers who need assistance to improve their mental well-being; and (c) what is the Ministry’s plan to increase outreach to these caregivers in terms of awareness and affordability to improve caregivers’ mental well-being.

We recognise the importance of supporting caregivers of persons with disabilities who may face higher levels of stress, compared to the general population. During our engagements as part of the Enabling Masterplan 2030, caregivers have given feedback on the need to improve awareness and navigation of available caregiver resources and more streamlined and timely access to services, such as respite care.

Caregivers who need information and support may access the Enabling Guide on SG Enable’s website. The Enabling Guide serves as a first-stop online resource to help persons with disabilities and their caregivers make informed decisions about the schemes and services that best suit their life stage. Within the Enabling Guide is the Caregiver Learning Roadmap, a companion guide for caregivers to gain relevant knowledge, skills and resources to care for themselves and their loved ones based on disability type, specific caregiving area or stages of their caregiving journey. Caregivers who need more information on caregiver support services can contact SG Enable’s caregiver support team. Caregivers who are distressed and need someone to speak to may call the Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline or the Samaritans of Singapore for support.

Apart from disability services for their care recipients, SG Enable also worked with the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) to pilot the Take-A-Break respite programme from 2020 to 2023, offering short-term home-based respite services to about 200 families. Following some enhancements, the second run of the programme began in April 2024.

Peer support for caregivers is also critical. For example, CaringSG, a caregiver-led initiative for special needs caregivers and the community, which is supported by SG Enable, runs programmes, such as CAREconnect and CAREbuddy, where caregivers can participate in inclusive social events for family bonding and journey with fellow caregivers, and 3,900 caregivers have benefited since CaringSG’s establishment in 2021.

In addition, the Enabling Services Hubs work with community partners to reach out to persons with disabilities and their caregivers and bring community-based support closer to home for persons with disabilities and caregivers through inclusive activities and programmes.

We will continue to assess trends and review the options to better support caregivers, as part of the Enabling Masterplan 2030.