- What is the Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children?
- What are the admission criteria?
- My child is a foreigner. Where can I go?
- How do I apply for EIPIC for my child?
- What is CEL's role in the EIPIC process?
- How does the referral process work?
- When and how will I know the outcome of my application?
- How soon can my child be enrolled with an EIPIC centre?
- Is EIPIC a full-day programme with a childcare facility?
- Do I get to choose whether my child attends the morning or afternoon session, or the number of sessions my child needs to undergo?
- Do I get to choose the type of therapy my child undergoes?
- Where can I find information on EIPIC centres, such as their location, contact details, therapy services, and charges?
- How will I know which centres have transport facilities, or whether the transport network covers my residential area?
- Can I visit the centre before deciding on the preferred choice for my child?
- Can I place my child on the waiting lists of different EIPIC centres at the same time?
- Can I request for my child to be transferred to another EIPIC centre, after my child has already been enrolled?
- I had previously withdrawn my child from EIPIC. Can my child be reinstated?
- I might not be able to afford the fees for EIPIC. How much subsidy am I entitled to, and how do I ask for more financial assistance?
- How do I know if my child is ready to progress to Primary 1 in a mainstream school?
- Where can I find information on private therapy centres?
- My child is aged within 7 to 18, and has special needs. Who can I approach for help?
- Is there an EIPIC-equivalent programme for older children? If so, how do I enrol my child for this programme?
1. What is the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children?
The
Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC), provides educational and therapy services for children aged 0 to 6 who are diagnosed to be at risk of having special needs that will affect their development. The programme aims to increase the developmental growth potential of the child, and minimise the development of secondary disabilities by providing support services for the child and family. EIPIC also provides early support to parents and caregivers in helping their children learn.
The Centre for Enabled Living (CEL) provides information and referrals to the government-aided EIPIC centres in Singapore.
2. What are the admission criteria?
To qualify for EIPIC, your child should be a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident aged 0 to 6. He should be diagnosed with developmental, intellectual, sensory or physical disabilities, or a combination of disabilities. He should not have high medical needs nor suffer from serious health conditions that require close individual supervision or nursing care, and should not have any infectious diseases.
3. My child is a foreigner. Where can I go?
Foreigners are advised to explore early intervention programmes by private service providers, due to long waiting lists at the government-aided EIPIC centres. This is because Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are given priority for placement at these centres. Furthermore, foreigners are not eligible for subsidies and will be required to pay full EIPIC fees.
4. How do I apply for EIPIC for my child?
Your child should be seen by a doctor at any polyclinic or private practice. The doctor will refer your child to a Child Development Unit (CDU) at KKH, NUH, SGH or a private hospital. A doctor from the CDU will assess your child and recommend him/her for early intervention if necessary.
5. What is CEL’s role in the EIPIC process?
CEL will refer your child to an appropriate EIPIC centre, taking into consideration the following factors:
- The type and severity of your child’s disabilities
- Your child's age
- The distance of the centre from your home
- Availability or vacancy in the centre
- Your request for certain facilities, if any, such as transport or music therapy
- The types of services offered at the centre
6. How does the referral process work?Upon receiving a referral, a Case Manager from CEL will contact parents on their preferred choice. The Case Manager will make a recommendation based on several factors (see Q5) if parents need some guidance in deciding which EIPIC centre is suitable for their child. CEL will then refer the parents to the designated or preferred EIPIC centre.
7. When and how will I know the outcome of my application?
The designated EIPIC centre will respond to CEL’s referral within 1.5 months or 6 weeks. The EIPIC centre will contact you directly to arrange for an interview and assessment for your child.
8. How soon can my child be enrolled with an EIPIC centre?
This depends on the centre’s waiting list. The average waiting time currently is 6 to 12 months for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and 6 to 9 months for children who don’t have ASD.
9. Is EIPIC a full-day programme with a childcare facility?
No, EIPIC is not a full-day programme. Generally, the duration of each EIPIC session ranges from 2 to 4 hours. The session frequency ranges from 2 to 5 days per week, depending on the centre’s assessment of the child’s needs.
If you require full-day childcare facilities, you may explore and request for the
Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP) with your child’s doctor in the hospital.
10. Do I get to choose whether my child attends the morning or afternoon session, or the number of sessions my child needs to undergo?
You may raise your preference for the morning or afternoon session with the centre. However, such requests are subject to the centre’s availability and vacancy. With regard to the session frequency, the centre’s therapist will assess your child and advise on the suitable programme and its frequency.
11. Do I get to choose the type of therapy my child undergoes?
No, all the EIPIC centres have a holistic programme that focuses on developmental, functional, social, motor, cognitive, language, communication, and self-help skills. If you only want a certain component of the programme, for instance only speech and language therapy, you should explore private intervention instead.
12. Where can I find information on EIPIC centres, such as their location, contact details, therapy services, and charges?
13. How will I know which centres have transport facilities, or whether the transport network covers my residential area?
This information can be found in the
EIPIC Service Matrix. You can also call the individual centres directly to enquire on transport fees and whether the transport network covers your residential area. You can also call the centre directly if you have any special requests on transport arrangements.
14. Can I visit the centre before deciding on the preferred choice for my child?
Yes. However, you should call the centre to make an appointment first. It is up to the centres to decide if they allow visitors. The centres’ contact details are available in the
EIPIC Service Matrix.
15. Can I place my child on the waiting lists of different EIPIC centres at the same time?
No, your child may only be referred to one EIPIC centre at any given time.
16. Can I request for my child to be transferred to another EIPIC centre, after my child has already been enrolled?
You may contact CEL’s Case Manager and request for a transfer if there is a valid reason for doing so, for instance if you are moving house. If your reason is accepted by CEL, the Case Manager will refer your child to your centre of choice. You have to officially withdraw your child from the first EIPIC centre, as soon as the second centre confirms acceptance of your child. You may do so by contacting the EIPIC centre via phone, mail or email.
17. I had previously withdrawn my child from EIPIC. Can my child be reinstated?
Yes. If you request for a reinstatement within 1 year from the date of your child’s medical report, CEL can reinstate your child without further requirements. If your request for reinstatement is more than 1 year past the date of your child’s medical report, then your child has to be reassessed by the hospital to be referred for placement.
18. I might not be able to afford the fees for EIPIC. How much subsidy am I entitled to, and how do I ask for more financial assistance?
All the government-aided EIPIC centres are funded by the government and have subsidy schemes in place to help parents defray programme fees. The centres will conduct means-testing to decide how much subsidy should be given. If you need more financial assistance, you should discuss it with the centre during your child’s interview and assessment.
You may also tap on the Baby Bonus scheme to offset the EIPIC fees. If you require more financial assistance, you may approach your nearby Community Development Council to apply for financial aid.
19. How do I know if my child is ready for progress to Primary 1 in a mainstream school?
Your child will have an Individual Educational Plan set up by the EIPIC centre to track his/her progress and achievements. The centre will share this information periodically with you. When your child reaches the age of 5 or 5.5, the centre will assess your child, or recommend him/her for an assessment at the hospital, to determine if he/she is ready for mainstream education.
If your child is found unsuitable for mainstream education, the centre or doctor at the hospital will recommend your child for enrolment with a special education school. More information on special education schools can be found in the Ministry of Education’s (MOE)
website.
20. Where can I find information on private therapy centres?
This information is available in the Baby Bonus
website by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS). Parents need to make their own arrangements with private therapy centres, as CEL provides referrals only to government-aided centres.
Parents can offset the private therapy fees using the Baby Bonus scheme provided the private centre has been granted the Approved Institution status by MCYS.
21. My child is aged within the range of 7 to 18, and has special needs. Who can I approach for help?
You should approach the
Child Guidance Clinic (CGC), as CDUs in hospitals only cater to special needs children aged 0 to 6. There are 2 CGCs in Singapore, and both are run by the Institute of Mental Health.
22. Is there an EIPIC-equivalent programme for older children? If so, how do I enrol my child under this programme?
Older children with special needs may enrol under the Special Education (SPED)programme, which is under MOE's purview. Parents are advised to check with MOE directly or refer to their
website for more details. Parents may also approach social workers from the CGC for assistance. Alternatively, they can contact the schools that offer SPED for more information.