Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) when will the pilot for extending the Development Support and Learning Support (DS-LS) Programme to children who are differently abled at the nursery levels end; and (b) what factors will be taken into consideration to determine whether to make the DS-LS Programme permanent at the nursery levels.
Answer
1 The Development Support-Learning Support (DS-LS) Programme supports preschool children aged 5 and 6 with mild developmental delays or learning needs. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) piloted the Programme to preschool children aged 3 to 4 in 2022. ECDA is currently working with a consultancy team from the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) to review the outcomes of the pilot.
2 In evaluating the outcomes of the pilot, ECDA will consider the effectiveness of the support provided and resources required, as well as how the programme may complement existing preschool-based early intervention services.