Service to help parents find the right special education school bears fruit

SINGAPORE — One parent thought all special education (SPED) schools were for children with conditions such as Down syndrome and unsuitable for his child who has a mild intellectual disability. Another parent thought her child’s school was trying to have the child transferred elsewhere, instead of helping her address the child’s disability.

These were some misconceptions that surfaced among the 50 families that have tapped a service aimed at helping parents find the right SPED programme for their children, since it was introduced at more primary schools a year ago.

School leaders and social workers TODAY spoke to said the service has come in useful, with many parents still in need of guidance on their children’s education options, and help with coping with the emotional strain of caring for a child with special needs.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said the latest number of families involved is more than double the number referred during the pilot phase at 14 primary schools in 2012.

Called the Post-Diagnosis Educational Guidance service, it is now available at all primary schools. The MOE partners voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) to advise parents on schooling options and the application process to the 20 SPED schools here, catering to different learning needs such as autism and physical disabilities.

The ministry did not give numbers on how many students were transferred to SPED schools as a result.

Among the VWOs working with the MOE is Students Care Service. Its senior social worker Goh-Ang Kai Fen said parents faced very real challenges in making a decision about their child’s education choices.

This includes being unable to come to terms with their child’s diagnosis, and mistakenly thinking that transferring the child to a SPED school meant they had given up. Families could also be dealing with strained relationships and practical concerns such as SPED schools being located too far away from their homes, said Mrs Goh-Ang.

“The existence of the Post-Diagnosis Educational Guidance service means consultants can journey with the parents in their decision-making, help clarify issues and information they have from … information talks, or misconceptions,” she said.

The service has also provided a neutral platform for an emotive issue. For instance, the mother who felt the school was trying to get rid of her child realised after speaking to counsellors that receiving special education early was important and that the school had the child’s interests at heart.

Mrs Goh-Ang felt there is now greater public awareness about SPED, a point echoed by school leaders TODAY spoke to. One change that has been useful to parents was the simplification of the application process to a single form for all SPED schools introduced in 2012. Previously, parents had to submit individual forms to different schools.

Canossian School Principal Terry Theseira noted that if a child does not get into one school, parents are allowed to submit the same form to another school.

“It is already not an easy decision to come to for the parents and a more manageable application process will really help them,” she said.

However, the work to better inform the public on SPED continues. Metta School vice-principal Anuwar Abdul Wahab said it could be challenging for schools to manage parents’ expectations on what is a suitable SPED school for their child and there was a need for better awareness on the curriculum and resources offered at various schools.

AWWA School principal Ruby Chiew noted that parents might not have a good understanding of their child’s learning needs or which school suits them, adding that the school would continue to work with other SPED partners to provide more public outreach.

Mrs Goh-Ang suggested giving parents more details on advancement opportunities in store for special needs students in SPED schools and holding information sessions in Mother Tongue languages, apart from English.