S’pore’s first one-stop help centre for vulnerable kids, mums opens

SINGAPORE — A one-stop help centre targeted at vulnerable children from birth to three years of age and their mothers was officially opened by President Tony Tan today (Oct 9).

The first of its kind in Singapore, the Temasek Cares KIDS 0-3 Centre’s aim is to bring together a multi-layered programme, spanning health, social and educational services. Located at Block 643, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, the centre is supported by a team of professionals from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre.

Through centre-based services and home visits, these professionals will regularly assess the development of the children and ensure that vaccinations are up to date. Expectant mothers will get prenatal and postnatal care, and will be guided on how to care for their child, such as with advice on proper nutrition, lifestyle adjustments, breast-feeding and how to provide a stimulating environment for early childhood learning.

Families can also get a range of psycho-social support, such as financial and employment assistance as well as mental health services. Beyond such formal support, the centre aims to be a social gathering point for mothers and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

More than 110 families are enrolled in the Temasek Cares KIDS 0-3 programme. The pilot programme expects to serve a total of 600 mothers and children over three years, with funding of S$8.7 million by Temasek Cares.

“Children need the right start in life to reach their full potential,” said Temasek Cares chairman Richard Magnus. “The critical window for development is from age zero to three. We initiated the Temasek Cares KIDS 0-3 programme to provide children from vulnerable families with the same start as all other children — good nutrition, early stimulation, cognitive development and emotional security.

“This will help them close the development gap by the time they enter pre-school.”

Temasek Cares is the philanthropic arm of government investment firm Temasek Holdings. CHANNEL NEWSASIA