Overview of Programme
EI centres progressively offer a continuum of early intervention (EI) services that are better tailored to the varied developmental needs of our children, and the changes in a child’s developmental needs over time. The continuum of EI services include the following:
a)
EIPIC Under-2s: This programme is targeted at children under 2 years old. It emphasises the training of parents/caregivers so that they can effectively carry out intervention strategies in the child’s daily routines at home. Such intervention strategies will help the child learn through his/her daily activities, and lead to early and more effective intervention. The EIPIC Under-2s programme requires the parent/caregiver to accompany the child. At 2 years old, the child will transition to the EIPIC@Centre programme.
b)
EIPIC@Centre: This is a programme that provides both therapy and educational intervention services, typically in small groups. The child’s progress will be assessed regularly and the intervention goals and strategies customised to the child’s individual requirements.
c)
DS-Plus: This is a programme that is provided in preschools targeted at children who have made sufficient progress under the EIPIC@Centre programme, and are attending a preschool. EI professionals from the EI centre will work with the child in his/her preschool for an average of 2 to 4 hours per week, co-teaching the child alongside the preschool teacher. This mode of intervention helps the child to adapt to the preschool setting, so that they can continue learning and be equipped with skills to interact and learn within a larger class setting. There is
no need to apply for DS-Plus. As part of regular progress reviews, the child’s EI professionals will use the Early Intervention Benchmarking Framework1 to identify children who are suitable for transition to DS-Plus. EI professionals will engage parents if the child is assessed to be suitable for DS Plus.
1. This is a framework comprise a standard combination of tools used to assess children in EI services, at entry and exit, and periodically throughout the programme.
Table 1: Overview of the Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC) and Development Support Plus (DS-Plus) programmes
| Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC) programme |
Development Support Plus (DS-Plus) |
EIPIC Under-2s |
EIPIC@Centre |
Target group | Children referred to EIPIC by a paediatrician and who are below 2 years old | Children referred to EIPIC by a pediatrician, and who are
2 years old and above | Children who are assessed by their EI Centres to have made sufficient progress under EIPIC@Centre |
Setting | EI centre, or at home (advised by EI centre) | EI centre, or at home (advised by EI centre) | Preschool |
Programme structure and requirements | - 2 – 4 hours per week
- Parent/caregiver’s presence is required
| - 5 – 12 hours per week
- Parent/caregiver’s presence may be required at selected centres
| - 2 – 4 hours per week
- Attending a preschool
|
Areas of focus | - Increased emphasis on upskilling parents/caregivers
- Training of parents/ caregivers to carry out intervention strategies in the child’s daily routines at home
- Embeds learning opportunities throughout in the child’s daily life, leading to more sustainable outcomes
| - Improved motor, communication, social, self-help and cognitive skills
- Provides transition support for parents with children who will be due for entry in primary school (special education or mainstream primary school) e.g., providing information on post-preschool placements and providing school readiness assessment
| - EI professionals from the EI centre will work with the child in his or her preschool, through co-teaching the child alongside with the preschool teacher or individualised session (if required by the child)
- Supports the child to adapt to the preschool setting
- Equips child with the skills necessary to interact and learn within a larger class setting
- Shares strategies with preschool teachers and parents
- Provides transition support for parents with children who will be due for entry in primary school (special education or mainstream primary school) e.g., providing information on post-preschool placements and providing school readiness assessment
|
The EIPIC Under-2s and DS-Plus programmes have been implemented across all 21 centres in phases since July 2019. For more information on the implementation of these two programmes at the EI centres, please refer to the
Annex.
SG Enable provides referrals to government-funded EI centres in Singapore, based on parent’s preferred choice of EI centre. The EI centre will assess your child periodically to determine the suitable programme for them as well as the appropriate intervention goals and strategies.
Who is eligible?
The Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC) are for children who are:
- From birth to 6 years old2 ;
- Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents;
- Assessed by a paediatrician3 to be at risk of a developmental, intellectual, sensory or physical disability, or a combination of disabilities; and
- Not concurrently enrolled in any other ECDA-funded EI programmes (i.e. DS-LS, DS-Plus programmes).
Meet other specific programme criteria as per Table 1.
2 Please see Table 1 for the respective age criteria of the specific EIPIC and DS-Plus programmes. Please note that child who are 7 years old and older may be served in EIPIC if he/she is assessed by a paediatrician to require deferment for registration.
3.The paediatrician should be registered with the Singapore Medical Council.
How to Apply?
Please have a doctor at any polyclinic refer your child for assessment at the Department of Child Development (DCD) at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) or Child Development Unit (CDU) at National University Hospital (NUH). The hospital will recommend EIPIC if your child is assessed to be suitable. Alternatively, you may approach a private paediatrician for assessment and recommendation for EIPIC.
Once your child has been assessed suitable, the hospital or private paediatrician will submit the application to SG Enable upon your consent.
Submission of applications to SG Enable by Doctors or Medical Social Workers (Online or Hard copy)
-
Online submission (Recommended)
Log into e-Services using your CorpPass

or
- Hard copy submission
Download the application form, print and send together with the required documents
By Email
Please note that applications received via the following modes (i.e. by post or fax) will take a longer processing time due to circuit breaker measures where all staff are working from home.
By PostSG Enable - Child Disability Services
20 Lengkok Bahru
#01-01
Singapore 159053
By Fax
+65 6226 2366
Upon receiving the referral, SG Enable will contact you to provide you information to help you make an informed decision on your choice of EI Centre.
Your selected EI Centre will contact you within two weeks of referral to arrange an interview and assessment of your child.
Enrolment into a suitable programme at the preferred centre is subject to the availability of vacancies at the centre and approval of the respective centre management.
Application Processing Time
Upon receiving the completed EIPIC referral forms from the hospital or private paediatrician, SG Enable will contact you within 10 working days.
To learn more about the organisations that participate in EIPIC, please download the following:
To enhance the affordability of EI services, MSF has broadened the income criteria for means-tested subsidies and lower fee caps for these services. Fees for EIPIC have been revised downward since 1 April 2019. For more information on the enhancements to affordability for EI services, please refer to MSF’s Press Release
here. Parents may also consider EI programmes at selected private intervention centres and apply for the Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers (Enhanced PPIP) scheme.
For more information about the Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC) and Development Support Plus (DS-Plus) programmes, please visit our
frequently asked questions page.