Difference between revisions of "Disability"

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[[File:20190308 194739 small.jpg|thumb|An audio description device used on the set of ''[http://www.fingerplayers.com/not-in-my-lifetime Not In My Lifetime?]'' which allow blind or vision-impaired audience members to fully enjoy the experience of a live theatre performance.]]
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<br />
  
== The Disability Community Network ==
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==Overview==
* Page to the [[Disability Community Network|'''Disability Community Network''']]
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The information found in these pages is populated by participants of the [[Disability Community Network|'''Disability Community Network''']] and many other individuals who have an interest in Disability issues. Feel free to join the Network's [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/disability-community-network '''Google Group / Forum'''] if you are keen to touch base and contribute.
* Page to our [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/disability-community-network '''Google Group / Forum'''].  
 
  
== Definitions and Scope ==
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This overview provides a synopsis of the current knowledge base. Having considered all the information in the disability pages:
  
Persons with disabilities refer to  “those whose prospects of securing, retaining places and advancing in education and training institutions, employment and recreation as equal members of the community are substantially reduced as a result of physical, sensory, intellectual and developmental impairments.” [http://app.msf.gov.sg/Portals/0/Files/EM_Chapter1.pdf Enabling Masterplan, MSF]
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1) What are the priority issues that deserve attention
  
[Point to note: Lien Centre for Social Innovation adopts this definition in their recent publication titled People with Physical Disabilities in Singapore: Understanding Disabling Factors in Caregiving, Education, Employment and Finances.]
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2) What are opportunity areas that community or voluntary organizations can already take action on
  
There is no standard definition of disability which is accepted by all stakeholders. For example, NCSS/SSI lists a SSI course on mental illness under disability category, but in practice persons with chronic mental illness are not eligible for disability policies and programmes. This group is also not covered by Public Transport Concession Scheme for Persons with Disabilities, for which only those with "Physical Disability, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability" qualify.  
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3) What knowledge gaps deserve further investigation?[[File:20190308 194739 small.jpg|thumb|An audio description device used on the set of ''[http://www.fingerplayers.com/not-in-my-lifetime Not In My Lifetime?]'' which allow blind or vision-impaired audience members to fully enjoy the experience of a live theatre performance.]]
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===Priority Issues===
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<big>[These are candidate (not finalized) issues to be discussed and prioritized with participants of the DCN, after we share back the whole set of information.]</big>
  
"But this differs from that of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, because those with mental health impairments - such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders - are left out. When asked about this, the MSF says not all mental illnesses result in disabilities, and with medication and treatment, patients are able to function well on their own." [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/what-disabled-people-want-a-little-kindness (ST 8 May 2016)]
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*Getting a better understanding of disability and the issues facing the differently-abled
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*<u>Employment rates for PWDs are low</u>, and there are little protections against discrimination.
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**As of a 2019 Ministry of Manpower (MoM) survey, 28.6% or nearly 3 in 10 people with disabilities (PwDs) of working age (between 15 to 64) are employed.<ref>https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/disability-pwds-in-employment-mom-survey-parliament-zaqy-11863568</ref>
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**Many young adults with special needs of disability suddenly left with substantially less government aid or help when they leave special education route in school. Higher functioning individuals may find gainful employment in social enterprises but many are not able to cope when placed in the competitive workplace of most private sector jobs.
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**Pay ceiling for PwDs who cannot physically be present for the full office hour duration
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*Social discrimination/ exclusion that still exists despite about a third of Singaporeans thinking otherwise<ref>http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Inclusive%20Attitudes%20Survey%20Press%20Release%20Final.pdf</ref>
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**64% of people in Singapore were willing to share public spaces with PwDs but not willing to interact with them. More than a third of Singaporeans have no special needs children in their social circles. And 23% of the remaining two thirds only meet more than once a year. <ref>http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/FINAL%20-%20Inclusive%20Attitudes%20Survey%20Part%201_30May16.pdf</ref>
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**Public buses were only made fully accessible in 2008 and they have largely been an unseen community to the majority of the public, with lack of personal interactions and friendships fueling misconceptions about the PwD community.
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**Exclusion and discrimination from them having relationships, married life and parenthood for many PwDs for a variety of societal misconceptions.<ref>https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/parents-with-disabilities-tackle-misconceptions-raising-families-11729976?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna</ref>
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*While the disability sector has benefited from continuum planning across the life course through the Enabling Masterplans (Early intervention, education, employment, caregiver support etc), new frontiers to go into are community participation (participation of PWDs in the community) and social inclusion.
  
No definite data of the total number of people with disability exists, because no official central registry or comprehensive disability study has been done.  According to 2013 data from SG Enable, Singapore has about 100,000 people with disabilities. In view of Singapore’s ageing population, this number will increase by 2030 as more people acquire a disability through the ageing process. According to Singapore’s population index, “the number of elderly citizens will triple to 900,000 by 2030.” [http://population.sg/key-challenges/#.VuENbpx96M8) Population.sg]
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===Actionable Opportunity Areas===
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<big>[These are a list of ideas and actionable concepts that service providers, community partners and social innovators, can already take on and implement. For ideas that have not yet been fully articulated, see specific segments in each area of need]</big>
  
In Singapore, those with disabilities are estimated to make up 3 per cent of the population or well over 100,000 people.[http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/sports-for-those-with-disabilities (ST 27 Sep 2016)]
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See [[Disability Ideas Bank]] for a compilation of other ideas.
  
Some disability prevalence rates of Singapore citizens with disabilities are available from the Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021. According to the foreword of the Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021, 2.1% of the student population have disabilities. (Source: Ministry of Education. This is based on the number of reported cases of students with sensory impairment, physical impairment, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The total student population is put at approximately 460,000). Of the resident population aged 18 – 49 years, 3.4% have disabilities (Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore residents and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 3.4% for those aged 18 – 49 years old. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents and illness.) Of the resident population aged 50 years and above, 13.3%  have disabilities (Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore residents and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 13.3% for those aged 50 years and above. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents, illness and older age).  
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*[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EmGqD3lr0nS4sIqegVq44Mmiu93q5kNSeUXcxXyp9gI/edit Inclusive Neighbourhoods] (A community inclusion initiative for people with disabilities and their caregivers.The objective is to help community members, partners and local institutions integrate PWDs and their caregivers into the communal life of the residential neighbourhood, where PWDs are supported by the whole community but can also contribute back to it. This will be achieved through an strengths-based community development approach that maps and mobilises the assets of the community. Early stages of being conceptualised. Interested to partner or support? Contact justin.lee@nus.edu.sg)
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*Accessibility Audit Staycations. We get hotels to provide free staycations to caregivers and PWDs, and in exchange they will systematically use and experience all the amenities, make sure they can get around, use the gym, pool, restaurants, and provide an accessibility report (as well as ideas on how to improve). This will help hotels improve their infrastructure and social accommodations to different customers with disabilities, improving their marketability and attractiveness to a niche market that can be quite large and profitable. Eg have ‘quiet buffets’ once a month for autistic diners. Possibly staycation cum bootcamp where PWDs do accessibility audit followed by facilitated session design thinkers/consultants - ideation and design thinking bootcamp over the weekend to come up with ideas to improve accessibility. This idea can be expanded slowly to neighbouring amenities and localities so that over time, each locality has an accessibility rating, so the local trade associations can do something collectively if they want. Eg Orchard Road / Sentosa, Little India etc might pay PWDs to come do accessibility audit and make recommendations. Retailers can also invite. National positioning angle --- Singapore is inclusive destination. There core concept itself requires little to no programme cost, just some coordination. Hotels can do it as part of their CSR. To get this going, need to get a sense of how accessibility audits are done, eg in the UK where they are required by law.
  
To view and download the Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021, go to the Ministry of Social and Family Development's Disabilities and Special Needs page: [https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Pages/default.aspx (Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021)]
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===Knowledge Gaps===
  
==Specific Sub-Pages / Client Segments==
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*[to insert key knowledge gaps]
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*[to insert key knowledge gaps]
  
Page to [[Adults with autism|Adults with Autism]]
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==Definition of Disability==
  
Page to [[Visual Impairment|Visual Impairment]]
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===How Disability is defined in Singapore===
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Persons with disabilities refer to “those whose prospects of securing, retaining places and advancing in education and training institutions, employment and recreation as equal members of the community are substantially reduced as a result of physical, sensory, intellectual and developmental impairments.” [http://app.msf.gov.sg/Portals/0/Files/EM_Chapter1.pdf Enabling Masterplan, MSF] [<u>Clarification</u>: Will it be useful to specify what these mean by grouping different disabilities into these broader categories, eg physical (wheelchair users?) sensory (VI, HI), intellectual and developmental impairments (ASD, Dyslexia?)]
  
Page to [[Hearing Impairment|Hearing Impairment]]
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[Point to note: Lien Centre for Social Innovation adopts this definition in their recent publication titled People with Physical Disabilities in Singapore: Understanding Disabling Factors in Caregiving, Education, Employment and Finances.] [<u>Clarification</u>: May not need to include this point as Lien is likely taking reference from MSF and NCSS, so we only need to take into account those sources unless there are other good reasons to?]  
  
Page to [[Arts and Disability|Arts and Disability]]
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There is no standard definition of disability which is accepted by all stakeholders. For example, NCSS/SSI lists a SSI course on mental illness under disability category, but in practice persons with chronic mental illness are not eligible for disability policies and programmes. This group is also not covered by Public Transport Concession Scheme for Persons with Disabilities, for which only those with "Physical Disability, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability" qualify.
  
Page to [[Intellectual disability|Intellectual Disability]]
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MOE's [https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/special-education/how-do-i-know-if-my-child-has-special-education-needs#common-sen-among-children-in-singapore list of SEN]
  
Page to [[Aphasia]]
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===How Disability is defined elsewhere===
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"But this differs from that of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, because those with mental health impairments - such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders - are left out. When asked about this, the MSF says not all mental illnesses result in disabilities, and with medication and treatment, patients are able to function well on their own." [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/what-disabled-people-want-a-little-kindness (ST 8 May 2016)]
  
[[File:Yomex-owo-634531-unsplash.jpg|thumb]]
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[<u>Clarification</u>: The main or only difference between SIngapore's official definition of disability and elsewhere is the inclusion of mental health conditions? ]
  
== Desired Outcomes & Objectives ==
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[<u>Suggestion</u>: Given that there may be disputes to what a useful definition is, possibly insert a link to a Discussion page on the implications of defining Disability differently. DPA has written about this somewhere previously?]
* Click here for ongoing [[Disability/Landscape of Needs and Gaps|'''Landscape of''' '''Needs and Gaps''']] exercise
 
'''Sources'''
 
* 2018: [http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/LF%20Early%20Intervention%20Survey%20Findings.pdf Lien Foundation Study on Early Intervention Professionals]
 
* 2017: [https://www.nvpc.org.sg/resources/report-on-issues-faced-by-people-with-disabilities-in-singapore NVPC Report on Issues Faced By People With Disabilities In Singapore]
 
* 2017: [https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Documents/Enabling%20Masterplan%203%20(revised%2013%20Jan%202017).pdf Enabling Masterplan (2017-2021)]
 
* 2016: Lien Foundation’s Inclusive Attitudes Survey of the [http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Inclusive%20Attitudes%20Survey%20Press%20Release%20Final.pdf General Public] and [http://lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Inclusive%20Survey%20Part%202%20-%20Press%20Release%20Lien%20Fdn%20Final%5b1%5d.pdf Parents of Children with Special Needs]
 
* 2016: [http://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Incusion-in-Education2.pdf DPA’s Achieving Inclusion in Education]
 
* 2016: Singapore's [https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/International-Conventions/Pages/UN-Convention-on-the-Rights-of-Persons-with-Disabilities-UNCRPD.aspx Initial Report to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities]
 
* 2015: Lien Centre for Social Innovation's [https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=lien_reports People with Physical Disabilities in Singapore: Understanding Disabling Factors in Caregiving, Education, Employment and Finances]
 
* 2011: MOH's [https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/society/ssnsep11-pg12-14.pdf Caregiving in Singapore] snippet of the National Health Survey 2010
 
  
===EARLY INTERVENTION===
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=== What are the different types of disabilities?<ref>https://www.sgenable.sg/about-us/our-impact/disability-in-singapore#source-link-2</ref> ===
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'''Physical disabilities''' refers to either a total or partial loss of bodily functions such as the ability to walk, or a total or partial loss of a part of the body. It can result from congenital causes, or acquired from serious illnesses or injury.
  
----
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The two main types of '''sensory disability''' are visual impairment and deafness/hard of hearing. There are varying degrees of visual impairment: some people have low vision, others have tunnel vision in which their peripheral vision is affected, while others experience complete blindness. People could also have partial or complete hearing loss.
  
Migrated to [[Disability/Early Intervention|here]].
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'''Intellectual disability''' is mainly established by a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ of 70 or below). It is also a feature of medical conditions such as Down Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome and Williams Syndrome.
----
 
  
===EDUCATION===
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'''Autism''' is a developmental disability currently with no known causes or cures. Persons with autism typically have problems with social communication and interaction across contexts, and present very rigid and repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities.
Migrated to [[Disability/Education|here]].
 
----
 
  
===EMPLOYMENT===
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==Key Statistics & Figures==
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<big>These are key figures that are relevant for the disability sector at large; for specific stats such as employment rates, please see the respective pages. [<u>Alternatively, we could also do this</u>: cross-link to those statistics in the other pages; see example below]</big>
  
Migrated to [[Disability/Employment|here]].
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===Prevalence rate===
----
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<big>Synopsis: Various sources put the prevalence rate at about 3% of the population, which means about 100,000 in total, out of which about 10,000 are students</big>.
  
===CAREGIVER SUPPORT===
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*<u>SG Enable</u>: No definitive data of the total number of people with disability exists, because no official central registry or comprehensive disability study has been done.  According to 2013 data from SG Enable, Singapore has about '''100,000''' people with disabilities. In view of Singapore’s ageing population, this number will increase by 2030 as more people acquire a disability through the ageing process. [Citation for this?] According to Singapore’s population index, “the number of elderly citizens will triple to 900,000 by 2030.” [http://population.sg/key-challenges/#.VuENbpx96M8) Population.sg]
  
'''Caregivers'''
 
* Those who provide care to a person requiring support due to age, disability, illness or special needs
 
* Usually family members, but can also be friends or foreign domestic workers
 
* Can be broadly categorised into two groups: (i) Professional caregivers which include doctors, nurses, social workers, and (ii) Family caregivers, which include spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings and foreign domestic workers hired by their families, family caregivers are focused upon here.
 
* Special note to two groups of family caregivers: '''Elderly caregivers caring for disabled adult children, disabled people playing caregiver roles'''
 
** See ''[https://www.msf.gov.sg/publications/Pages/The-Survey-on-Informal-Caregiving.aspx The Survey on Informal Caregiving]'' by MCYS
 
*** 20% of family caregivers providing care to elderly persons aged 75 years and above with functional limitations are themselves above the age of 65.
 
** See ''[https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/care/wp-content/uploads/A-Profile-of-Older-Caregivers-in-Singapore.pdf A Profile of Older Family Caregivers]'' by CARE and Duke-NUS
 
*** Older family caregivers are in declining health themselves but spend long hours (up to 60 hours per week) caring for their family member. More than half of family caregivers up to the age of retirement (55-65 years) are juggling long hours of both formal employment and caregiving.
 
*** More than half of family caregivers aged 70-74 years do not receive help from anyone else to care for their family member
 
*** Well beyond the retirement age, family caregivers are spending 50 to 60 hours per week caring for their older family member.
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
|
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!Population group
'''STATISTICS'''
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!Approximate prevalence rate
* An estimated 210,000 people aged 18 to 69 provide care to a family member or peer<ref name=":14">https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-caregiver-crunch</ref>.  
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|-
* Caregivers are ageing and are becoming less and less able to care for their disabled kin; 70% of caregivers in Singapore (including those who care for the elderly and disabled) are above 40; 10% are between 60 and 69 years of age<ref name=":15">https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/society/ssnsep11-pg12-14.pdf</ref>.  
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|Student population
Refer to [https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/society/ssnsep11-pg12-14.pdf Caregiving in Singapore (Sep 2011)] for more statistics on the profile of informal caregivers in the Singapore population and the key characteristics of caregivers and care recipients. Some statistics:
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|2.1% of student population<ref>Source: Ministry of Education. This is based on the number of reported cases of students with sensory impairment, physical impairment, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The total student population is put at approximately 460,000</ref>
* 37% of caregivers reported that they had been providing care to their care recipients for over a decade. 
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|-
* On average, caregivers provided around 6.8 hours of care per day in a typical week
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|18-49 years
* Close to 74% of caregivers were employed.
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|3.4% of resident population<ref>Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 3.4% for those aged 18–49 years old. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents and illness</ref>
* About 80% of caregivers received some form of support, be it from other family members (70%) and/or domestic helpers (14%). 21% of caregivers reported being the sole caregiver
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|-
|
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|50 years and above
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|13.3% of resident population<ref>Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 13.3% for those aged 50 years and above. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents, illness and old age</ref>
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|}
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 +
**This table provides some estimates on the Prevalence rate of disability in Singapore [https://www.sgenable.sg/about-us/our-impact/disability-in-singapore#source-link-2 (SG Enable)]:
 +
 
 +
*<u>Straits Times</u>: In Singapore, those with disabilities are estimated to make up '''3 per cent''' of the population or '''well over 100,000 people'''.[http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/sports-for-those-with-disabilities (ST 27 Sep 2016)] [<u>Clarification</u>: Check what official source they are using for these figures, and if it is MSF or NCSS, can delete this]
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*<u>MSF - Enabling Masterplan</u>: Some disability prevalence rates of Singapore citizens with disabilities are available from the Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021. According to the foreword of the [https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Pages/default.aspx Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021] , '''2.1%''' of the student population have disabilities. (Source: Ministry of Education. This is based on the number of reported cases of students with sensory impairment, physical impairment, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The total student population is put at approximately 460,000). [This means about '''9,660 students''' have special needs?]
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*<u>NCSS</u>: Of the resident population aged 18 – 49 years, '''3.4%''' have disabilities (Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore residents and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 3.4% for those aged 18 – 49 years old. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents and illness.) Of the resident population aged 50 years and above, 13.3%  have disabilities (Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore residents and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 13.3% for those aged 50 years and above. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents, illness and older age).
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===Other relevant stats===
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*See [http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Employment#Employment_Rate_of_PWDs employment rates] of PWDs: 5 in 100 employed.
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*[Insert link to other key stats fro other pages; e.g. participation rates in arts,sports etc headline figure here]
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*[Insert link to other key stats; headline figure here]
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==Map of Areas of Need & Key Issues==
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 +
*<big>Click here for approach we took in this [[Disability/Landscape of Needs and Gaps|'''Landscape of''' '''Needs and Gaps''']] exercise, and how to contribute.</big>
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*<big>Read this templatised [[Template|guide]] on how to populate the pages</big>
  
====Respite care====
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<big>Click the links below to go directly to specific areas of interest:</big>
* Caregivers continue to be concerned about the need for respite care<ref name=":12">https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Documents/Enabling%20Masterplan%203%20(revised%2013%20Jan%202017).pdf</ref>
 
* Caregivers reported a lack of opportunity for respite, especially when care recipients require round-the-clock care<ref name=":16" />
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
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'''STATISTICS'''
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* Over 1,600 people have tapped on respite services offered at selected day care centres and nursing homes. Usage of these respite services has increased by at least 50% between 2015 and 2017. <ref>https://www.aic.sg/sites/aicassets/AssetGallery/Press%20Release/Press%20Release%20-%20Caregiver%20Symposium%20FINAL.pdf</ref>
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{| class="wikitable"
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| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''EXISTING RESOURCES'''
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| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''GAPS AND THEIR CAUSES'''
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| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS'''
 
 
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|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/for-adults/home-based-care-services/ Home Based Care Services]'''
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|[[Disability/Early Intervention|<big>'''Detection & Early Intervention'''</big>]]
* Provides alternative care support for adults with disabilities, with the aim of keeping them in the community for as long as possible.
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|<big>↘</big>
* Delivers services such as therapy, personal hygiene care, housekeeping and medication reminders.
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* 2 service providers as of 01 July 2018 - AWWA and MINDS
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* Caregivers reported a lack of opportunity for respite, especially when care recipients require round-the-clock care<ref name=":16" />
 
 
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* To consider commercialising caregiving (e.g. piecemeal/gig caregiving services)
 
** In light of an ageing population, decreasing family sizes and caregiver fatigue
 
** Can also consider tapping on people who live in the neighbourhood/not working with free pockets of time to provide paid, temporary caregiving services, with financial remunerations and incentives
 
** Examples from the eldercare space: '''[https://www.homage.sg/ Homage]''', '''[https://www.jaga-me.com/ Jaga-Me]''', '''[https://www.caregiverasia.com/?locale=en-SG Caregiver Asia]''', '''[https://www.activeglobalcaregiver.sg/ Active Global]'''
 
 
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|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/for-adults/drop-in-disability-programme/ Drop-in Disability Programme]'''
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* Provides social, recreational and/or therapeutic training activities for persons with disabilities for a few days a week up to 9 hours
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* 4 DDPs provided by Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities as of 01 July 2018
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|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/for-adults/day-activity-centres Day Activity Centres]'''
 
* Community-based facilities that provide care and skills training to persons with disabilities aged 16 and above.
 
* 30 DACs as of 11 Sep 2018
 
* [https://www.msf.gov.sg/media-room/Pages/Number-of-Day-Activity-Centres-clients-and-staff-in-DACs.aspx Clients]: 1,200 | 200 are young adults
 
 
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* DAC operating hours are mainly till 4 or 5pm, and caregivers find it difficult to work full-time (till 6 or 7pm), and part-time employment opportunities are limited too - if un-ideal
 
 
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* Consider operating DACs on a shift system to complement working hours of caregivers, e.g., 7.30am - 2.30pm | 12 noon - 7pm, or to open till later
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|[[Disability/Education|<big>'''Education'''</big>]]
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- [https://www.moe.gov.sg/special-educational-needs/ Ministry of Education Special Educational Needs]
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|'''<big>↘</big>'''
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|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/for-youths/homes-for-children-with-disabilities/ Children Disability Homes (Short-Term Respite)]'''
 
* Provides long-term residential care, but also short-term respite care for those whose families are unable to provide care temporarily.
 
* 3 homes provide respite care services as of 13 August 2018
 
 
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|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/for-adults/homes-for-adults-with-disabilities/ Adult Disability Homes (Short-Term Respite)]'''
 
* Provides long-term residential care, but also short-term respite care for adults with disabilities whose caregivers are temporarily unable to provide care for them.
 
* 8 homes provide respite care services as of July 2018
 
 
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|Respite services offered at selected day care centres and nursing homes under the ambit of AIC
 
* AIC page and E-Care Locator [https://www.silverpages.sg/care-services/Respite%20Care '''here'''].
 
 
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|[http://www.come-into-my-world.com/one-child-one-skill '''One Child One Skill''']
 
* A volunteer project that sends pairs of tertiary students to homes to teach autistic children a skill over 8 one or one-and-a-half-hour sessions
 
* Parents identify skills that they would like their autistic children to learn and volunteers choose the child they teach based on the stated skills and location.
 
* Caregivers also obtain respite
 
|While caregivers welcome the opportunity for respite, some are concerned about students’ abilities to take care of and work with their children without their supervision
 
 
|
 
|
|}
 
 
----
 
 
==== Physical health necessary to carry out caregiving ====
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''EXISTING RESOURCES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''GAPS AND THEIR CAUSES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS'''
 
|-
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
* Trends<ref name=":16">https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=lien_reports</ref>
 
** Ageing caregivers who need to care for disabled children<ref>https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/struggles-of-singapores-ageing-caregivers</ref> -
 
** Disabled caregivers who perform caregiving, such as for ageing parents with medical issues
 
** See also ''[https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/care/wp-content/uploads/A-Profile-of-Older-Caregivers-in-Singapore.pdf A Profile of Older Family Caregivers]'' by CARE and Duke-NUS
 
 
|
 
|
* Provision of caregiving leave or time-off, to rest or bring care recipients for medical appointments<ref name=":17">https://www.msf.gov.sg/publications/Pages/The-Survey-on-Informal-Caregiving.aspx</ref>
+
|[[Disability/Employment|<big>'''Employment'''</big>]]
|}
+
|<big>'''↘'''</big>
 +
| rowspan="5" |<big>'''[[Disability/Social Inclusion|Social Inclusion]]'''</big>
  
----
+
-[[Arts and Disability|Arts]]
  
====Psychosocial health====
+
-[[Disability Sports|Sports]]
* Caregivers expressed the concern that they require self-care<ref name=":12" />
 
* Stress from caregiving, along with increased time spent on care work affects caregivers' personal health and well-being<ref name=":12" />
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''EXISTING RESOURCES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''GAPS AND THEIR CAUSES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS'''
 
|-
 
|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/Caregiver%20Support%20Service%20Matrix.pdf Community Counselling/Emotional Support Services]'''
 
* 14 agencies provide these services as of 02 August 2018
 
| rowspan="4" |Caregivers reported a lack of opportunity for respite, especially when care recipients require round-the-clock care.<ref>https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=lien_reports</ref>
 
| rowspan="4" |
 
* EM3 (Recommendation 13)
 
** To expand the continuum of support and respite options, including the implementation of caregiving leave, and to build trust between caregivers and formal respite services
 
** Ease access to counselling services, such as counsellors, social workers or volunteers - be it coming to terms with diagnoses of disabilities or assistance with job placement, social assistance and marriage counselling
 
** Create more opportunities for caregivers to meet each other as a source of informal support, such as leveraging existing support networks to reach out further
 
** For service providers to take family relationships into consideration, as family dynamics are affected if a member has a disability. This could mean designing
 
|-
 
|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/Caregiver%20Support%20Service%20Matrix.pdf Community Support Groups]'''
 
* 13 agencies provide these services as of 02 August 2018
 
|-
 
|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/Caregiver%20Support%20Service%20Matrix.pdf Caregiver Activities in the Community]'''
 
* 14 agencies provide these services as of 02 August 2018
 
|-
 
|'''[http://www.cwa.org.sg/get-help/counselling Caregiving Welfare Association - Caregiver Counselling Services]'''
 
* For family caregivers providing care for a senior with physical or mental disabilities
 
|}
 
  
----
+
-[[Disability/Sexuality|Sexuality]]
  
====Financial support====
+
-Public Acceptance
{| class="wikitable"
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''EXISTING RESOURCES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''GAPS AND THEIR CAUSES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS'''
 
 
|-
 
|-
|'''[https://www.silverpages.sg/CTG Caregivers Training Grant]'''
+
|
* $200 annual subsidy for caregivers, per care recipient, every financial year, to attend training
+
|
 +
|
 +
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
|'''[https://www.silverpages.sg/FDWG Foreign Domestic Worker Grant]'''
 
* $120 monthly cash payment given to families who need to hire a Foreign Domestic Worker to care for loved ones who require permanent assistance with three or more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
 
| rowspan="2" |
 
* Even after subsidies, the remaining cost to hire an FDW is still more than many low-income families can afford<ref name=":16" />
 
* Employers must be of sufficient mental capacity to hire an FDW, and cannot have a disability that impairs mental capacity to this degree<ref name=":16" /><ref>https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-domestic-worker/eligibility-and-requirements/employer-requirements</ref>
 
 
|
 
|
* EM3 (Recommendation 13): To expand the criteria for the FDW Grant to better cater to disabled people who are physically able to perform ADLs, but who may not have the cognitive ability to perform ADLs or have behavioural challenges that require additional support
 
|-
 
|'''[https://www.silverpages.sg/financial-assistance/Foreign%20Domestic%20Worker%20(FDW)%20Levy%20Concession Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession]'''
 
* Lets families pay a monthly foreign domestic worker levy of just $60, instead of $265
 
 
|
 
|
|-
 
|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/Caregiver%20Support%20Service%20Matrix.pdf Community Long Term Care / Financial Planning Services]'''
 
* 4 agencies provide these services as of 02 August 2018
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 +
|<big>'''[[Disability/Community Participation|Community Participation]]'''</big>
 +
|<big>'''→'''</big>
 
|-
 
|-
|'''Additional Financial Support for Care Recipients with Disabilities'''
 
* '''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/schemes/equipment-technology-home-retrofit/assistive-technology-fund/ Assistive Technology Fund (ATF)]'''
 
* (from 2020) '''[https://www.moh.gov.sg/careshieldlife/about-careshield-life CareShield Life]'''
 
* '''[https://www.moh.gov.sg/careshieldlife/about-eldershield ElderShield]'''
 
* '''[https://www.silverpages.sg/SMF Senior's Mobility and Enabling Fund]'''
 
* '''[https://www.msf.gov.sg/Comcare/Pages/default.aspx ComCare]'''
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
|-
 
|'''[https://www.iras.gov.sg/IRASHome/Individuals/Locals/Working-Out-Your-Taxes/Deductions-for-Individuals/Qualifying-Child-Relief--QCR--/-Handicapped-Child-Relief--HCR-/ Handicapped Child Relief (HCR)]'''
 
* Eligibility: Child is below the age of 16, and parent earns less than $4,000, which includes income from bank interest, dividends and part-time jobs.
 
* $7,500 per child
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
* Raise or remove the 16-year old limit cap, in the case of single parents as marital breakdown is more common among parents of special needs children, and single parents from the middle/low income group will face additional stress to raise their children single-handedly
 
|}
 
 
----
 
 
====Future care planning====
 
* Caregivers are worried about their future inability to care for their loved ones with disabilities<ref name=":12" />
 
* Caregivers of children with special needs are also concerned about the post-18 trajectory
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''EXISTING RESOURCES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''GAPS AND THEIR CAUSES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS'''
 
|-
 
|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/caregiver-support/assisted-deputyship-2/ Assisted Deputyship Application Programme (ADAP)]'''
 
* Helps parents of graduating cohorts in Special Education (SPED) schools apply to Court to be deputies for their child, so that they can continue to make legal decisions for their child after he or she turns 21
 
 
|
 
|
* Demand for affordable deputyship applications greatly exceeds supply of available help, including NUS Law undergraduates - in MINDS, the waiting list runs to a few hundred parents
 
 
|
 
|
* EM3 (Recommendation 14)
 
** To simplify deputyship and Lasting Power of Attorney processes for caregivers
 
*** MINDS is heading a pilot to simplify deputyship applications for caregivers of graduating SPED students
 
* For the government to take up the mantle of facilitating deputyship applications, free-of-charge if possible
 
 
|-
 
|-
|[https://www.sntc.org.sg/Pages/Home.aspx '''Special Needs Trust''' '''Company (SNTC) Trust''']
 
* Allows family members to set aside money and assets in SNTC accounts, and aims to safeguard these assets to enhance the beneficiary's financial security and well-being
 
* 447 SNTC accounts have been opened, out of 117,000 estimated people who might require it ([http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/few-set-up-trust-fund-to-care-for-kin-with-disabilities ST 29 Mar 2017])
 
 
|
 
|
* While caregivers acknowledged that SNTC was a good start, they were worried about the lack of options for future care needs and planning, beyond placing their loved ones in Adult Disability Homes<ref name=":12" />
 
|EM3 (Recommendation 14)
 
* To raise awareness of importance of legal, financial and care planning, and services.
 
** SNTC to continue expanding outreach to caregivers, and consider partnering agencies providing direct services to disabled people for more integrated and holistic support to caregivers
 
** Service providers, including the Office of the Public Guardian and Law Society, to educate caregivers on legal/financial matters such as applying for deputyship
 
** To create a system of support at caregivers' natural touchpoints, that would help them in future care planning such as identifying the next caregiver and transitioning of the caregiver role when the time comes, and including documenting and passing on caregiving knowledge.
 
* Enable disabled care recipients to make more independent decisions for themselves for the future, something which caregivers tend to do. Depending on the disability type and functioning level, some caregivers can unintentionally prevent their care recipients from learning useful independent living skills through mollycoddling.
 
|-
 
|'''[https://www.sntc.org.sg/Pages/snss_about.aspx?MainMenu=Special%20Needs%20Savings%20Scheme Special Needs Savings Scheme]'''
 
* Enables parents to set aside CPF savings for the long term care of children with special needs
 
* Parents may nominate their loved one with special needs to receive a regular stream of fixed pay-outs upon the parent’s demise.
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
|}
+
|
 +
|<big>'''[[Disability/Mobility and Access|Mobility & Access]]'''</big>
  
----
+
-[http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Mobility_and_Access#Transportation Transportation]
  
====Skills and information to do caregiving====
+
-[http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Mobility_and_Access#Access_to_Buildings Access to Buildings]
{| class="wikitable"
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''EXISTING RESOURCES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''GAPS AND THEIR CAUSES'''
 
| style="width: 33.3%;" |'''POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS'''
 
|-
 
|'''Post-Diagnostic Touchpoints'''
 
  
(e.g., hospitals, medical personnel)
+
-[http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Mobility_and_Access#Information_Access Information Access]
|
+
|<big>'''↗'''</big>
* For caregivers of children diagnosed with disabilities, touchpoints are poorly equipped in advising parents on where to obtain reliable help during the post-diagnostic phase
 
|
 
* Recommendations from EM3 that MSF will consider<ref name=":12" />
 
** Recommendation 3, Strategic Direction 1: Improve transition management
 
*** For newly-diagnosed cases, to set up an agency to provide case referral, care planning and advisory services, and to facilitate smooth handover of information to other agencies
 
*** Includes developing a standardised case management tool between primary support agency and other service providers
 
* Caregivers need help to understand the trajectory of caring – what to expect, anxieties and challenges, expectations as well as future planning - and to navigate the system of care
 
 
|-
 
|-
|'''[https://www.neurodivercitysg.com/ NeuroDiverCity]'''
 
* Gathers and shares inclusive services and resources that can be reviewed by parents
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
|-
 
|'''[https://allin.guide/ All In]''' (in development)
 
* Aims "to be a one-stop platform where caregivers can find everything they need" on special needs - guides, assessments, e-shop, blog content, events and courses
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
|-
 
|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/Pages/Home.aspx SG Enable]'''
 
* Currently provides the most comprehensive information covering financial assistance, hospital and training support
 
* [https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/Caregiver%20Support%20Service%20Matrix.pdf Caregiver Service Matrix] caa 02 August 2018
 
* Hosts the '''[https://enablingvillage.sg/tenants-all/caregivers-pod/ Caregivers Pod]''', a space for caregivers of people with disabilities, and stakeholders to organise activities and events
 
 
|
 
|
* Knowledge and level of assistance received by caregivers differ depending on the experience and knowledge of providers they meet<ref name=":0">National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). (2017). Issues faced by people with disabilities in Singapore. Retrieved from <nowiki>https://www.nvpc.org.sg/resources/report-on-issues-faced-by-people-with-disabilities-in-singapore</nowiki></ref>
 
* Some caregivers deny that children have special needs
 
* Some caregivers reject support services for those in their charge.<ref>http://www.asiaone.com/health/plight-caregivers-disabled-children</ref>
 
|
 
* EM3 (Recommendation 13)
 
** For social service agencies to have a good understanding of community resources available for advisory and referral; one method is a one-stop portal to provide information on service, caregiving, self-care assistive technology and well-being<ref name=":12" />
 
** Hub-and-spoke model for caregiver support, instead of having caregivers be supported through services accessed by care recipients. NCSS to pilot the model together with service providers.
 
* To assign one case worker for each PWD, for his/her entire lifetime<ref name=":0" />
 
* To integrate various secondary caregivers such as social workers and medical personnel with primary caregivers<ref name=":0" />
 
* To consider establishing dedicated Caregiver Spaces as neighbourhood CCs for caregivers' travelling convenience, and have CCs be touchpoints for access to SG Enable's information & advice on caregiver support services - a municipal service system
 
|-
 
|'''[https://www.cal.org.sg/ Caregivers Alliance]'''
 
* Provides information, referrals, skills training and other support services
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
|'''[https://www.sgenable.sg/pages/content.aspx?path=/caregiver-support/training-courses/ Caregiver Training Courses by VWOs and KKH/NUH]'''
 
* Under the [https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/Caregiver%20Support%20Service%20Matrix.pdf Caregiver Service Matrix], caregiver training and education are provided by 17 organisations as of 02 August 2018
 
|
 
* Some courses that caregivers are interested in attending are only open to social service professionals<ref name=":12" />
 
* Especially for low-income families, some programmes are unaffordable due to high costs of service and comparatively low levels of subsidies<ref name=":0" />
 
 
|
 
|
* Training on strengths-based approaches? - Helping parents and caregivers to support their children/wards in building strengths and abilities as opposed to focussing on limitations and disabilities.
 
* Ask caregivers themselves how they would like to be supported, in relation to the relevance, usefulness and utilisation of training courses and care services<ref name=":17" />
 
* EM3 (Recommendation 13):
 
** To provide more and affordable courses (e.g., higher level training), and modes of training that are accessible to caregivers; for NCSS and MSF to work with relevant agencies to improve coordination and outreach to caregivers
 
** For service providers to make training options aware to caregivers
 
|-
 
|[https://www.silverpages.sg/financial-assistance/caregivers/Caregivers%20Training%20Grant%20(CTG) '''Caregivers Training Grant''']
 
* $200 annual subsidy for caregivers, per care recipient, every financial year, to attend training
 
 
|
 
|
 +
|<big>'''[[Disability/Caregiver Support|Family & Caregivers]]'''</big>
 +
|<big>'''↗'''</big>
 
|
 
|
|-
 
|'''Handbooks'''
 
* ''[https://www.ncss.gov.sg/Press-Room/Publications/Detail-Page?id=Who-Cares Who Cares? Transforming The Caregiving Experience in Singapore]'' , a design ethnography by NCSS and fuelfor
 
* [https://www.awwa.org.sg/awwa_content/uploads/2017/08/AWWACaregiverService_CaregiversHandbook_English_V1.pdf ''Caregiving...The Journey Starts With You!''] by AWWA
 
* ''[https://www.sgenable.sg/uploads/2013/09/Caregivers-Basics-101.pdf Caregiver Basics 101]'' by AIC
 
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|}
 
|}
  
----
+
<big>'''The following is also listed below in alphabetical order:'''</big>
  
===SOCIAL INCLUSION===
+
[<u>Note to contributors</u>: The headings here look a little unnecessary here, but it is so that these issues come out in the content page above; to help navigability. We may also add in synopses of each of these issues here, so that readers get a headline view without having to navigate to those pages]
  
==== For children with special needs to be part of community outside of school====
+
====Community Participation====
  
According to a Lien Foundation survey in 2016, of the 835 parents of special needs children who were surveyed, four in 10 think their children spend too little time in the community outside of school.Nearly half of those surveyed said their children do not have friends without disabilities ([http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/inclusive-art-sessions-draw-kids-together ST 2 Oct 2017])
+
*Click on [[Disability/Community Participation|EMPLOYMENT Link]]
----
+
*Synopsis:
  
==== For the public to emphatically understand the circumstances PWDs face and know how to support and interact with them ====
+
[[File:Yomex-owo-634531-unsplash.jpg|thumb]]
  
'''Existing Resources'''
+
====Detection & Early Intervention====
  
Society Staples
+
*Click on [[Disability/Early Intervention|EARLY INTERVENTION Link]]
 +
*Synopsis:
  
A social enterprise that uses mass engagement platforms to educate public about experiences of people with disabilities; provides team building services for corporates: eg experiencing blindness, learning sign language etc.
+
====Education====
  
https://www.societystaples.com.sg
+
*Click on [[Disability/Education|EDUCATION Link]]
 +
*Synopsis:
  
Purple Parade
+
====Employment====
  
http://www.purpleparade.sg/
+
*Click on [[Disability/Employment|EMPLOYMENT Link]]
 +
*Synopsis:
  
See the True Me
+
====Family & Caregivers====
  
http://seethetrueme.sg/
+
*Click on [[Disability/Caregiver Support|CAREGIVERS Link]]
 +
*Synopsis:
  
Buddy'IN, a programme aimed at socially integrating graduating students from special education schools with their peers from institutes of higher learning, through semi-structured social activities and sessions.[http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/collective-effort-can-help-the-disabled-lead-dignified-lives (ST 17 Jun 2016)]
+
====General/ Statistics of PwDs in Singapore====
  
December 3rd, 2017, the International Day of People with Disabilities
+
*Click on [https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=lien_reports PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN SINGAPORE]
-AbleThrive is hosting meetups around the world for people with disabilities, their families and allies to come together
+
*Click on [https://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Singapore-and-UN-CRPD.pdf Rights of PwDs]
  
Lien Centre for Social Innovation Workshop on Inclusion - Allyship 101
+
====Mobility & Access====
  
https://lcsi.smu.edu.sg/programmes/changelab/allyship-101
+
*Click on [[Disability/Mobility and Access|MOBILITY & ACCESS Link,]] or for specific segments:
 +
**[http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Mobility_and_Access#Transportation Transportation]
 +
**[http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Mobility_and_Access#Access_to_Buildings Access to Buildings]
 +
**[http://wiki.socialcollab.sg/index.php/Disability/Mobility_and_Access#Information_Access Information Access]
 +
*Synopsis:
  
'''Gaps and Their Causes'''
+
====Social Inclusion====
  
For 'See the True Me' there is a question about the reach of these campaigns because many at a forum, many from disability sector have not seen or heard about it
+
*Click on [[Disability/Social Inclusion|SOCIAL INCLUSION Link,]] or for specific segments:
 +
**[[Arts and Disability|Arts]]
 +
**[[Disability Sports|Sports]]
 +
**[[Disability/Sexuality|Sexuality]]
 +
**Public Acceptance
 +
*Synopsis:
  
Invisible disabilities (learning disorders, hearing impairment) are less obvious, and therefore the public may not understand their behaviors and support may be less forthcoming [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/living-with-disabilities-that-are-not-visible (ST 28 May 2016)]
+
==Specific Sub-Pages==
 +
[<u>To Update</u>: Possibly, these specific disability types can be group according to the broader categories in the definition used by MSF: Physical, Sensory, Intellectual etc]
  
Mr Andrew Soh, assistant director at Down Syndrome Association, said public attitudes are less favourable towards people with autism and intellectual impairments, compared with those with physical disabilities, because people fear what they cannot see. "People can't tell how serious their disability is and don't know what to say or how to help them," he said.[http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/people-with-disabilities-in-the-spotlight (ST 3 Jun 2016)]
+
Physical Disability
  
'''Possible Solutions'''
+
Sensory Disability
  
 +
[[Visual Impairment|Visual Impairment]]
  
----
+
[[Hearing Impairment|Hearing Impairment]]
  
===EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION===
+
[[Intellectual disability|Intellectual Disability]]
  
MIND’s keyword signing as total communication
+
Developmental Disability
  
—�-
+
[[Adults with autism|Adults with Autism]]
  
====For mobility and access to transportation====
+
[<u>To Update</u>: There should be a page on Autism in general instead of Adults with Autism]
  
'''Existing Resources'''
+
[[Aphasia]]
Transportation subsidies:
 
  
Taxi Subsidy Scheme
+
<big>'''Niche issues'''</big>
  
VWO subsidy scheme
+
[[Arts and Disability|Arts and Disability]]
  
Public Transport Concession Scheme for Persons with Disabilities
+
==Community Groups==
 +
[[Disability Community Network]] - currently facilitated by Justin Lee (IPS), but looking towards community to take over.
  
Assistive devices for drivers with disabilities [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/gadgets-for-disabled-drivers-get-green-light (ST 24 Oct 2016)]
+
Disability Research Coalition - facilitated by Lohsnah (NUS) and Vim (MINDS) to faciluitate collaboration amongst researchers interested in disability sector.
  
Accessible public transportation:
+
Quota Hiring Interest Group - group interested to study the feasibility of quota hiring in Singapore, by comparing quota systems in different countries. See this [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/109DdtJ-GKbGZTrk5nx2nucrdg6iVe6kT/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=111355174097427147097&dls=true comparison chart].
  
UberAssist [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/uber-rolls-out-service/2225788.html Channel News Asia report]
+
Inclusive Neighbourhood Initiative - to catalyse local community to  integrate people with disabilities and also opportunities for them to participate in community life and contribute back. AWWA, SGEnable, IPS
  
Wheelchair accessible taxis see [http://www.taxisingapore.com/wheelchair-transport/ taxisingapore.com] and [https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/public-transport/system-design/enhancing-physical-accessibility-for-all.htm LTA accessibility push]
+
[https://accessarts.sg/access-arts-hub-membership-sign Access Arts Hub] - a consortium of individuals and organisations with a shared agenda to make arts more accessible and appealing for persons with disabilities.  
 
+
==Resource Directory==
Wheelchair Accessible Buses (About 80% of buses are wheelchair accessible, and LTA aims for 100% coverage by 2020).
 
 
 
Disabled facilities at MRT stations and in trains (More than 80% of MRT stations have at least two barrier free access routes).
 
 
 
 
 
Accommodation for drivers with disabilities:
 
 
 
Car Park Label Scheme for Persons with Physical Disabilities
 
 
 
SPD provides training for Tower Transit bus drivers how to help commuters with disabilities [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/bus-drivers-get-tips-on-helping-disabled-commuters (ST 28 Apr 2016)]
 
 
 
'''Gaps and Their Causes'''
 
  
Transportation costs, while subsidised, are still high for lower income PWDs
+
===Key Document Sources===
  
Cheaper transport options such as buses and trains are either too crowded for wheelchair users or other persons with disabilities OR there are service issues, such as some unprofessional or even discriminatory drivers or passengers.
+
*2018: [http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/LF%20Early%20Intervention%20Survey%20Findings.pdf Lien Foundation Study on Early Intervention Professionals]
 +
*2017: [https://www.nvpc.org.sg/resources/report-on-issues-faced-by-people-with-disabilities-in-singapore NVPC Report on Issues Faced By People With Disabilities In Singapore]
 +
*2017: [https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Disabilities-and-Special-Needs/Documents/Enabling%20Masterplan%203%20(revised%2013%20Jan%202017).pdf Enabling Masterplan (2017-2021)]
 +
*2016: Lien Foundation’s Inclusive Attitudes Survey of the [http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Inclusive%20Attitudes%20Survey%20Press%20Release%20Final.pdf General Public] and [http://lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Inclusive%20Survey%20Part%202%20-%20Press%20Release%20Lien%20Fdn%20Final%5b1%5d.pdf Parents of Children with Special Needs]
 +
*2016: [http://www.dpa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Incusion-in-Education2.pdf DPA’s Achieving Inclusion in Education]
 +
*2016: Singapore's [https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/International-Conventions/Pages/UN-Convention-on-the-Rights-of-Persons-with-Disabilities-UNCRPD.aspx Initial Report to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities]
 +
*2015: Lien Centre for Social Innovation's [https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=lien_reports People with Physical Disabilities in Singapore: Understanding Disabling Factors in Caregiving, Education, Employment and Finances]
 +
*2011: MOH's [https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/society/ssnsep11-pg12-14.pdf Caregiving in Singapore] snippet of the National Health Survey 2010
  
Open prams used by caregivers now allowed on public buses, but not all bus drivers realise this yet [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/open-prams-on-buses (ST 2 Oct 2016)]
+
===Voluntary or Non-Profit Organisations===
 +
<big>[<u>To insert a synopsis</u>:</big> <big>To give a sketch...How many SSAs in general that provide services across different type of disabilities; How many DPOs.]</big>
  
'''Possible Solutions'''
+
<big>[<u>To edit</u>: Where possible, we should merely link to existing directories that have already consolidated such information, instead of list them here ourselves, unless those do not exist are are incomplete. Thus, we should try to sense-make the catalogue of information that already exists, and where it does not, then we can catalogue]</big>
  
 +
*A good index of weblinks and resources for families with special needs kids in Singapore can be found [https://thenewageparents.com/resources-for-families-with-special-needs-kids-singapore/ here]
 +
*See MOE's [https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/special-education/how-do-i-know-if-my-child-has-special-education-needs#how-else-can-i-get-support-to-learn-about-my-child-sen list of Disability Organisations] parents can refer to.
 +
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disability_organisations_in_Singapore
  
----
 
 
====An accessible work environment====
 
 
'''Existing Resources'''
 
 
Universal Design
 
 
Assistive Technology Fund
 
 
Open Door Programme
 
 
 
'''Gaps and Their Causes'''
 
 
Using principles of universal design, the BCA has improved accessibility of our built environment. But Richard Kuppusamy, a wheelchair user, commented that the layout in the BCA code is more conducive to assistants of persons with disabilities, rather than for more independent users who do not need help.
 
 
Even with the subsidies, technology aids are costly for persons with disabilities; those from low-middle income households do not qualify for a subsidy after means-testing.
 
 
Sometimes the subsidy is not enough to cover a person’s assistive technology needs over a lifetime.
 
 
 
'''Possible Solutions'''
 
 
increase the means testing of Assistive Technology Fund to cover more persons with disabilities from lower-middle income households
 
 
====Access to digital media====
 
 
'''Existing Resources'''
 
 
 
'''Gaps and Their Causes'''
 
 
 
'''Potential Solutions'''
 
 
-Web Accessibility Guidelines
 
https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/
 
 
-Accessibility reviews of the web
 
https://www.abilitynet.org.uk/
 
 
---
 
 
====Access to leisure and recreational activities====
 
 
'''Existing Resources'''
 
 
ActiveSG is promoting disability sports. Various sports have been adapted for them. In Singapore, the range of sports for people with disabilities includes handcyling, swimming, table tennis and boccia, a ball game that can be played by wheelchair-users with motor-skill impairment [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/sports-for-those-with-disabilities (ST 27 Sep 2016)]
 
 
The inclusive playgrounds in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and Ghim Moh and the complementary Children in Action programme [http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/collective-effort-can-help-the-disabled-lead-dignified-lives (ST 17 Jun 2016)]
 
 
[http://www.runninghour.com/about#partner Running Hour]
 
A sports co-operative that promotes integration of persons with special needs through running. We have members who are mildly intellectually challenged, physically challenged and visually challenged joining us to keep fit. We welcome anyone passionate about running to join us as running guides.
 
 
"Inclusive" art workshop to encourage interaction between children with and without special needs. Run by Superhero Me, a non-governmental organisation that runs art programmes for children ([http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/inclusive-art-sessions-draw-kids-together ST 2 Oct 2017]).
 
 
Free entry for people with disabilities and caregivers to (special exhibitions of) NHB museums (ST 15 April 2018 “Free entry for people with disabilities”)
 
 
 
'''Gaps and Their Causes'''
 
 
Sports take-up rate among people with disabilities remains low, though they stand to benefit more than able-bodied people by being active[http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/sports-for-those-with-disabilities (ST 27 Sep 2016)]
 
 
Reasons why people with disabilities may shun sports:[http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/sports-for-those-with-disabilities (ST 27 Sep 2016)]
 
•Difficulty in getting transport to the sports facilities.
 
•Cost of specialised equipment and transporting them.
 
•Struggles with the basics of daily life that push the thought of exercise into the background.
 
•Depending on volunteers to help out, such as transferring the person with disability from a normal wheelchair to a racing wheelchair.
 
•A tendency to withdraw from society and an unwillingness to leave the house for various reasons.
 
•Logistics. For instance, when a wheelchair racer travels overseas for races, he has to take along a special racing wheelchair, a regular wheelchair for moving around and a commode chair.
 
•There may also be psychological factors such as confidence, self image issues and a self-perceived inability to do sports.
 
 
Lack of opportunities to prove themselves ;being overprotective could limit their exposure, hindering their ability to lead a fulfilling and independent life ([http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/commentary-when-does-a-person-with-a-disability-get-a-chance-to-9226832 CNA 21 Sep 2017])
 
 
'''Possible Solutions'''
 
 
There should be regular disability sports sessions in all special education schools and organisations for the disabled [http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/sports-for-those-with-disabilities (ST 27 Sep 2016)]
 
 
Collectively refrain from assuming what PWDs can or cannot do, never mind their condition.
 
([http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/commentary-when-does-a-person-with-a-disability-get-a-chance-to-9226832 CNA 21 Sep 2017])
 
----
 
 
====Opportunities to give back to society====
 
 
'''Existing Resources'''
 
SPD Youth Development Programme - Trained and mentored youths with disabilities to enable them to champion social causes and give back to the society.
 
 
----
 
 
==Resource Directory==
 
 
A good index of weblinks and resources for families with special needs kids in Singapore can be found [https://thenewageparents.com/resources-for-families-with-special-needs-kids-singapore/ here]
 
 
===Voluntary Organisations, Non-Profits===
 
 
'''Aphasia SG'''
 
'''Aphasia SG'''
 
[[File:81040999 1498271000330848 5077484275469647872 n.jpg|thumb|Participants at a Chit Chat Cafe by Aphasia SG. Photo credit: [https://www.facebook.com/AphasiaSG/photos/a.1225102520981032/1498270996997515/?type=3&theater Aphasia SG]]]
 
[[File:81040999 1498271000330848 5077484275469647872 n.jpg|thumb|Participants at a Chit Chat Cafe by Aphasia SG. Photo credit: [https://www.facebook.com/AphasiaSG/photos/a.1225102520981032/1498270996997515/?type=3&theater Aphasia SG]]]
Line 603: Line 368:
  
 
http://olive-tree.sg/
 
http://olive-tree.sg/
 +
 +
====='''Telelay'''=====
 +
https://www.facebook.com/telelayservice/
 +
 +
Telelay is an app that enables the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Hearing communities to connect and communicate anytime, anywhere. (to be launched soom)
 +
 +
====='''Digital Dream'''=====
 +
http://digitaldream.com.sg/
 +
 +
Social enterprise that provides digital solutions for non-profits (e.g. simulated environments, augmented reality); allows user created content. In several SPED schools (Chao Yang APSN, AWWA School at Napiri, MINDS Towner Gardens). Mixed Reality Room to help students learn what to wear or prepare if they go swimming etc. AVA Room at MINDS to help them prepare for work. Installation at Enabling Village's Cargeiver's Pod for skills training and experiences. Also collaborating with VSA on art exhibition (with Dawn-Joy Leong).
  
 
===Social Enterprises or Businesses that hire people with disability===
 
===Social Enterprises or Businesses that hire people with disability===
Line 664: Line 439:
 
https://www.fds.org.sg/
 
https://www.fds.org.sg/
  
=== Initiatives ===
+
===Initiatives===
 
NUS [http://news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/giving-children-superpowers?utm_source=newsmailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Giving+children+superpowers Makerthon] organised by Computing, Engineering, Design & Environment.
 
NUS [http://news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/giving-children-superpowers?utm_source=newsmailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Giving+children+superpowers Makerthon] organised by Computing, Engineering, Design & Environment.
  
Line 696: Line 471:
 
https://wid.org/
 
https://wid.org/
  
----
+
===Disability Conferences===
 
 
== Disability Conferences ==
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
| style="width: 15%;" |'''CONFERENCE'''
 
| style="width: 15%;" |'''CONFERENCE'''
Line 729: Line 502:
 
|}
 
|}
  
== References ==
+
==References==
 
<references />
 
<references />

Latest revision as of 09:22, 1 November 2022


Overview

The information found in these pages is populated by participants of the Disability Community Network and many other individuals who have an interest in Disability issues. Feel free to join the Network's Google Group / Forum if you are keen to touch base and contribute.

This overview provides a synopsis of the current knowledge base. Having considered all the information in the disability pages:

1) What are the priority issues that deserve attention

2) What are opportunity areas that community or voluntary organizations can already take action on

3) What knowledge gaps deserve further investigation?

An audio description device used on the set of Not In My Lifetime? which allow blind or vision-impaired audience members to fully enjoy the experience of a live theatre performance.

Priority Issues

[These are candidate (not finalized) issues to be discussed and prioritized with participants of the DCN, after we share back the whole set of information.]

  • Getting a better understanding of disability and the issues facing the differently-abled
  • Employment rates for PWDs are low, and there are little protections against discrimination.
    • As of a 2019 Ministry of Manpower (MoM) survey, 28.6% or nearly 3 in 10 people with disabilities (PwDs) of working age (between 15 to 64) are employed.[1]
    • Many young adults with special needs of disability suddenly left with substantially less government aid or help when they leave special education route in school. Higher functioning individuals may find gainful employment in social enterprises but many are not able to cope when placed in the competitive workplace of most private sector jobs.
    • Pay ceiling for PwDs who cannot physically be present for the full office hour duration
  • Social discrimination/ exclusion that still exists despite about a third of Singaporeans thinking otherwise[2]
    • 64% of people in Singapore were willing to share public spaces with PwDs but not willing to interact with them. More than a third of Singaporeans have no special needs children in their social circles. And 23% of the remaining two thirds only meet more than once a year. [3]
    • Public buses were only made fully accessible in 2008 and they have largely been an unseen community to the majority of the public, with lack of personal interactions and friendships fueling misconceptions about the PwD community.
    • Exclusion and discrimination from them having relationships, married life and parenthood for many PwDs for a variety of societal misconceptions.[4]
  • While the disability sector has benefited from continuum planning across the life course through the Enabling Masterplans (Early intervention, education, employment, caregiver support etc), new frontiers to go into are community participation (participation of PWDs in the community) and social inclusion.

Actionable Opportunity Areas

[These are a list of ideas and actionable concepts that service providers, community partners and social innovators, can already take on and implement. For ideas that have not yet been fully articulated, see specific segments in each area of need]

See Disability Ideas Bank for a compilation of other ideas.

  • Inclusive Neighbourhoods (A community inclusion initiative for people with disabilities and their caregivers.The objective is to help community members, partners and local institutions integrate PWDs and their caregivers into the communal life of the residential neighbourhood, where PWDs are supported by the whole community but can also contribute back to it. This will be achieved through an strengths-based community development approach that maps and mobilises the assets of the community. Early stages of being conceptualised. Interested to partner or support? Contact justin.lee@nus.edu.sg)
  • Accessibility Audit Staycations. We get hotels to provide free staycations to caregivers and PWDs, and in exchange they will systematically use and experience all the amenities, make sure they can get around, use the gym, pool, restaurants, and provide an accessibility report (as well as ideas on how to improve). This will help hotels improve their infrastructure and social accommodations to different customers with disabilities, improving their marketability and attractiveness to a niche market that can be quite large and profitable. Eg have ‘quiet buffets’ once a month for autistic diners. Possibly staycation cum bootcamp where PWDs do accessibility audit followed by facilitated session design thinkers/consultants - ideation and design thinking bootcamp over the weekend to come up with ideas to improve accessibility. This idea can be expanded slowly to neighbouring amenities and localities so that over time, each locality has an accessibility rating, so the local trade associations can do something collectively if they want. Eg Orchard Road / Sentosa, Little India etc might pay PWDs to come do accessibility audit and make recommendations. Retailers can also invite. National positioning angle --- Singapore is inclusive destination. There core concept itself requires little to no programme cost, just some coordination. Hotels can do it as part of their CSR. To get this going, need to get a sense of how accessibility audits are done, eg in the UK where they are required by law.

Knowledge Gaps

  • [to insert key knowledge gaps]
  • [to insert key knowledge gaps]

Definition of Disability

How Disability is defined in Singapore

Persons with disabilities refer to “those whose prospects of securing, retaining places and advancing in education and training institutions, employment and recreation as equal members of the community are substantially reduced as a result of physical, sensory, intellectual and developmental impairments.” Enabling Masterplan, MSF [Clarification: Will it be useful to specify what these mean by grouping different disabilities into these broader categories, eg physical (wheelchair users?) sensory (VI, HI), intellectual and developmental impairments (ASD, Dyslexia?)]

[Point to note: Lien Centre for Social Innovation adopts this definition in their recent publication titled People with Physical Disabilities in Singapore: Understanding Disabling Factors in Caregiving, Education, Employment and Finances.] [Clarification: May not need to include this point as Lien is likely taking reference from MSF and NCSS, so we only need to take into account those sources unless there are other good reasons to?]

There is no standard definition of disability which is accepted by all stakeholders. For example, NCSS/SSI lists a SSI course on mental illness under disability category, but in practice persons with chronic mental illness are not eligible for disability policies and programmes. This group is also not covered by Public Transport Concession Scheme for Persons with Disabilities, for which only those with "Physical Disability, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability" qualify.

MOE's list of SEN:

How Disability is defined elsewhere

"But this differs from that of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, because those with mental health impairments - such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders - are left out. When asked about this, the MSF says not all mental illnesses result in disabilities, and with medication and treatment, patients are able to function well on their own." (ST 8 May 2016)

[Clarification: The main or only difference between SIngapore's official definition of disability and elsewhere is the inclusion of mental health conditions? ]

[Suggestion: Given that there may be disputes to what a useful definition is, possibly insert a link to a Discussion page on the implications of defining Disability differently. DPA has written about this somewhere previously?]

What are the different types of disabilities?[5]

Physical disabilities refers to either a total or partial loss of bodily functions such as the ability to walk, or a total or partial loss of a part of the body. It can result from congenital causes, or acquired from serious illnesses or injury.

The two main types of sensory disability are visual impairment and deafness/hard of hearing. There are varying degrees of visual impairment: some people have low vision, others have tunnel vision in which their peripheral vision is affected, while others experience complete blindness. People could also have partial or complete hearing loss.

Intellectual disability is mainly established by a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ of 70 or below). It is also a feature of medical conditions such as Down Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome and Williams Syndrome.

Autism is a developmental disability currently with no known causes or cures. Persons with autism typically have problems with social communication and interaction across contexts, and present very rigid and repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities.

Key Statistics & Figures

These are key figures that are relevant for the disability sector at large; for specific stats such as employment rates, please see the respective pages. [Alternatively, we could also do this: cross-link to those statistics in the other pages; see example below]

Prevalence rate

Synopsis: Various sources put the prevalence rate at about 3% of the population, which means about 100,000 in total, out of which about 10,000 are students.

  • SG Enable: No definitive data of the total number of people with disability exists, because no official central registry or comprehensive disability study has been done. According to 2013 data from SG Enable, Singapore has about 100,000 people with disabilities. In view of Singapore’s ageing population, this number will increase by 2030 as more people acquire a disability through the ageing process. [Citation for this?] According to Singapore’s population index, “the number of elderly citizens will triple to 900,000 by 2030.” Population.sg
Population group Approximate prevalence rate
Student population 2.1% of student population[6]
18-49 years 3.4% of resident population[7]
50 years and above 13.3% of resident population[8]
    • This table provides some estimates on the Prevalence rate of disability in Singapore (SG Enable):
  • Straits Times: In Singapore, those with disabilities are estimated to make up 3 per cent of the population or well over 100,000 people.(ST 27 Sep 2016) [Clarification: Check what official source they are using for these figures, and if it is MSF or NCSS, can delete this]
  • MSF - Enabling Masterplan: Some disability prevalence rates of Singapore citizens with disabilities are available from the Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021. According to the foreword of the Enabling Masterplan 2017-2021 , 2.1% of the student population have disabilities. (Source: Ministry of Education. This is based on the number of reported cases of students with sensory impairment, physical impairment, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The total student population is put at approximately 460,000). [This means about 9,660 students have special needs?]
  • NCSS: Of the resident population aged 18 – 49 years, 3.4% have disabilities (Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore residents and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 3.4% for those aged 18 – 49 years old. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents and illness.) Of the resident population aged 50 years and above, 13.3% have disabilities (Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore residents and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 13.3% for those aged 50 years and above. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents, illness and older age).

Other relevant stats

  • See employment rates of PWDs: 5 in 100 employed.
  • [Insert link to other key stats fro other pages; e.g. participation rates in arts,sports etc headline figure here]
  • [Insert link to other key stats; headline figure here]

Map of Areas of Need & Key Issues

Click the links below to go directly to specific areas of interest:

Detection & Early Intervention
Education

- Ministry of Education Special Educational Needs

Employment Social Inclusion

-Arts

-Sports

-Sexuality

-Public Acceptance

Community Participation
Mobility & Access

-Transportation

-Access to Buildings

-Information Access

Family & Caregivers

The following is also listed below in alphabetical order:

[Note to contributors: The headings here look a little unnecessary here, but it is so that these issues come out in the content page above; to help navigability. We may also add in synopses of each of these issues here, so that readers get a headline view without having to navigate to those pages]

Community Participation

Yomex-owo-634531-unsplash.jpg

Detection & Early Intervention

Education

Employment

Family & Caregivers

General/ Statistics of PwDs in Singapore

Mobility & Access

Social Inclusion

Specific Sub-Pages

[To Update: Possibly, these specific disability types can be group according to the broader categories in the definition used by MSF: Physical, Sensory, Intellectual etc]

Physical Disability

Sensory Disability

Visual Impairment

Hearing Impairment

Intellectual Disability

Developmental Disability

Adults with Autism

[To Update: There should be a page on Autism in general instead of Adults with Autism]

Aphasia

Niche issues

Arts and Disability

Community Groups

Disability Community Network - currently facilitated by Justin Lee (IPS), but looking towards community to take over.

Disability Research Coalition - facilitated by Lohsnah (NUS) and Vim (MINDS) to faciluitate collaboration amongst researchers interested in disability sector.

Quota Hiring Interest Group - group interested to study the feasibility of quota hiring in Singapore, by comparing quota systems in different countries. See this comparison chart.

Inclusive Neighbourhood Initiative - to catalyse local community to integrate people with disabilities and also opportunities for them to participate in community life and contribute back. AWWA, SGEnable, IPS

Access Arts Hub - a consortium of individuals and organisations with a shared agenda to make arts more accessible and appealing for persons with disabilities.

Resource Directory

Key Document Sources

Voluntary or Non-Profit Organisations

[To insert a synopsis: To give a sketch...How many SSAs in general that provide services across different type of disabilities; How many DPOs.]

[To edit: Where possible, we should merely link to existing directories that have already consolidated such information, instead of list them here ourselves, unless those do not exist are are incomplete. Thus, we should try to sense-make the catalogue of information that already exists, and where it does not, then we can catalogue]

Aphasia SG

Participants at a Chit Chat Cafe by Aphasia SG. Photo credit: Aphasia SG

www.aphasia.sg

Organised by a team of speech and language therapists, Aphasia SG is a 100% volunteer-run non-profit organisation whose flagship programme is Chit Chat Cafe, a free monthly “pop-up café” for persons with aphasia (PWA) and their caregivers to interact and enjoy a cup of coffee together in a safe space.

Its other flagship programme is the Aphasia SG Choir, which is conducted by music therapist volunteers and that has weekly evening rehearsals at a central location. 

APSN

http://www.apsn.org.sg/

Down Syndrome Association (Singapore)

http://www.downsyndrome-singapore.org/

founded in 1995 by parents, has close to 1000 members, of which over 300 are persons with Down syndrome Operates a DSA Thriftshop at Telok Blangah Crescent

MINDS

http://www.minds.org.sg/

Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore (MDAS)

http://www.mdas.org.sg/

SPD

http://www.spd.org.sg/

Bizlink

http://www.bizlink.org.sg/ training and employment for people with disabilities One of Bizlink's biggest businesses is providing cleaning teams to other companies. These teams are made up of able-bodied workers and those with disabilities (ST 1 Oct 2017).

Special Education (SPED) Schools

19 SPED schools as of January 2018: https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/special-education/special-education-schools/list-of-sped-schools

Social Enterprises that provide services for people with disabilities

Olive Tree Development Centre

http://olive-tree.sg/

Telelay

https://www.facebook.com/telelayservice/

Telelay is an app that enables the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Hearing communities to connect and communicate anytime, anywhere. (to be launched soom)

Digital Dream

http://digitaldream.com.sg/

Social enterprise that provides digital solutions for non-profits (e.g. simulated environments, augmented reality); allows user created content. In several SPED schools (Chao Yang APSN, AWWA School at Napiri, MINDS Towner Gardens). Mixed Reality Room to help students learn what to wear or prepare if they go swimming etc. AVA Room at MINDS to help them prepare for work. Installation at Enabling Village's Cargeiver's Pod for skills training and experiences. Also collaborating with VSA on art exhibition (with Dawn-Joy Leong).

Social Enterprises or Businesses that hire people with disability

Crunchy Teeth

http://crunchyteeth.com.sg/

Started by parents of children with special needs - aims to provide baking skills to special needs children and youth, and retails baking goods

Dignity Kitchen

http://dignitykitchen.sg/

Personalised Love

https://www.personalisedlove.com/

SEOciety

http://www.ourseociety.com/

Social Food Inc

https://www.facebook.com/pg/socialfoodinc/about/

Incorporated in 2013, Social Food Inc. Pte Ltd is an established Halal-certified food caterer that provide people with disabilities with employment training

Started by Sim Sin Sin. See Case Study of Social Food Inc

WISE Enterprise

https://www.wise-enterprise.sg/

Adrenalin

http://adrenalin.com.sg/

Six of the 25 workers at Adrenalin have disabilities and other special needs. Staff members include two deaf persons, an employee who uses a wheelchair and people recovering from mental illness (ST 1 Oct 2017).

Holiday Inn Singapore

Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre hotel in Cavenagh Road - 12 per cent of the more than 200 staff are PWDs, staff adjust to the different ways of communication of some PWD employees, some of whom have intellectual disabilities or autism (ST 1 Oct 2017). .

Han's Group

Han's Group, about 50 employees, or 10 per cent of its workforce, are persons with disabilities (ST 1 Oct 2017).

Foreword Coffee

https://www.forewordcoffee.com/

Trains individuals with special needs to be baristas and frontline service staff at its coffee outlets

Disabled People's Organisations

Disabled People's Association

http://www.dpa.org.sg/

Friends of the Disabled Society

https://www.fds.org.sg/

Initiatives

NUS Makerthon organised by Computing, Engineering, Design & Environment.

Tikkun Olam Makers - Israel based maker movement that has done makerthons for disability sector in Singapore.

Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards

Government Agencies

MSF Disability Division

https://app.msf.gov.sg/About-MSF/Our-People/Divisions-at-MSF/Social-Development-and-Support/Disability-Division

NCSS Disability Services

SGEnable

https://www.sgenable.sg

Owns the i'mable collective, which aims to showcase and market the creative works of persons with disabilities, giving them even more opportunities to hone their skills and sell their craft.

i'mable Collective aims to be the preferred first stop for organisations keen to support the purchase of high quality gifts with a social cause.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Dare to Dream

The scholarship provides special needs persons, who are successful in gaining entry into a diploma programme at the LaSalle College of the Arts, with funding of fees for the full duration of the diploma programme at the College. Dare To Dream

International

World institute on Disability https://wid.org/

Disability Conferences

CONFERENCE LOCATION REMARKS
Having a Say Conference Geelong, Australia Organised by and for people with intellectual disabilities. While the programme isn’t jam packed with information, it’s definitely interesting to learn more about how people with ID raise issues of concerns, and really take part in setting the agenda. Seems fairly prominent within Australia, but not much international reach. Down Syndrome Association brought some of its advocates there last year to share their advocacy programme
Zero Project Vienna, Austria Packed chock-a-block with presentations, sharings, and booths. The theme changes year to year. 2018 was on Accessibility and saw representatives from a whole host of countries sharing more about accessibility (challenges of accessibility). Most interesting were the South American presentations that pretty much shared about how people took issues into their own hands and made spaces in their cities more accessible. The conference is accompanied by innovation booths that feature innovations from all over the world (e.g., a group of people in India who set up a form of landline service for people with disabilities to post and apply for jobs). Really cool stuff. 2019’s theme is on Political Participation.
Global Disability Summit London, UK (2018) Organised by International Disability Alliance. Seems to be the place to meet the who's who in the disability sector globally.
Inclusion International World Congress Birmingham, UK (2018)
Harkin Summit Washington DC, USA (2018) 2018 - Rather US-centric. But great information on employment and employability practices by large organisations.
ASEAN Disability Forums Thailand (2019) Moves around the ASEAN region depending on who the Chairman is.

References

  1. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/disability-pwds-in-employment-mom-survey-parliament-zaqy-11863568
  2. http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Inclusive%20Attitudes%20Survey%20Press%20Release%20Final.pdf
  3. http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/FINAL%20-%20Inclusive%20Attitudes%20Survey%20Part%201_30May16.pdf
  4. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/parents-with-disabilities-tackle-misconceptions-raising-families-11729976?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna
  5. https://www.sgenable.sg/about-us/our-impact/disability-in-singapore#source-link-2
  6. Source: Ministry of Education. This is based on the number of reported cases of students with sensory impairment, physical impairment, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The total student population is put at approximately 460,000
  7. Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 3.4% for those aged 18–49 years old. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents and illness
  8. Source: National Council of Social Service. Based on a random sampling of 2,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above done by NCSS in 2015, the self-reported disability prevalence rate was 13.3% for those aged 50 years and above. This includes those who acquired disabilities due to accidents, illness and old age