CHILDREN BORN WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME

Mr Imram bin Mohamed asked the Minister for Health (a) how many children were born with Down's Syndrome each year from 1990 to 1994; (b) whether the Government maintains a register of babies born with Down's Syndrome and other birth defects; (c) whether parents of children born with Down's Syndrome receive counselling and expert guidance in the upbringing of their children: (d) whether all such children receive proper schooling and are given the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential; and (e) whether the Government intends to take a more active involvement in the development and education of such children than its current involvement via the National Council of Social Service.

Dr Aline Wong (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, Sir, there were between 55 and 60 babies born with Down's Syndrome each year between 1990 and 1994.

The Ministry of Health has set up a National Birth Defects Registry in 1993 to capture information on birth defects occurring in children in Singapore.

Parents of children with Down's Syndrome receive counselling and guidance on the upbringing of these children. Expert advice is given to the parents by the paediatrician soon after birth. The advice is related to the overall care that the child requires and for associated problems found, like congenital heart defects. All Down's Syndrome children are also referred to the hospital's Medical Social Worker for placement in special schools and for other specialised services that the children require. Medical problems detected are followed up by paediatricians in the hospitals.

The School Health Services carry out immunization and annual medical checkups, including eye-screening, on Down's Syndrome children attending the special schools in Singapore.

Down's Syndrome children together with other mentally handicapped children are provided with special education either at the five MINDS (Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore) or the three AESN (Association for Educationally Subnormal Children) schools. Down's Syndrome children, like all the other mentally handicapped children, are placed in these special schools according to their developmental level.

As at lst October 1995, there is a waiting list of 48 for MINDS schools and 63 for the AESN schools. The list includes some Down's Syndrome children. However, we understand from the MINDS and AESN schools that the 111 children will be admitted in the course of the new school year, 1996.

The curriculum in these special schools consists of language development, social and self-help, basic numeracy, physical education and art and craft. The programme aims to develop each child to his fullest potential. On graduation, these students are emplaced either in open employment, or they may continue further training in vocational/sheltered workshops.

Besides providing funds, the Ministry of Education (MOE) seconds teachers and principals to the special schools as well as monitors the programmes through the inspectors in the Special Education Unit. The inspectors work with the schools to review and develop their curriculum and evaluation instruments. They also conduct in-service courses/workshops for teachers in the special schools. The National Institute of Education also provides training courses for teachers in special education at both the Certificate and Diploma levels.

MOE actively helps the voluntary welfare organisations to find premises either by providing disused school buildings, which are renovated at Government's expense, or help the VWOs build purpose-built schools. Funding of these purpose-built schools is on a 80-20 basis with MOE providing 80% of the construction and equipment cost. Currently, two such purpose-built schools, one of which is for MINDS, are at the various stages of planning and development. There are plans to build more purpose-built schools for children requiring special education.

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Sir, the Senior Minister of State has said that there are two schools to be built for such children. How many students will each school accommodate?

Dr Aline Wong: I am afraid I do not have the figures of the expected enrolment of each of these two special schools. But when completed, together with three others, the capacity of these special schools would reach about 3,000, which is more than sufficient to cover the present enrolment and those on the waiting list.