For Review Only For Review Only 3 CELEBRATING 20 years OF AUTISM RESOURCE CENTRE MAKING A (SINGAPORE) DIFFERENCE TOGETHER PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS IN PARTNERSHIP Theresa Tan For Review Only Contents © 2017 Trailblazer Foundation Foreword 8 Published for Trailblazer Foundation in 2017 by Marshall Cavendish Editions An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International Introduction 14 All rights reserved Autism in Singapore: Milestones 17 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Requests for permission should be addressed to the copyright holder, Trailblazer Foundation. SECTION ONE: BREAKING NEW GROUND The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no events be liable for any loss of profit CHAPTER 1 Reach Me, Teach Me 24 or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. The Birth of the Reach-Me Project National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Name(s): Tan, Theresa. CHAPTER 2 Time to Get Serious 36 Title: Making a Difference Together : Parents and professionals in partnership / The Journey to Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) Theresa Tan. Description: Singapore : Published for Trailblazer Foundation by Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2017. Identifier(s): OCN 999395900 | ISBN 978-981-4751-54-4 (paperback) CHAPTER 3 Yes, We Can! 52 Subject(s): LCSH: Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) | Autism—Singapore. | Autistic children—Care—Singapore. | Autistic children—Education—Singapore. | Autistic The Story of WeCAN Training Services children—Rehabilitation—Singapore. | Autistic people—Rehabilitation—Singapore. Classification:DD C 305.90874095957—dc23 CHAPTER 4 Starting Early 60 Designed by Lorraine Aw ARC(S)’s Early Intervention Programme Printed in Singapore by Markono Print Media Pte Ltd For Review Only SECTION TWO: LIGHTING THE WAY SECTION THREE: THE PATH AHEAD CHAPTER 5 Shining Through Pathlight 70 CHAPTER 9 One Dream, Many Hands 128 Educating Our Young Autism Network Singapore Combines Strengths CHAPTER 6 A Model for Inclusion 88 CHAPTER 10 Dreaming for the Future 136 Partnering Mainstream Schools Gaps to Fill, Dreams to Fulfil CHAPTER 7 We’ve Got Talent 94 Grooming Gifts and Talents Appendices A: About Autism 144 CHAPTER 8 Off to Work We Go 100 B: ARC(S) Core Services 148 Creating Job Success for Independent Living C: Autism Network Singapore (ANS) Members 149 D: History of Fundraising for ARC(S) 150 SPECIAL SECTION A Big Thank You 154 Insights and Interviews: Voices from the Community 112 For Review Only Introduction 15 Six schools later, in 2005, Sean was finally enrolled One such group of passionate parents and profes- in the newly opened Pathlight School, the first sionals formed the Reach-Me Project in 1997. This autism-specific school in Singapore. Today, Sean pilot project eventually became an autonomous has completed his education at the Institute of charity, the Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) Technical Education and is furthering his studies or ARC(S), in 2000. at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. ARC(S) worked tirelessly, alongside other organ- For parents of children with autism in the 1990s, isations serving those with Autism Spectrum discovering that their child had the condition was a Disorder (ASD) — such as Autism Association challenge. It was nearly impossible to get a proper (Singapore) or AA(S), St Andrew’s Autism Centre, diagnosis, as doctors and psychologists couldn’t Rainbow Centre and AWWA, and a number of agree what the problem was. Some diagnosed private and public institutions. Together, they the symptoms rather than the condition. Others increased public awareness and pioneered ser- simply told parents there was nothing wrong with vices for people with autism in Singapore. Introduction their children and that they would “outgrow” it. The word “autism” was only barely filtering into Today, the term “autism” is familiar to many. The the pre-Google Singapore vocabulary. autism landscape in Singapore has transformed in remarkable ways, with support for children as Koh Joh Ting spent five years of her son’s early needs children. Special education (SPED) schools Once diagnosed, the nightmare began, as few young as two years old. school life moving him from one school to another like MINDS deemed Sean unsuitable for their lim- schools understood autism. Many feared the — two kindergartens and four primary schools. ited places because he did not have an intellectual sometimes disruptive behaviour that they per- Mainstream school educators and allied educa- disability or multiple disabilities. ceived to be the primary characteristic of autism. tors are trained and deployed to at least support “We finally got Sean examined when he entered his those who have mild autism. There are now three first primary school, which did not feel equipped to Joh Ting eventually enrolled Sean in a school for It was thus that tiny bands of parents and pro- autism-focused schools in the special education handle him as we had not forewarned them that visually handicapped children that had a small fessionals decided to do something about this space. Services for adults with autism have been Sean was not normal,” Joh Ting recalled. number of students with autism — at least there dismal situation — to rewrite the story for those developed, with three day activity centres and one he would have teachers who were trained in special with autism and their families, to open new path- employment centre. It was the ’90s Singapore. Mainstream schools were education, if not specifically for autism. ways for the better. under-equipped and not ready to accept special 16 Making a Difference Together For Review Only Autism in Singapore: Milestones Over the years, the media has played a big role public and private, coming together to give of in demystifying the condition and boosting more what they can to uplift the community. Together, 1997 positive attitudes towards the autism community. they began making a difference, regardless of Reach-Me Project (RMP), led by race or nationality. Leong Geok Hoon, is the first This book follows the key developments of the pilot programme supporting ASD vibrant autism landscape in Singapore over the It is still a work in progress. Much more work is children in mainstream schools, last 20 years. It marks the difficult early days needed to transform our world into a kind and formed officially through an MOU when the Reach-Me Project was formed, and inclusive one. But for the autism community in between AA(S) and Students Care its evolution to later become ARC(S). It chroni- Singapore, it is a dream turning steadily into real- Service, a VWO, who provide office 1989 space in their Clementi Centre to cles the journey from a barren landscape, bereft ity through determined and generous people, and Start of the STEP (Structured incubate the initiative. of support, each family looking out for itself, to the passion and purpose they have embraced. Teaching for Exceptional Pupils) 1996 one where there are now diagnostic and support programme by Rainbow Centre, A team from NAS — comprising services, as well as specialised autism-specific The gotong royong community spirit of those early catering to children with autism Speech therapists Catherine Chief Executive Geraldine Peacock, schools like Pathlight and Eden. parents and professionals who decided to stop from 6 to 12 years old. Pownall and Mary Yong moot the Eileen Hopkins and Mike Collins — complaining and start doing something sparked a idea, together with a group of arrives to advise on the set-up of their clients’ parents, to develop a RMP. They meet with the Ministry of It is a story of parents and professionals coming transformation in society. It was a transformation support system for students with Education (MOE) and the Ministry together to sow the seeds of change for the larger that has grown beyond their initial dreams and laid 1992 autism in mainstream schools, of Health, give press interviews, special needs community. It is also the story of the foundation for more to be done in the years modelled after that of the National and deliver the first talk on autism many helping hands, and generous organisations, to come. Autism Association (Singapore), or Autistic Society (NAS) in UK. in Singapore at the Garden Hotel. AA(S), is set up as a parent support group. 1998 Second visit by NAS, in conjunction with a Regional Professional Con- ference and a Parents’ Seminar. Milestones for the autism landscape in Singapore RMP’s Autism Resource Centre is Milestones for Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) officially openedt a 25 Peck Seah Street. 18 Making a Difference Together For Review Only Autism in Singapore: Milestones 19 1998 Beginning of RMP’s Training, Diag- nostic and Assessment Services. 2005 Start of the first Satellite Partner- ship between Pathlight School and 2001 Chong Boon Secondary School, providing for the physical integra- Project Platinum, a blueprint for 2004 tion of Pathlight students into a cradle-to-grave autism services, mainstream school. The model is 2000 is submitted to MOE to push for Opening of Pathlight School, the subsequently officially adopted by 2006 1999 an integrated education complex.