S'pore NMP, whose son has non-verbal autism, calls for 'aggressive' expansion in special needs facilities, MP Eric Chua says govt doing so

As part of Singapore's Enabling Masterplan 2030, the government will address a questions by caregivers of special needs children, said Member of Parliament (MPs) Eric Chua.

These queries include:

• What comes next after graduating from a Special Education (Sped) school?
• Will there be meaningful opportunities?
• And when they are no longer around, who will look over their child?

Speaking at the Committee of Supply debate on Mar. 6, Chua outlined the initiatives and responded to suggestions and questions by MPs.

More services

The current wait time for Sped school graduates is over half a year on average, Chua said.

"This weighs heavily on families. When a child graduates, six months can feel like a very long time," he said.

He added that the government is "accelerating expansion" and will introduce 500 spots at Day Activity Centres (DACs), and another 500 spots at Sheltered Workshops (SWs) by 2030.

DACs are community facilities that provide care and skills training to persons with disabilities aged 18 and above, while SWs provide employment and/or vocational training to special needs adults.

Commitment to eliminate waiting times

Earlier, Nominated MP Kuah Boon Theng had called for an "aggressive" expansion for its special needs facilities, and a commitment to eliminate waiting times altogether.

Kuah, a medical lawyer, whose son has autism and is non-verbal, said the shortage in places and resultant delays has been "a problem for years".

While she acknowledged the new placements, she said she believes it will "not even come close to fulfilling the actual demand":

"It seems like we are perpetually trying to play catch up to a gap in services that is only getting wider.

We can and must do better. "

More funding

Chua added that from July 2026, the government will increase subsidies for residential and community disability services by up to 15 and 10 per cent, respectively.

The income threshold for subsidies will also be raised, extending eligibility to households with a per capita income of up to S$4,800.

This will provide additional financial relief to 3,800 persons with disabilities, including those attending DACs.

Chua also acknowledged Kuah's call for more funding to service providers, and clarified that the government "regularly reviews" funding models for relevance.

The government last increased funding to DAC providers in 2021, and to disability residential service providers in 2025, he said.

Kuah had called for "a lot more funding" for DAC providers to expand their offerings, recruit more staff, and maintain high quality care.

This is so DAC fees can be made affordable to those who need it, Kuah said.

She added that currently, the fees remain unaffordable for many.

"This must be reviewed.

There is nothing more painful or emasculating to a parent than knowing that they cannot afford to get their child more help, or they have to sacrifice the needs of their other children to meet the expenses of their special needs kid."

Long-term planning

Chua also touched on the topic of long-term planning and the employability of persons with disabilities.

In April 2026, SG Enable will introduce new courses in collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore, adding to the existing 510 courses available there.

"But skills are not enough. We need inclusive employers," he said.

To that end, SG Enable is partnering employers in sectors such as F&B and health and social services to curate job roles "thoughtfully".

Through measures such as grants and wage offsets, organisations can strengthen their inclusive practices, Chua said.

"Persons with disabilities... are not passive recipients of support.

They are partners in our shared future."

Top photo via MDDI & Google Maps