KKH launches three programmes to boost caregiver support and family health in the community

• Early detection of health needs in preschools to give every child the best start
• Proactive mental health screening and support for parents of children with developmental needs
• Enhanced comfort care and support for families of children with life-limiting conditions

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) has launched three new programmes in the community to bring healthcare and family support closer to home.

Mission I’mPossible 2: Expanding early detection of health needs to give every child the best start

About Mission I’mPossible 2 (MIP2)

About 3,500 children across 16 preschools have benefited from comprehensive health surveillance through MIP2 – a pilot programme launched in 2022 by KKH, Lien Foundation and PAP Community Foundation Sparkletots Preschool (PCFSP).

This programme, targeted at children from two months old, aims to meet every child’s developmental, growth and oral health needs, to ensure that no child gets left behind during the critical early years of life. It is the first such local initiative that streamlines and integrates education, healthcare and social support to be delivered from within a preschool.

Key interventions:

• Of 3,500 children who were screened, 20% were identified to require additional developmental support, 9% were overweight and 22% had early childhood caries.
• Parents experienced increased accessibility to integrated surveillance, screening and support within the preschool. This contributed to an average of 80% consenting to their child’s participation in MIP2.
• Over 240 educators were trained in developmental classroom-wide strategies, such as recognising early warning signs. More than 120 were guided to implement strategies to support children with developmental needs in the classrooms.

Benefits

MIP2’s universal screening approach ensures comprehensive coverage for families across all socioeconomic groups. This enables early detection and intervention during the critical early years of life, which can significantly impact a child’s developmental trajectory and long-term health outcomes.

By training educators in developmental classroom-wide strategies, MIP2 creates a broader safety net where vulnerable infants and children are identified before concerns become entrenched, and targeted support can be provided effectively and efficiently.

Future plans

MIP2 is being gradually scaled up to reach more preschools. Discussions are underway with two other preschool operators – NTUC First Campus and Crestar Education Group – to adapt the programme, with the support of Lien Foundation. These expansions would enable thousands more families access to MIP2’s proactive and preventive approach towards optimising child health.

Read more about the MIP2 programme.

DayOne Programme Phase II: Strengthening mental health support for parents of children with developmental needs

About DayOne Programme

Parental mental health remains a crucial challenge affecting families navigating development concerns in their children. The DayOne programme launched by KKH in 2022 provides screening to identify parental mental health needs within hospital settings, and tailored support to help them better manage stressors as they navigate caregiving for their child.

DayOne Phase II expands support beyond the hospital through a tiered model of care, ranging from promoting mental well-being to targeted care for severe needs. Through collaborations with social service agencies AWWA and Allkin Singapore, more families can receive mental health support embedded into the community setting and closer to home.

Key interventions:

• Screening and tailored support for over 1,000 parents, provided by KKH and AWWA.
• Mental health screening and support for parents integrated into the enrolment process at AWWA-operated Early Intervention Centres.
• Referral to Allkin for specialised care for parents with higher mental health needs, for an accelerated and smoother transition of care.
• Interventions to improve parent-child relationships.
• Enhanced professional training to deliver interventions and anticipatory guidance for mild- to- severe mental health needs.

Benefits

DayOne Phase II’s community-integrated care enables proactive screening and needs-based, long-term mental health support for families in familiar and accessible settings. By addressing parental stress, anxiety and depression alongside children’s developmental needs through community-based support, families can experience improved relationships and well-being, enabling children to thrive and have the best start to life.

Future plans

Phase II is expected to run from 2025 to 2028, with S$4 million in funding support from the Lien Foundation.

Read more about Phase II of the DayOne Programme.

Cocoon Programme: Enhancing well-being of children with life-limiting conditions through Singapore’s first palliative care facility at a community hospital

About Cocoon Programme

The Cocoon Programme has established the nation’s first paediatric facility at a community hospital, to enhance the quality of life for children with chronic, complex medical conditions, and their families.

Offering rehabilitation and comfort care at a dedicated facility in Sengkang Community Hospital, it ensures continuity of care beyond KKH’s acute setting.

Programme features:

• Comprehensive rehabilitation and comfort care for children with life-limiting conditions.
• Respite and training for caregivers to prevent family burnout and enable sustainable home care.
• National-first structured training courses to cultivate a network of local practitioners skilled in paediatric palliative care.

Benefits

Cocoon complements medical and nursing care to include rehabilitation, caregiver training, psychosocial support and therapies. Receiving gentle, developmentally appropriate care helps children and families work towards better long-term well-being and health. This reduces the need for prolonged stays in an acute hospital setting, reducing infection risks and family stress.

Training the next generation of paediatric palliative care professionals

Cocoon is also building a generation of paediatric palliative care specialists in Singapore through two newly developed specialised training programmes – the Certificate Course for Paediatric & Perinatal Palliative Care and Graduate Diploma in Paediatric & Perinatal Palliative Care.

This professional capability development will boost families’ access to expert care, upskilling healthcare professionals to provide compassionate, family-centred support during some of life’s most challenging moments.

Cocoon is jointly launched by KKH, Lien Foundation and SingHealth Community Hospitals, supported by S$4.7 million in funding.

Read more about the Cocoon Programme.