The Child Support Services (CSS) unit at NTUC First Campus (NFC) supports the learning of children who have been flagged as having learning difficulties. As the Lead Learning Support Educator, I guide a team of eight to help teachers identify children with low developmental needs through standard and non-standard assessments. I collaborate with teachers and parents to establish the children’s needs and goals for an Individual Education Plan. I also work closely with teachers to plan learning activities, evaluate children’s progress and make appropriate recommendations for follow-up reinforcement.

Working with young children brings many rewards. It is a chance to see children flourish in their development and become confident independent learners. It never fails: Just when I’m about to question my skills about a child’s learning, the child will have a breakthrough, and I will want to kiss the ground and do a happy dance! There is nothing better than having a high-five moment with one of the kids when they make a breakthrough.

Very often, children requiring CSS support come from low-income families. I consider it a privilege to work with different stakeholders both internally and externally to find ways to support a family in need. Seeing how everyone comes together on the same page for the family is such an inspiring experience.

Parents are usually apprehensive of the cost that intervention programmes will incur. NFC’s Bright Horizons Fund (BHF) makes our work possible for the children identified for such programmes at My First Skool (MFS). Our joint effort makes it possible for the family to move forward without worrying about finances and allow them to focus on their children. Parents become more open to early intervention efforts and learn to recognise these needs.

The BHF helps to alleviate the financial worries of many low-income families at MFS every year. As we carry on into our second year of life with COVID19, many disadvantaged children continue to benefit from our services at MFS. Living through a pandemic has not affected their access to knowledge and learning to become more independent learners because of the BHF. It is even more crucial that support continues to be extended during these difficult times so that the children, particularly those from low-income families, build a positive attitude towards learning. Families also feel more supported with the assistance provided by the BHF.