SG Autism Dictionary

EIPIC (Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children) provides therapy and educational support for children under 7 with developmental needs at centres across Singapore. A paediatrician assessment that your child is at risk of a developmental disability is enough to apply — a formal autism diagnosis is not required.

EIPIC-P is government-subsidised early intervention delivered at private centres appointed by ECDA — the same referral route as EIPIC, with more choice of centre. New referrals are paused from 1 June 2026 and expected to resume in Q4 2026.

EIPIC-Care is a pilot that coaches you rather than placing your child in a centre: workshops and parent-child sessions with associate psychologists, for caregivers of 2-to-3-year-old children who need medium levels of early-intervention support.

DS-Plus supports children aged 2 to 6 who need low levels of early-intervention help — and it happens inside your child’s own preschool, with visiting professionals, rather than at a separate centre.

DS-LS gives K1 and K2 children who need low levels of early-intervention support targeted help — speech and language, social skills, motor skills, behaviour and literacy — delivered inside their own preschool.

Canossian EIPIC is Canossaville’s early-intervention programme for children aged 6 and below with hearing loss — the only EIPIC in Singapore specialising in it. It is not an autism-focused programme.

The programme that lets parents get deputyship for S$40 without a lawyer, while their child is 18–21 and in a SPED graduating cohort or at an MSF-funded DAC or Sheltered Workshop. Miss the window and the same outcome can cost S$3,000–S$9,000.

A community-based facility providing care and skills training to persons with disabilities aged 18 and above — the main weekday setting for autistic adults who are not in open employment or further training after SPED school.

A supported work setting offering employment and/or vocational training to adults with disabilities who do not yet have the competencies or skills for open employment.

Long-term residential care for adults with disabilities whose caregivers are unable to care for them, with short-term respite also available. For residents over 21 who lack mental capacity, applications need a deputy's or donee's approval.

AA(S) is a Singapore charity providing autism services across the lifespan. It runs Eden Children's Centre (early intervention, ages 2–7), Eden School (SPED), Eden Centre for Adults, Eden Friendship Club, and a Caregiver Support Network for parents.

ARC is a Singapore charity focused on autism. It runs Pathlight School, the WeCAN early-intervention programme, and training and consultancy for professionals who work with autistic people.

AWWA is a social service agency whose Early Intervention Continuum provides EIPIC services for young children with developmental needs.

CPAS serves children and adults with multiple disabilities, not only cerebral palsy. For families it runs CPAS GROW (early intervention) and CPAS School, a SPED school for ages 7 to 18.

ECDA is the government agency for Singapore’s early-childhood sector, and it owns the early-intervention programmes you will meet before Primary 1 — EIPIC, EIPIC-P, DS-Plus and DS-LS.

Fei Yue EIPIC Centres are Fei Yue Community Services’ four early-intervention centres — Jurong East, Wellington Circle, Bukit Batok and Upper Thomson — serving over 600 children a year.

KKH DCD is the child-development department at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital — one of the two main public hospital departments where young children in Singapore are assessed for autism and other developmental needs.

MOE is the government ministry that runs Singapore’s national school system — including the government-funded SPED schools — and sets how children with special educational needs are supported in both mainstream and SPED classrooms.

NUH CDU is National University Hospital’s child-development service (Developmental & Behavioural Paediatrics) — with KKH DCD, one of the two main public places where children are assessed for autism, speech and language concerns, and developmental delay.

Rainbow Centre is a social service agency for persons with disabilities. It runs early-intervention services for young children and three SPED schools — Margaret Drive, Admiral Hill and Yishun Park.

SG Enable is Singapore’s focal agency for disability — the “first stop” for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. On the early-intervention road, it is the agency that processes your child’s referral after a paediatrician recommends a programme.

SPD is a social service agency serving people across disabilities; for young children it runs EIPIC early intervention at SPD@Kembangan and SPD@Jurong West. “SPD” is the full name — it stopped standing for “Society for the Physically Disabled” in 2014.

The not-for-profit trust company under SG Enable that runs the Special Needs Trust: money set aside for a special-needs person's long-term care, with the principal guaranteed by the Government and fees 90–100% subsidised by MSF.

THK EIPIC Centres are the early-intervention centres run by Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities — six of them, at Toa Payoh, Pioneer, Ang Mo Kio, Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands and Tampines.

National long-term care insurance: automatic cover from 1 October 2020 or when a person turns 30, including for pre-existing conditions, paying S$689 a month (2026) to those unable to perform 3 of the 6 activities of daily living.

CHAS gives Singapore Citizens subsidies for medical and dental care at participating GP clinics. On the diagnosis road it helps with the GP visit where you get your referral — it does not subsidise the hospital assessment itself.

A CPF nomination scheme that pays your CPF savings to your special-needs child as monthly payouts — minimum S$250 a month — after your death, instead of a lump sum an incapacitated adult cannot legally receive or manage.

SPED FAS is MOE’s financial help for Singapore-Citizen students from lower-income families in government-funded SPED schools — it defrays school fees, textbooks and school attire.

A Family Justice Courts order appointing someone — usually a parent — to make decisions on behalf of an adult who cannot make them personally. The standard way parents keep decision-making authority after an autistic child turns 21.

A legal document a person aged 21 or above makes, while they have mental capacity, to appoint trusted people (donees) to decide for them if they later lose capacity. Made by the person themselves — which is why it is not available to every autistic adult.

The Singapore law governing decisions made on behalf of adults who lack mental capacity. It is the statute behind both the LPA and deputyship — the legal floor under every future-care plan.

Anglo-Chinese School (Academy) is one of Singapore's newest government-funded SPED schools, for autistic students with moderate special educational needs who can access the national curriculum. Run by Methodist Welfare Services in partnership with ACS, it opened in early 2026 at an interim site and moves to its permanent campus next to ACS (Primary) @ Tengah in 2031.

APSN Chaoyang School is a government-funded SPED school in Ang Mo Kio for children aged 7 to 12 with mild intellectual disability (IQ 50–70), including autistic children. It is the primary-years school in APSN's pathway, which continues to Tanglin School and Delta Senior School.

APSN Delta Senior School is a government-funded SPED school in Choa Chu Kang for older youth with mild intellectual disability (IQ 50–70), including autistic students — the vocational, school-to-work step of APSN's pathway.

APSN Katong School is a government-funded SPED school in Bedok serving both children (7–12) and youth (13–21) with mild intellectual disability (IQ 50–70), including autistic students — APSN's east-side school covering the full age span on one campus.

APSN Tanglin School is a government-funded SPED school in Ang Mo Kio for youth aged 13 to 21 with mild intellectual disability (IQ 50–70), including autistic students — the secondary-years step in APSN's school-to-work pathway.

AWWA School @ Bedok is a government-funded SPED school for autistic students aged 7 to 18 with intellectual disability, run by AWWA. The curriculum is customised — language, numeracy, functional life skills, and vocational transition planning — at its Bedok Reservoir Crescent campus.

AWWA School @ Napiri is a government-funded SPED school for autistic students aged 7 to 18 with intellectual disability, run by AWWA. The curriculum is customised — language, numeracy, functional life skills, and vocational transition planning — at its Lorong Napiri campus in Hougang.

CPAS School (East) is a government-funded SPED school in Pasir Ris for students with multiple disabilities, run by Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore. One of CPAS's two school campuses.

CPAS School (West) is a government-funded SPED school in Jurong for students with multiple disabilities, run by Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore. One of CPAS's two school campuses.

Eden School is a government-funded SPED school in Bukit Batok for autistic students with intellectual disability. Its stated purpose is preparing students on the autism spectrum for independent living — self-help skills, leisure skills, and vocational skills, taught systematically.

Grace Orchard School is a government-funded SPED school in the West Coast/Jurong area for students with mild intellectual disability, including autistic students (MOE's ASD-with-MID grouping).

Lighthouse School is a government-funded SPED school in Toa Payoh for students with sensory impairment (MOE's grouping). It is the specialist school on MOE's list for children whose primary need is hearing or vision related.

Maitri School is one of Singapore's newest government-funded SPED schools, for students with moderate to severe autism aged 7 to 18. It operates from a holding campus at Jalan Eunos and moves to its permanent Pasir Ris campus in 2028.

Metta School is a government-funded SPED school in Simei (Tampines area) for students with mild intellectual disability and autism, supported by Metta Welfare Association. Programmes run from a dedicated Autism Programme (7–18) through vocational certification with ITE pathways from age 17.

MINDS Fernvale Gardens School is a government-funded SPED school in Sengkang for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability, including autistic students (MOE's ASD-with-MSID grouping). One of four MINDS schools across Singapore.

MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens School is a government-funded SPED school in Queenstown for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability, including autistic students (MOE's ASD-with-MSID grouping). One of four MINDS schools across Singapore.

MINDS Towner Gardens School is a government-funded SPED school in Bedok for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability, including autistic students (MOE's ASD-with-MSID grouping). One of four MINDS schools across Singapore.

MINDS Woodlands Gardens School is a government-funded SPED school in Woodlands for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability, including autistic students (MOE's ASD-with-MSID grouping). One of four MINDS schools across Singapore.

Pathlight School is Singapore’s first autism-focused school, run by the Autism Resource Centre. It teaches the national curriculum plus life-readiness skills to autistic students aged 7 to 18 who can manage mainstream academics but need an autism-friendly setting.

Rainbow Centre Admiral Hill School is a government-funded SPED school in Sembawang for children with autism, aged 7 to 18. Learning runs through Junior, Middle, and Senior programmes with an Individualised Education Plan for every student.

Rainbow Centre Margaret Drive School is a government-funded SPED school in Queenstown for children with autism and multiple disabilities, aged 7 to 18. Learning runs through Junior, Middle, and Senior programmes with an Individualised Education Plan for every student.

Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School is a government-funded SPED school in Yishun for children with autism, aged 7 to 18. Learning runs through Junior, Middle, and Senior programmes with an Individualised Education Plan for every student.

SEN Officers are the staff MOE places in mainstream schools to support students with mild special educational needs, including mild autism. You may still hear the old title — Allied Educator (Learning & Behavioural Support), or AED(LBS).

SPED stands for Special Education. SPED schools are government-funded national schools run by social service agencies, for children who learn best with more support than a mainstream school is set up to give.

You apply to government-funded SPED schools yourself, through MOE’s online application form, listing up to 3 schools that support your child’s primary diagnosed condition. The first-choice school processes the application and sends an offer within 3 to 6 months.

St. Andrew's Autism School (SAAS) is a government-funded SPED school in Marine Parade for ambulant students diagnosed with autism, run by St. Andrew's Autism Centre (a service of St. Andrew's Mission Hospital). The curriculum covers social-emotional learning, communication, functional literacy, numeracy, daily living, and vocational skills.

St. Andrew's Mission School (SAMS) is one of Singapore's newest government-funded SPED schools for autistic children who can access the national curriculum without intellectual disability. Run by St. Andrew's Mission Hospital, it operates from an interim campus in Bukit Batok and moves to its permanent Clementi campus in 2031. Admission requires an ASD diagnosis, through MOE's SPED application.

A social story is a short, personal, literally-accurate story that explains a confusing situation — the dentist, queueing, a fire drill — from an autistic child’s point of view. Developed by Carol Gray in 1990; the goal is understanding, not obedience.

A visual schedule is a row of pictures — photos, drawings or symbols — showing an autistic child what is happening next, in order. Seeing the day instead of holding it in memory lowers anxiety at transitions; it is one of the best-evidenced autism supports.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting how a brain regulates attention, impulses, and activity level. In children it shows up as some mix of inattentiveness (easily distracted, hard to follow instructions) and hyperactivity-impulsivity (fidgeting, restlessness, trouble waiting their turn). It is a separate condition from autism — not part of the autism spectrum — but the two share surface behaviours and frequently occur together, and since the DSM-5 (2013) both can be diagnosed in the same child.

Autism — medically, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — is a lifelong difference in how the brain develops, shaping how a person experiences the world, communicates, and relates to others. It isn’t an illness and there’s nothing to cure; autistic people have different combinations of strengths, challenges, and support needs. “Spectrum” doesn’t mean a line from mild to severe — every autistic person’s profile is their own.

PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) describes a profile some autistic children have, where everyday demands set off intense anxiety and the child avoids them — even things they want to do. The avoidance is driven by anxiety and a need to feel in control, not defiance. It is a described profile within autism, not a formal diagnosis: it isn't listed in the DSM-5 or ICD-11, and it isn't something you can be diagnosed with in Singapore. (Not to be confused with patent ductus arteriosus, a heart condition that shares the initials.)