No more drama for Mama

Heads-Upp’s holistic programme helps less well-off parents solve kids’ health and relationship issues

- GENEVIEVE CHAN

In just four months, Mdm Ana Meriani has witnessed a remarkable change in her three-year-old daughter.

The 37-year-old had problems just getting her daughter to brush her teeth, sleep early, or avoid sweets. Each request was met with tantrums.

"She used to be very naughty and wouldn't listen to me," Mdm Meriani, who is Indonesian Chinese, says in a mix of Hokkien and Mandarin.

Mdm Meriani works as a part-time admin assistant from home, a three-room Housing Board flat she shares with her Singaporean husband, mother-in-law, and two children. Her youngest son is one.

"When I tell her she can't do something, she'd cry. Now, when I explain to her, she'll understand and say 'OK, Mama"" What changed? Mdm Meriani credits this shift to a partnership that combines the medical expertise of healthcare professionals from the National University Hospital's (NUH) Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute (KTP-NUCMI), with support from Care Corner Singapore social workers and PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots pre-school teachers.

Together, they form the "head" and the "heart" of the Health and Development Support in Pre-school Partnerships (Heads-Upp) programme. Mdm Meriani learnt of the programe through PCF Sparkletots, her daughter's pre-school.

The Head

Heads-Upp, launched last June, takes a comprehensive approach to supporting children from lower-income families.

It includes early identification of health and developmental issues through pre-school screenings, and ongoing guidance for children and their mothers.

The programme focuses on families that receive the highest level of pre-school subsidies and assistance from the PCF Enhanced Early Headstart Fund. It has been piloted at eight PCF Sparkletots centres so far, and aims to help about 400 children over two to three years.