KidStart helps new mums struggling to care for their babies

Programme improved parenting abilities and child developmental outcomes: Study

- Shermaine Ang

Ms Cheryl Sim felt like she had been thrown into the deep end taking care of her baby after she gave birth in October 2022.

She barely saw her husband, who worked two jobs to support the family, and had no one to see her through her post-partum depression, which was triggered when the infant, her first child, cried.

The 38-year-old had the help of her mother-in-law during that stressful first month, but it had been years since the older woman had handled a newborn baby and she sometimes did not know what to do.

Stressed over her low milk supply and sleep-deprived from having to pump breast milk every three hours, Ms Sim's mental health spiralled.

At baby Elora's one-month check-up, the doctor was concerned enough to refer Ms Sim to a social worker, who introduced her to the KidStart programme.

The eight-year-old programme supports the development of children in lower-income homes in areas like nutrition and parenting strategies.

"The assurance I got from it really helped in just not letting me feel like I'm helpless and alone in this journey," Ms Sim said.

"I knew I had ready support behind me, I could just text and ask, I didn't need to be left hanging."

A five-year study evaluating families on the KidStart programme from 2017 to 2022, with the aim of assessing its effectiveness and potential for wider adoption, found it to be helpful for both parents and children.

KidStart is a company limited by guarantee under the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and its programme, currently offered in 21 towns, will have nationwide reach in 2025 when the last three towns - Queenstown, Clementi and Jurong East - come on board.