TOUCH Child Care (Clementi)

Title: Our Inclusive Child Care Centres | TOUCH Child Care

URL Source: https://www.touch.org.sg/about-touch/our-services/touch-child-care-homepage

Markdown Content:
Building Stronger Foundations. Creating Better Futures

We have 2 child care centres in Singapore, located in Clementi and Hougang respectively. These facilities cater for children up to six years old.

Our core curriculum is built upon a foundation of trust, care, and collaboration — and best represented by the acronym H.E.A.R.T, which stands for:

• Home–School Partnerships 


• Enabling Inclusion 


• Adventure Learning 


• Reaching the Community 


• Thoughtful Exploration

Our H.E.A.R.T Approach

Our preschool recognises the vital role that parents and families play in a child's holistic development. We foster a strong connection between home and school through a range of meaningful initiatives, reflecting our dedication to creating a nurturing and collaborative educational environment.

A strong network of caregivers, teachers, and families actively supports our initiatives.

Annual Home Visits

Our dedicated teachers visit every child's home once a year, spending 30 to 45 minutes in the child's familiar environment.

This practice not only strengthens the teacher-child-family relationship, but also gives teachers valuable insights into your child's home life.

With a deeper understanding of your child’s needs, they can offer more personalised support. It is also an opportunity for you and the teachers to exchange tips and strategies on nurturing your child.

Any significant family needs that are identified during the visit are conveyed to our colleagues at TOUCH Family Support, ensuring comprehensive support for your family.

Half-Yearly Classroom Immersion Week  Every semester, parents and guardians are invited to join us in class for an immersive showcase of some activities that your children have been diligently working on.

This unique classroom experience provides an excellent opportunity for you to actively engage in the TOUCH Child Care experience and learn our process. We believe this will also provide you with valuable insights into your child’s developmental journey over the course of the year.

At the end of every session, you are encouraged to chat with the teachers about your child’s learning and developmental progress.

We run inclusive preschools, offering a safe and secure environment for children with low, mid, and high early intervention (EI) needs to play, learn, and develop life skills alongside their peers.

Our preschools were previously appointed to offer the Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP) under SG Enable. Even after funding ended in March 2024, we have remained committed to serving children with additional needs and advocating inclusion.

At our preschools, we also offer early intervention services in the form of in-house allied health professionals and a supplementary neuro-movement intervention programme.

Our early intervention teachers partner closely with our preschool teachers to collaboratively plan, teach, and assess our children with EI needs.

Additionally, the Development and Learning Support Programme by TOUCH's Therapy Hub and KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital is also available here. This programme is primarily for children aged four to six years old who have unique learning and behavioural needs.

Adventure Learning is a unique and enriching experience offering a dynamic and holistic learning experience for our young learners.

Adventure Learning is not just about play; it's about experiential education. It instils valuable life skills, fosters the spirit of exploration, and empowers our children to embrace new challenges with confidence.

In Term 2 and 3, our preschoolers embark on activities in the following key areas:

• Adventure and Sports: Children engage in thrilling adventures and sports activities that promote physical fitness, teamwork, and the development of gross motor skills. These experiences are not only fun but also foster a sense of confidence and a healthy lifestyle. 


• Outdoor Learning: Our outdoor learning experiences connect children with nature, encouraging them to appreciate the environment and develop an understanding of the natural world. Whether it's exploring a local park, gardening, or simply enjoying outdoor play, these activities nurture a sense of curiosity and environmental responsibility.

Multi-Sports Enrichment Class (Optional) In addition to our regular adventure learning activities, we offer an optional multi-sports enrichment class conducted by Tiny Mountains – a multi-sports preschool programme.

The class allows children to explore a variety of sports, developing agility, coordination, and sportsmanship. It complements our adventure learning initiatives, promoting a well-rounded approach to physical education.

We take immense pride in our commitment to not only educate but also instil a sense of social responsibility and compassion in our young learners.

Our curriculum extends beyond the classroom into the community. We hope such activities will allow the children to develop a deep understanding of the importance of caring for and loving the people around them.

Some key collaborations include:

Collaboration with TOUCH Services We actively collaborate with other TOUCH services to create engagement opportunities for our preschoolers and their family members.

We want to encourage them to serve the community and make a positive impact. These collaborations are aligned with TOUCH's Vision 2030, emphasising the development of Strong Families, Caring Generations, and Enabled Communities.

For the Meals on Wheels programme, for example, our children are involved in activities such as delivering meals and creating thoughtful meal packages for elderly individuals in need. The hands-on experience teaches our children the value of caring for seniors in our community, fostering empathy and respect for older generations.

Good Neighbour Day

On this day, our teachers and children venture into the neighbourhood to uplift people with acts of kindness. This reinforces the importance of being good neighbours, promoting a sense of belonging and community spirit.

The inquiry-driven teaching and learning approach in our curriculum places children’s questions, ideas, and observations at the centre of the learning experience.

We strive to keep our curriculum updated with current early childhood research. It also aligns closely with the Early Childhood Development Agency’s two approved frameworks – the Early Years Development Framework (EYDF) and Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework.

We aim to empower and enable our children to become global citizens who are active contributors, confident, self-directed learners, and responsible members of society.

For details about our programme timetable, please contact the respective principals of our preschools:

• Mrs Janie Teo, Principal of TOUCH Child Care (Clementi), [email protected]


• Ms Sharon Ng, Acting Principal of TOUCH Child Care (Hougang), [email protected]

Development Support (DS) and Learning Support (LS) Programme

These support programmes cater to pre-schoolers aged five to six with mild developmental needs. We equip children with age-appropriate skills to optimise learning and ensure that they are ready for primary education.

Through DS and LS, we provide targeted short-term interventions via trained professionals. The team includes Learning Support Educators (LSEds), clinical professionals, and therapists from hospitals and Early Intervention Centres such as AWWA, Rainbow Centre, Society for the Physically Disabled, and Fei Yue.

When identified, a child in our mainstream programme will be offered either a DS or LS package with focus on the following areas of development:

• Attention & behaviour 


• Fine motor & handwriting skills 


• Gross motor skills 


• Language development 


• Literacy development 


• Social-emotional skills 


• Speech development  

Get in touch with us to find out more about these programmes.

Hear from the Parents We’ve Helped

Children

Going the extra mile

"The teachers have a positive attitude towards inclusion. They follow specific health protocols to manage our daughter’s condition.”

Parents of a child (3 years old in 2023) enrolled at TOUCH Child Care (Clementi)

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