[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/independent-living-for-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/independent-living-for-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum\/","headline":"Independent living for individuals on the autism spectrum","name":"Independent living for individuals on the autism spectrum","description":"Today the world observes World Autism Awareness Day, to recognise and support individuals living with autism. To commemorate it this year, the Autism Resource Centre (ARC) launched Singapore\u2019s first major masterplan on 29 March for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The masterplan details recommendations to guide the nation\u2019s efforts in addressing the needs of […]","datePublished":"2021-04-02","dateModified":"2022-04-16","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Ming%20En%20Liew\/#Person","name":"Ming En Liew","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Ming%20En%20Liew\/","identifier":132,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fe7a89455a989038349633329a6e4ad6299388f5e1e3ea83c28126090b2314f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fe7a89455a989038349633329a6e4ad6299388f5e1e3ea83c28126090b2314f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"TheHomeGround Asia","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","width":640,"height":640}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1617373453641_1280X626_282729.png","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1617373453641_1280X626_282729.png","height":626,"width":1280},"url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/independent-living-for-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum\/","commentCount":"3","comment":[{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/independent-living-for-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum\/#Comment1","dateCreated":"2026-05-02 12:55:27","description":"Thanks for making it so relatable.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"world tv channel live","url":"https:\/\/uk.movember.com\/login?redirect=https:\/\/www.oneotv.com\/"}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/independent-living-for-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum\/#Comment2","dateCreated":"2026-04-26 19:10:31","description":"One of the best reads I\u2019ve had this week.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Carhartt wip and salomon released x alp hiking shoes","url":"https:\/\/globalshoepalace.com\/product-category\/men\/Salomon-Men-Shoes"}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/independent-living-for-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum\/#Comment3","dateCreated":"2026-04-25 12:57:55","description":"Great job, keep it up!","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Salomon brown shoes","url":"https:\/\/globalshoepalace.com\/product-category\/men\/Salomon-Men-Shoes"}}],"about":["Community","Health & Wellness","Local","Singapore"],"wordCount":1902,"articleBody":"Today the world observes World Autism Awareness Day, to recognise and support individuals living with autism. To commemorate it this year, the Autism Resource Centre (ARC) launched Singapore\u2019s first major masterplan on 29 March for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The masterplan details recommendations to guide the nation\u2019s efforts in addressing the needs of individuals on the spectrum, covering their early years to adulthood, in areas of independent living, learning and working.\u00a0Why is such a plan important and how will it improve lives? TheHomeGround Asia finds some answers.About one in 150 children in Singapore are diagnosed with autism, according to the Government\u2019s third Enabling Masterplan released in 2016. For these individuals, existing in a neurotypical world presents a range of challenges.\u201c[Each child living with autism] has different troubles and difficulties carrying out daily routines,\u201d explains Gin Lee, 24, who grew up with a younger brother, 18-year-old Mickey Lee, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).\u00a0\u201cMy brother has anxiety issues,\u201d she shares. \u201cSometimes, he goes into a stunned episode, where he just stares into blank space… and [repeats] phrases like \u2018it\u2019s okay\u2019, \u2018just relax\u2019 \u2013 phrases that we tell him to help him calm down. These phases can last between 30 and 45 minutes.\u201d\u00a0Occupational therapist, and Founder of Wonders\u2019 Therapy, Jewel Yi explains that individuals diagnosed with ASD may \u201cstruggle with rigidity, social skills, or sensory processing.\u201dPreparing for independent livingFor Ms Lee and her family preparing Mickey to live independently is a work-in-progress.\u201cAt the moment, I see his biggest obstacle as his anxiety,\u201d she says.Mickey relies heavily on his sister for emotional security. Whenever she is out, Ms Lee can expect to receive voice messages or calls from her brother multiple times a day for reassurance. The family is also anxious when bringing him out as they are unable to predict when he would act out.His anxiety was diagnosed recently and he is now taking medication, which seems to be helping, leaving Ms Lee hopeful for his future: \u201cWe are seeing improvements, and there is still quite a long time to work on it. [We will] think positive.\u201dEven so, she recognises that an earlier intervention could have made a significant difference to her brother.\u00a0\u201cFor children who get diagnosed with autism earlier, the right organisations are able to help the child adapt better, they can function better in their day-to-day lives,\u201d she shares. \u201cThose who get identified later, like my brother who was already nine when he first started in a special needs school, have a harder time adapting.\u201dShe adds, \u201cThey are only in a special needs school up till the age of 18. There\u2019s limited time to adjust.\u201d\u00a0Ms Yi confirms this, \u201cEarly intervention is extremely important. How you teach and educate them when they are young will strongly impact them in their future. If they are young and they don\u2019t learn these core skills [skills required for daily living and social interaction], in time to come, it will be harder for them to live independently.\u201d\u00a0Early intervention is pivotal in helping individuals living with autism to integrate and adapt. (Source: Canva)Challenges with early interventionYet, early intervention comes with its own set of challenges. Ms Lee highlights two; a lack of public education, and a lack of financial and institutional support.\u00a0\u201cFor public education, there\u2019s still quite a bit of room to identify issues early so that the right organisations can step in to help the families.\u201d She also raises the point that some family members remain in denial of a child\u2019s condition, which may delay or prevent children from getting the help they need in a prompt manner.\u00a0Agreeing, Ms Yi adds, \u201cA lot of families really struggle with acceptance, and accepting the fact that [their] children need intervention.\u201d\u00a0Additionally, she believes that more can be done at the early ages to prevent individuals from developing maladaptive coping habits or behaviours. For instance, she cites how excessive screen time for children can mean that they are not practicing core skills like regulation and coordination.\u00a0\u201cA lot of these issues come about when caregivers are not as aware or really tired, and so the screen is a good babysitter,\u201d she explains. \u201cMany of these issues, of poor social skills, poor regulation skills, could have been prevented by caregivers being aware of the effects of screen time.\u201d\u00a0She adds, \u201cPrevention is better than trying to remediate some of the negative effects that have come about.\u201dAnother barrier to early intervention is finances.\u00a0\u201cIn Singapore, it is pretty expensive to get early intervention, treatment, and so on,\u201d says Ms Yi. And when the cost of medication, social support and schooling is taken into account, Ms Lee says, \u201cit takes a lot out of a family to financially support the treatments throughout their lives.\u201d\u00a0While financial support schemes are available to families who require it, Ms Lee thinks that the application process for some of these schemes are excessively cumbersome.\u00a0\u201cCurrent financial schemes available are very mafan [\u2018troublesome\u2019]\u201d, she laments. \u201cThere\u2019s too much paperwork for them to assess the needs for financial assistance, and sometimes, families have [circumstances where they need help but] it\u2019s not clear from paperwork.\u201dExcessive screen time can be detrimental to a child developing core skills. (Source: Canva)Living with autism later in lifeWhile early intervention is vital in helping individuals on the spectrum adapt, providing them with sufficient support throughout their lifespan remains a necessity.\u00a0According to ARC\u2019s research, adults on the autism spectrum lack support, especially those who have greater needs and are unable to join the workforce. For these individuals, enrolling them into Day Activity Centres (DACs) is an important way to keep them engaged.\u00a0Yet, the total capacity of DACs in Singapore stands at only 361 places, whereas ARC estimates that at least 3,000 adults with autism can stand to benefit from such programmes.For adults in the workforce, ARC also highlights a lack of support when it comes to lifelong learning.\u00a0The Autism Enabling Masterplan finds that many special education students stop learning after formal education, as there are few structured learning programmes available in Singapore that cater to individuals living with ASD.\u00a0ARC\u2019s website states, \u201cLifelong learning… is not accessible to many adults on the spectrum. Most SkillsFuture offerings do not provide the needed disability learning support, and trainers are rarely equipped to teach persons on the spectrum and may therefore choose not to enrol prospective trainees who disclose their autism condition. As such, many adults on the spectrum run the risk of their skills becoming obsolete.\u201dThere is a lack of lifelong learning support for adults on the spectrum, a problem which ARC aims to tackle with its masterplan. (Source: Canva)Where does the masterplan come in?Denise Phua, President of ARC, says, \u201cWhile Singapore has the Enabling Masterplan for the Disabled, the needs of different disability groups are not homogenous. It is therefore important for each disability group to identify its own needs and address these gaps within their specific groups.\u201dMs Lee agrees, \u201cEach disability has specific needs, and autism itself is already a spectrum… I feel that having a masterplan specific to helping individuals with autism is a step in the right direction.\u201d\u00a0Developed with input from over 500 contributors (including professionals and families), and with the support of the Autism Network Singapore, the masterplan details six priority areas. To address these, ARC\u2019s recommendations include setting up an Enabling Academy to \u201cidentify learning needs and to source, develop, and deliver learning solutions for persons on the spectrum.\u201dIt also suggests developing a toolkit of best practices for hiring and supporting adults on the spectrum in the workplace, and designing a comprehensive guide to support planning for Life after Death of caregivers.While Ms Lee welcomes the masterplan, she remains cautiously optimistic: \u201cThe recommendations are still in the planning stages so I’m taking a wait-and-see approach to how the Government will implement these, and how effective or supportive it will be for people with autism, their families and caregivers.\u201dMses Lee and Yi hope for greater community support and consideration for caregivers and individuals on the autism spectrum. (Source: Canva)Looking beyond the masterplan, at community supportBesides institutional changes, the community\u2019s actions can go a long way in forging an inclusive community that is more welcoming and less daunting for individuals on the spectrum and their families.\u00a0\u201cMost people think that they [individuals on the spectrum] are crazy. When family members are trying to move them away from a situation, the public tends to call the cops,\u201d she says.\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ve had to deal with at least two incidences because my brother refused to go home after getting off the school bus,\u201d she recounts. \u201cIt\u2019ll help if the public knows to not call the police when the situation is under control. Don\u2019t jump to conclusions, try to understand the situation and help.\u201dMs Yi is of the same mind: \u201cWhen a person or child with autism has a meltdown, the public [needs] to be more aware that it is not because they\u2019re naughty kids, or that the parents are not good. It\u2019s really because he has special needs. When we have a more empathetic social environment, I think people will be able to thrive better.\u201d\u00a0Another point of frustration Ms Lee raises is that of children on the spectrum going missing.\u00a0She recalls a recent incident where her brother was lost on the Downtown line for six hours, and no one had noticed that he did not tap out.\u00a0\u201cI guess it\u2019s just a Singaporean mentality; when somebody is doing something strange, you just look away, instead of approaching them asking if they need help,\u201d she rues. She also emphasises that children with autism tend to go missing because they are easily distracted by things that interest them.\u00a0\u201cThere is actually very little parents or caregivers can do to stop the kids from running away,\u201d she says. \u201cThey may bolt or they may be physically stronger, and the caregivers may be physically older or smaller, so they can\u2019t really physically restrain or react fast enough.\u201d\u00a0A Facebook page, titled Reunite Missing Children, was created to address this problem. It aims to rally the community to reunite lost children with autism with their families, and to educate the public on how to identify and help these children.\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeffBeyond extending help, Mses Lee and Yi urge the community to be more considerate and supportive of individuals on the spectrum.Ms Yi advises, \u201cDemonstrate interest in them and in their caregivers. Ask them, \u2018How are you doing?\u2019 and \u2018Is there any way that I can help you?\u2019. Or ask, \u2018Is there anything that we can do together?\u2019 Because sometimes, it\u2019s not just about how you can help them, it\u2019s about what you guys can do together, and then it becomes a shared activity.\u201dUltimately, Ms Lee hopes that Singapore can evolve into a society that \u201caccepts and allows\u201d people with autism \u201cto live and work their way\u201d. She also wishes for greater visibility in the media of \u201cwho these people are and recognition that they are living among us, and should be treated and respected just like any person.\u201d\u00a0Join the conversations on THG’s Facebook and Instagram, and get the latest updates via Telegram."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Destinations","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Singapore","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/\/singapore\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Independent living for individuals on the autism spectrum","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/independent-living-for-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]