DayOne
Enhanced mental health support for parents of children with developmental needs
Started in KKH in 2022 and expanded in 2025 to include early intervention centres and community mental health services
More than 1,500 parents and their children expected to benefit
Screen parents for mental health challenges at the emotionally-challenging point of their child’s diagnosis for developmental needs, followed by tiered intervention in both hospital and the community.
While Singapore has made advances in supporting children with developmental needs, comparatively lesser has been done for their parents.
Research shows that parents of children diagnosed with developmental needs are more likely to suffer mental health challenges, which can significantly affect the mental health of the developing child.
DayOne provides mental health screening and support to parents at the right time and place – at the hospital clinic when the child is diagnosed – leveraging the paediatrician’s influence to encourage parents to self-care as part of supporting their child.
Piloted in KKH in 2022, the service model expanded in 2025 to include Early Intervention Centres and community mental health services, so parents can receive mental health screening and support at more touch points along their child’s post-diagnosis journey.
Partners
Explore Maternal & Child Health
Mission: I’m Possible
An early detection and intervention programme that has since been scaled-up nationwide by the government and is now known as the Development Support and Learning Support Programme.
Starting Well Index & Vital Voices for Vital Years
An assessment of early childhood education systems around the world.