Getting developmental support for a child in Singapore: the route, costs and waits

If you or your child's doctor want a developmental assessment, this is how the route works in Singapore. SG Enable says a doctor refers the child for an assessment, the hospital or paediatrician then applies to SG Enable, and SG Enable matches the child to an early intervention centre. SG Enable's fee table puts the monthly fee for Singapore citizens at S$5 to S$430, depending on household income.

✓ Checked against official sources on 29 September 2026

This page is about paperwork, costs and waiting times only. It does not describe development or any condition.

Step 1: developmental checks at well-child visits, free for citizens

HealthHub says children have developmental checks at 7 visits: at 4 weeks, 3 to 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 30 months and 48 months. They are usually at the same visits as vaccinations, and the record is kept in the Child Health Booklet (updated December 2025) and on HealthHub. Source: HealthHub (HPB)

MOH says all 7 checks cost S$0 for Singapore citizens at polyclinics and CHAS GP clinics, with no application needed. It says permanent resident children get subsidies at polyclinics. Source: MOH, updated 9 April 2026

Step 2: a referral for assessment

SG Enable says a parent, a doctor, a paediatrician or a preschool teacher can raise a question about a child's development. It says preschool teachers can involve trained Learning Support Educators, who work with KKH or NUH paediatricians. Source: SG Enable (EIPIC and DS-Plus FAQ)

SG Enable's Enabling Guide says a polyclinic doctor can refer the child to the KKH Department of Child Development and the NUH Child Development Unit. It says a private paediatrician can also assess a child and recommend early intervention. Source: SG Enable (Enabling Guide)

NUH says its Child Development Unit sees children from birth to about age 7, at Jurong Medical Centre and Keat Hong Community Club. Source: NUH

Step 3: the application to SG Enable, and the documents

SG Enable's referral form (dated June 2024) says the hospital or paediatrician sends the application, with the parent's consent. It asks for a referral form, a social report, a medical report, a doctor's assessment and a consent form, plus permanent resident documents and guardianship papers where they apply. Source: SG Enable (EIPIC referral form)

SG Enable says medical reports are valid for 1 year. Source: SG Enable (EIPIC and DS-Plus FAQ)

Step 4: SG Enable contacts you within 10 working days

SG Enable says it contacts the family within 10 working days of getting the complete forms. It shares each centre's location, services, estimated wait, transport and whether a caregiver must attend. It says the chosen centre then contacts the family within 2 weeks. Source: SG Enable (EIPIC and DS-Plus FAQ)

Published waits: 1 to 2 months to 12 to 18 months, by centre

SG Enable's Guide to EIPIC (updated 25 September 2026) lists each centre's own estimate of the wait from referral to starting. The shortest are 1 to 2 months (for example Rainbow Centre Margaret Drive and ECC Clementi). The longest is 12 to 18 months (THK Woodlands). Many centres show 2 to 6 months. Source: SG Enable (Guide to EIPIC)

Earlier replies in Parliament gave an average wait of about 5 months in 2017 and about 6 months in 2020. Source: ECDA

Step 5: the early intervention programmes for young children

The programme is called EIPIC (Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children). SG Enable's 2024 form calls it EIC, the "Early Intervention Continuum Programme for Infants and Children", but ECDA's pages still say EIPIC. We use both names until this is settled.

SG Enable says EIPIC is for Singapore citizens and permanent residents. It says other families can ask their paediatrician about private centres. Source: SG Enable (EIPIC and DS-Plus FAQ)

What it costs: S$5 to S$430 a month for citizens, by income per person

SG Enable says the fee depends on household income per person: total household income, divided by 12 months, then divided by the number of people living in the home. Migrant domestic workers are not counted. The early intervention centre works this out. SG Enable updated its fee table on 23 September 2026. Source: SG Enable fee table

SG Enable's table shows some centres (such as AWWA and THK) charge a little less, and GST applies at some centres. Permanent resident children have a separate fee table.

Baby Bonus and CDA money can help pay

SG Enable says families "may also tap on the Baby Bonus scheme to offset the EIPIC fees". It says fees at private therapy centres that are Baby Bonus Approved Institutions "could be offset by your child's Child Development Account (CDA)". It points families with money worries to their centre, a Family Service Centre or a Social Service Office. Source: SG Enable (EIPIC and DS-Plus FAQ)

The Child Development Account (CDA), explained · The SG Child Support Package, explained

Admin questions you can ask at each step

These come from what the official pages say they will tell you.

• At the check-up: the Child Health Booklet asks parents to raise any questions with the doctor (HealthHub).
• On referral: which department, whether the rate is subsidised, and how you will be contacted (SG Enable).
• With SG Enable: each centre's estimated wait, location, transport, whether a caregiver must attend, and the fee after the means test (SG Enable FAQ).
• On documents: the date of the medical report, since reports are valid for 1 year (SG Enable FAQ).

Sources

• HealthHub (HPB): Child Health Booklet
• MOH: Childhood developmental screening
• SG Enable (Enabling Guide): EIPIC
• NUH: Child Development Unit
• SG Enable (EIPIC referral form)
• SG Enable (EIPIC and DS-Plus FAQ)
• SG Enable (Guide to EIPIC)
• ECDA: Reply on EIPIC waits (2017)
• ECDA: Reply on EIPIC waits (2020)
• ECDA: EIPIC
• SG Enable (Enabling Guide): EIPIC-P
• ECDA: EIPIC-Care
• SG Enable (EIPIC fee matrix for citizens)

✓ Checked against official sources on 29 September 2026

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