Ten Singaporean Social Service Agencies Secure Multi-Year Funding to Bolster Caregiver Well-Being and Respite Support

Ten agencies receive the Income OrangeAid grant to expand long-term support for caregivers. Learn how this funding addresses burnout and respite care needs.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 5, 2026, 6:50 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Straits Times

Addressing the Emotional and Physical Toll on Families

The intense pressure of providing constant care for family members with complex disabilities was recently highlighted by a domestic accident involving 41-year-old Jasmine Lee and her daughter. In early 2025, a fall while transferring her daughter from a bed to a chair resulted in a serious injury, triggering deep feelings of isolation and guilt. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the physical demands placed on caregivers as their children grow. For many in this position, peer support groups have become a vital lifeline, offering a unique form of validation from others who understand the nuanced difficulties of managing special needs at home.

A Strategic Shift Toward Caregiver Centric Funding

While existing governmental schemes like the Home Caregiving Grant assist with expenses and training, there has historically been a significant gap in funding for the personal well-being of the caregiver. To bridge this divide, the Income OrangeAid Caregiver Support Accelerator Grant was launched to provide multi-year financial backing for long-term programs. According to Andrew Yeo, chief executive of Income Insurance, many previous initiatives were too short-term or focused exclusively on the care recipient. This new framework aims to create a sustainable model that acknowledges the caregiver as an essential pillar of the community who also requires professional support.

Expanding Peer Networks and Special Education Support

One of the primary beneficiaries, CaringSG, plans to utilize its portion of the grant to establish parent support networks in ten schools over the next three years. Dr. Lim Hong Huay, the founder of the non-profit, emphasizes that formalizing these peer groups is essential for connecting parents to community resources and training them in specialized skills. By creating structured environments for parents to share experiences, the program aims to reduce the mental health struggles often associated with full-time caregiving. This collaborative approach with the Ministry of Education seeks to bring professional resources to currently informal school support circles.