1. Design a comprehensive guide or “playbook” to support planning for “Life After Death” of caregivers.
  2. Establish a Sibling Support Network dedicated to supporting the siblings of persons on the spectrum.
  3. Increase community access for persons on the spectrum and their families.

One of the common grievances of families with children with disabilities (including those on the spectrum) is the perennial question of “what will happen to my child when I am no longer around?”. These worries largely stem from the concern that their children may not be able to navigate their way through the challenges of life safely and effectively on their own. Taking concrete steps to plan for the life of the individuals on the spectrum after the passing of their caregivers, and to ensure that public organisations make reasonable adjustments to services that help increase accessibility to those on the spectrum may alleviate some of these worries.

  1. Patricia Howlin, Jennifer Alcock, and Catherine Burkin, “An 8 year follow-up of a specialist supported employment service for high-ability adults with autism or Asperger syndrome” Autism 9, no.5 (2005).
  2. Katherine Gotham, Steven M. Brunwasser, and Catherine Lord, “Depressive and Anxiety Symptom Trajectories From School Age Through Young Adulthood in Samples With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Delay” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 54, no.5 (2015).
  3. Michael D. Kogan, et al., “Prevalence of parent-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder among children in the US, 2007”, Pediatrics 124, no.5 (2009).
  4. KL Curry, M P Posluszny, and S L Kraska, “Training criminal justice personnel to recognize offenders with disabilities”, OSERS News in Print 5, no. 3 (1993).
  5. T Brugha, et al. Estimating the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Conditions in Adults: Extending the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, The NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre (2012).
  6. 3rd Enabling Masterplan Steering Committee, 3rd Enabling Masterplan 2017 – 2021: Caring Nation, Inclusive Society (2016), p. 116.
  7. Valerie Koh, “Autistic youth’s mother urges greater understanding of people with special needs” Today (Singapore), 9 May 2016.
  8. Neo Chai Chin, ‘Viral’ video of autistic man masturbating on MRT train sparks calls for greater empathy Today (Singapore), 22 September 2018.
  9. ICAPS Facebook Page (accessed 29 Nov 2020)
  10. Operation Housecall website (accessed 17 Aug 2020)

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