Officially launching on the 4th November, 2023 with an open day, the centre offers a programme specifically tailored for students with autism who are enrolled in mainstream primary schools or at Pathlight.
The centre is a collaboration between Candy, her husband Alex Lim and Johnny Fok, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and clinical director of Intervention Services for Autism and Developmental Delay (ISADD) with 19 years of clinical experience in supporting learners to overcome the challenges they face in their academic journey.
Johnny uses evidence-based behavioural analytic practices in his work and values a warm, fun, and trusting therapeutic relationship with his clients.
"Over the years we've grown to trust Johnny and I have seen how immensely he has helped our son Yohanes. When Yohanes was admitted to Pathlight we asked ourselves what more we could do for Yohanes and children like him." said Candy Lee, Principal of Starlight Centre. "Alex and I have run Crystal Learning, a small-group language school for adults since 2012 and it's really meaningful that we can now combine our experience of running a school and Johnny's therapeutic expertise to make life for children with autism and their parents a little easier".
Filling A Crucial Void
While there are already special needs after-school care centres in Singapore, they don't equip students with the academic skills necessary to eventually prepare for PSLE.
Mainstream "after school care" centres, on the other hand, lack the expertise and low student-to-staff ratio crucial for supporting autistic children.
Starlight Centre bridges this chasm by offering specialised, curriculum-aligned care for students with autism, ensuring they thrive both academically and socially.
Starlight Centre's Curriculum
Starlight's curriculum blends social-emotional skills that are crucial for children with autism with mainstream academic support.
- Social and Community Skills equip learners with techniques to understand social rules, and to establish safety and personal boundaries.
- Friendship Skills enhance learners' capabilities to form age-appropriate friendships, maintain conversations, and understand social cues.
- Academic Skills Development & Learning Support facilitates effective homework completion, test preparation, and essential academic strategies.
- Emotion Recognition and Self-Management Skills foster learners' abilities to recognize and manage their emotions healthily.
With 29 years of collective experience in supporting individuals with autism, Starlight Centre's team offers a comprehensive, individualised approach for each child.
Official Launch and Open House
Discover more about the Starlight Centre's vision, methodologies, and the team behind this initiative during an Open House event on 4th November 2023.
- Date: 4th November 2023
- Time: 2 – 5pm
- Location: 20 Kramat Lane #05-05, Singapore 228773
Parents and caregivers are invited to register their attendance via the official website: https://starlight.edu.sg/open-house/
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About Starlight Centre
Starlight Centre is a one-of-a-kind after-school care program in Singapore designed for students with autism. Born from the personal experiences of its founder, Candy Lee, the centre aims to provide support for autistic children in their academic journey, helping them to excel both socially and academically.
The founders, Alex Lim and Candy Lee are parents of Yohanes, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. Since 2012, they have run Crystal Learning, a successful language school for adults and founded Starlight Centre in collaboration with co-founder Johnny Fok, a therapist specialising in autism.
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