Holistic Day-Care Support Service for Children Battling Cancer and Other Life-Threatening Illnesses

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Our approach merges learning and emotional well-being while accommodating medical restrictions, offering comprehensive care and support for our children.

Hope is woven into every aspect of Arc, creating a positive and vibrant sanctuary.

As each child’s case is unique, we are dedicated to ensuring each child receives holistic support care, meaningful learning experiences, and compassionate guidance. Embracing their mental, physical, and emotional well-being, we foster resilience and healing.

Together, we stride towards a future where no child stands alone and hope becomes tangible, so that your child may find joy once more.

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Hope is something that should never be lost. You just hope that they find a cure for your cancer. And you just hope that everything is well, that you can reach for the stars.

– co-founder Ronita Paul

A boy and A girl raiding cycle

Comprehensive Educational and Support Care Services

Arc Children’s Centre understands the multifaceted nature of the cancer journey and goes beyond medical treatment to provide comprehensive support. Our services and programmes are carefully designed to address the psychological and social aspects of healing, in addition to clinical care.

With meticulous attention to detail, Arc offers Educational Support and Support Care Activities that are essential in maintaining a sense of normalcy during this challenging time. These programmes are tailored to meet the unique needs of each child, ensuring they have the tools and resources to navigate life-threatening illnesses with resilience and hope.

At Arc, we embrace every child and their family with compassion, providing them with the care and support they need to face these difficult circumstances.

Arc children sitting down with teachers learning shapes and colors

Educational Support Tailored to Each Child

Educational classes are designed for Toddlers and Nursery, Kindergarten I & II and Primary and Secondary are meticulously crafted to align with each child’s abilities and medical journey. Every child who comes to Arc will be prepared for re-integration into mainstream primary/secondary education.

Two children exercising jumping on colourful rings on the floor

Adapted Learning Paths and Synchronised Curriculum with Mainstream Education

  • Paced Learning Plans: Establish educational strategies that consider your child’s current health status and learning pace.
  • Comprehensive Educational Assessment: Conduct thorough evaluations to identify cognitive strengths and potential areas of support.
  • Interactive and Engaging Curriculum: Utilise dynamic teaching methods that captivate attention and encourage active participation.
  • Synchronised Integration with Mainstream Curriculum: Align content with national syllabus to facilitate seamless reintegration into formal schooling.
  • Flexible Scheduling: Arrange classes around treatment plans to ensure consistent educational engagement without overwhelming your child.
  • School Holiday Programmes: We provide support for schoolwork, revisions, stay-over camps, leadership training, confidence building and public speaking.

Lessons are conducted by qualified and experienced teachers in:

  • English
  • Malay
  • Mandarin
  • Mathematics
  • Montessori
  • Phonics
  • Geography
  • Science
  • S.T.E.A.M.
  • Guided Reading

For Secondary students, volunteer teachers/tutors provide individual learning.

Adaptability is the cornerstone of our educational framework, ensuring each session is both accessible and impactful. By fostering an environment of academic normalcy, we empower children to continue their personal growth amidst their medical challenges.

Therapeutic and Creative Enrichment

In confronting the stark challenges of cancer and life-threatening illnesses, children often grapple with emotional turmoil, requiring a sanctuary of psychological solace and stability.

Our interventions at Arc are grounded in empathy and expertise, tailored to encourage learning, confidence, and character building through:

  • Coding And Robotics
  • Art and Craft
  • Dancercise
  • Home Economics
  • Music/Singing
  • Physical Exercise
  • Speech and Drama
  • Story Champ
  • Financial Literacy
  • Sensory and Emotional Connections Through Play
  • Character & Values in Action
Children holding and looking at the colourful cloth with balls on it

Psycho-Social Development Activities

Psycho-social support is intrinsically woven into every activity we facilitate, recognising its vital role in holistic healing. This team comprises of dedicated professionals including educators, nurses, and certified child psychologist, speech-language therapist, and occupational therapist. We aim to restore hope and joy and foster a sense of normalcy to each child’s spirit alongside their physical health.

Experienced healthcare professionals who have dedicated their career as nurses play a vital role in providing compassionate care and medical support to children undergoing cancer or other life-threatening treatments at Arc, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being throughout their recovery journey.

Child Psychologist at Arc employs therapeutic strategies tailored to the needs of your child, fostering open communication, and providing a supportive environment to address their emotional responses, school disruptions, and concerns about the long-term effects of illness and treatment, working closely with the child and parents to facilitate the child’s adjustment and successful reintegration into school following treatment.

Paediatric cancer and its treatment can disrupt typical child development, affecting speech, language, and swallowing skills. These disruptions often occur during critical developmental stages, potentially impairing children’s abilities in these areas. At Arc, speech-language therapists offer specialised support to children undergoing or recovering from illness treatment, addressing their unique needs in speech, language, and swallowing development.

Geraldine guiding a child squatting at the vegetation site outdoor

Expressive Arts and Physical Wellness

Children undergoing cancer or other life-threatening treatments face challenges in daily activities and development. Arc’s occupational therapist addresses these challenges, focusing on self-care, gross and fine motor skills crucial for school readiness. Using a holistic approach, therapists incorporate meaningful activities and play to engage children in therapy sessions. Through these interventions, therapists promote independence and enhance skills in a fun and interactive manner, emphasising the importance of daily living tasks, self-care, and motor skill development for overall well-being and readiness for school.

  • Play: purposefully designed to balance therapy and enjoyment
  • Dancercise: Merges dance and exercise for joyful movement
  • Art and Craft: Offers therapeutic creativity and self-expression
  • Music/Singing: Encourages vocal expression and aural stimulation
  • Physical Exercise: Builds strength and endurance in a supportive environment
  • Drama: Cultivates confidence and communication through performance

Our programmes are designed to elicit joy, promote self-expression, and enhance physical health, contributing to a holistic path to wellness.

Nurturing Environment and Practical Assistance

Inside arc childrens centre showing colourful foam mats and sofa

Facilities Sanitised for Children’s Safety

Arc Children’s Centre offers a bright and spacious environment emphasising cleanliness and hygiene for the safety of their children with compromised immunity. Mandatory mask-wearing, handwashing, and hygiene protocols ensure a sanitised indoor environment. Arc ensures that high-touch areas are regularly sanitised with hospital-grade cleaning solutions. This is to provide a safe sanctuary for healing and learning.

The team gave up their office areas to create more space for the children’s learning and activities. The pandemic taught us to be flexible and creative in our work where priorities are the needs of the children.

Spanning 5,000 sq ft, Arc features a large open classroom, sensory room for relaxation, a play area with slides and rock-climbing walls, and a pantry for serving meals.

Arc children sitting at table for their meals smiling at camera

Nutritious Meals for Specific Needs

As a day-care centre for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, Arc provides a neutropenic diet. Collaborative efforts among dietitians and doctors ensure support for children’s comfort and needs while they are at Arc.

Two children exercising jumping on colourful rings on the floor

Safe and Attentive Transport Services

Our transportation service to Arc Children’s Centre offers smooth and flexible journeys, facilitated by a dedicated team and a fleet of 4 vehicles, ensuring safe and reliable transport. In emergencies, swift transport to either the child’s home or hospital is provided. We uphold high cleanliness standards and maintain comfortable rides.

Find out more about admission and enrollment. Discuss your child’s needs with us – education, support service, meals, transport. Together, we can restore hope, joy, and a smile to your child.

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Saaman with his father Aminul mother and sister
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My best day at Arc Children’s Centre was my first day there because that’s when I realised I was not alone.
There were many kids like me. It wasn’t just me who was going through this pain.

– Survivor Saaman shares his transformative journey through childhood illness leukemia