People with Physical Disabilities in Singapore: Understanding Disabling Factors in Caregiving, Education, Employment and Finances

• Main Authors: Raghunathan, Ranjana, Balakrishnan, Balambigai, Smith, Catherine J., Md Kadir, Mumtaz
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2015
• Subjects: Social Policy; Social Welfare
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lien_reports/8; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lien_reports/article/1007/viewcontent/People_with_physical_disabilities_in_Singapore.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The publication concerns the unmet social needs of people with disabilities in Singapore. Researchers from the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, along with students from Singapore Management University, interviewed 100 people with disabilities over a period of several months. These in-depth interviews were designed to elicit detailed stories from the participants, which would inform our understanding of their needs and how services might be improved to better meet those needs. The rich data collected from these interviews paints a picture of a community which has faced barriers in many spheres and stages of life. From major life issues like education and employment, to everyday concerns like transportation and negotiating crowds, the decisions of our interview participants are heavily circumscribed by their disabilities. This publication explores Singapore’s commitment to becoming a more inclusive society, and offers in response the stories and suggestions from people with disabilities that might help to point the way towards this goal.