I’m Loy Sheau Mei, a CAREwell volunteer. Before I joined CAREwell, I’ve already been working with the autism community for the past 18 years.
Some time ago, when I was doing a home visit with my colleagues to support a family with 2 kids who were visually impaired and diagnosed with autism, I learnt more about CAREwell and CaringSG.
I also found out more about the CAREwell’s volunteering opportunities via social media and decided to join.
What is volunteering with CAREwell like?
When I started volunteering with CAREwell, I liked how CaringSG has a structure in place with clarity of the end-in-mind for the families they serve.
The CAREwell team uses a multi-disciplinary approach as we need to have inputs from different perspectives to support each family holistically.
Collaboration with family is one key aspect, and the CAREwell team starts small to gain trust from the family. We also have a commitment to be present to work with the family within a specific timeframe. This creates stability in our relationships with the caregivers, and caregivers will be more open and willing to follow up.
With the relationship built and little successes along the way, I have witnessed that the caregivers are more relaxed as they start to realise that there’re others like us who will walk the journey with them.
How can society be more understanding towards special needs caregivers?
I believe that the awareness is there, but on how to progress forward to be an inclusive society, much effort will be needed.
There are many myths about special needs and there is a need to present the facts about different special needs as there are so many differently-abled individuals among us. The misconception of special needs, and how to interact with them, at times leads to misunderstandings.
Post-school options are limited, and many caregivers are worried as to what’s next for their dependents. “Finding the what’s next” requires all stakeholders, including caregivers and respective agencies, to co-create this space.
Lastly, I would like to share this encouragement to all special needs caregivers:
Source: Quotefancy
On 17 April 2025, CaringSG hosted a deeply meaningful Self-Care Workshop facilitated by Julia Chan—caregiver, certified mental wellness coach, and author of The Healing Journal: A Caregiver’s Path to Self-Care. With a nurturing approach shaped by her own lived experiences, Julia guided participants through practical tools to better care for themselves while supporting their loved ones.
A big part of the joy in caregiving for children comes from being made to see things from a fresh child-like perspective. Teaching autistic children requires one to go beyond that. Often, one has to tap on that perspective and the child’s interest to engage them in learning about our neurotypical world. This is the story of Eliz’s creative teaching journey inspired by her fostered child, Eugene.
A big part of the joy in caregiving for children comes from being made to see things from a fresh child-like perspective. Teaching autistic children requires one to go beyond that. Often, one has to tap on that perspective and the child’s interest to engage them in learning about our neurotypical world. This is the story of Eliz’s creative teaching journey inspired by her fostered child, Eugene.
A big part of the joy in caregiving for children comes from being made to see things from a fresh child-like perspective. Teaching autistic children requires one to go beyond that. Often, one has to tap on that perspective and the child’s interest to engage them in learning about our neurotypical world. This is the story of Eliz’s creative teaching journey inspired by her fostered child, Eugene.
I am sitting down to write this six days after I met Wendy, Mummy to an autistic daughter, over lunch. Looking at the notes I scribbled from our chat, the few words that popped up in my mind? ‘My learning journey’. This is Wendy’s learning journey as a caregiver.
When Carrie first heard her son’s autism diagnosis at age three, she was overwhelmed with questions and uncertainty. But through determination, early intervention, and unwavering support from her husband, she found a path forward—guided, unexpectedly, by her son Ethan’s deep love for trains. From Thomas & Friends to trainspotting in Switzerland, this is a heartfelt story of a family’s journey, resilience, and the power of embracing a child’s special interests.
