Children and young people with disabilities

Read about help and support for children and young people with disabilities and their families, such as family guidance, financial support for additional expenses and lost earnings.

If you have a child or young person with a significant and permanent reduced physical or mental ability to function (handicap) and/or an intervening chronic or long-term disorder, Sønderborg Municipality has a number of support options that you can apply for. A decision is then made as to whether you can receive the support. If you are covered, the extent of the support you can receive is assessed.

To be in the target group for support, your child or young person must have a diagnosis at the time of application and have been diagnosed with a functional impairment corresponding to the above.

Can we get family counseling?

If you have a child/youth under the age of 18 who has a significant and permanently reduced physical or mental ability to function, Sønderborg Municipality offers family guidance with an educational consultant if you are assessed to receive support. The consultant has a duty of confidentiality.

When you are covered, you can get early and non-binding guidance on what options and rights you have in Sønderborg Municipality in relation to your child's disability/impairment.

The educational consultant can also advise on how they can get in contact with other families with children/young people with reduced functional ability.

The role of the educational consultant is purely advisory. The offer of guidance must, as a rule, take place within the first three months after the municipality has received notification of the child's/young person's disability.

A visit to your home is generally offered to make it as easy as possible for you, but the conversation can also take place at the municipality.

Can I have additional expenses covered?

If your child has a significant and permanent reduced physical or mental ability to function (handicap) and/or an intrusive chronic or long-term disorder, you as a family can apply to have the additional expenses that are a consequence of the child's disability or illness covered. You can only get a subsidy when you are assessed as being covered by the target group, your child lives at home and the other conditions are met. The additional expenses must also be a consequence of the reduced functional capacity.

Examples of additional expenses can be medicine, extra washing or other similar expenses that exceed the expenses that a family normally incurs when supporting a child.

There may also be costs for transporting your child to day care, education, treatment and leisure activities. However, the costs of transport and the like can only be covered if they cannot be covered according to other provisions or other arrangements.

If your child is admitted to hospital due to his disability or illness, you can apply for help to cover additional costs for accommodation and, for example, food and transport costs, if your presence is necessary according to a medical assessment.

The additional expenses are determined based on an estimate of the probable or documented expenses. The additional expenses must per year be at least DKK 5.207 (2022 – the amount is regulated annually). The amount is tax-free and independent of the family's income.

Apply via the self-service box at the top of the page or contact us for advice and guidance.

Can I apply for lost earnings?

If, as a result of your child's disability, it is deemed necessary and most appropriate for one of the parents to look after the child at home, you can apply to the municipality for compensation for lost earnings.

Lost earnings can be granted to families with children and young people up to the age of 18 in cases where the following conditions are met:

your child is under 18 years of age and has a significant and permanent impairment of physical or mental functioning or a serious chronic or long-term illness
it is a necessary consequence of the disability or disorder that the child is cared for at home
it is most appropriate that it is the mother, father or other relative who cares for the child
that you as a provider have had to cease all or part of your employment to look after the child or cannot take up employment because you look after your child with a disability

You can also apply for compensation for lost earnings when, according to a medical assessment, it is necessary for you to accompany your child to examinations, treatment, etc. as a result of the child's disability.

Both parents/carers can apply for lost earnings and thus share the childcare, if the conditions are met.

The compensation for lost earnings is determined on the basis of your most recent gross income. There is a ceiling for the monthly compensation of DKK 33.063 (2022 - the amount is regulated annually).

Apply via the self-service box at the top of the page.

Can my child get a special offer in an institution or school?

Where can I see case processing times?