Do you have a child with a developmental disability?

These are the rights you deserve

Not everyone is aware of the rights they deserve by chance and there is a child with a developmental disability in the family.

These rights significantly help parents and children both in day-to-day coping and financially.

Full rights guide

Dafna Berkovich

02/12/2021

Thursday, 02 December 2021, 07:18 Updated: 08:50

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

Many families find themselves dealing with a not-so-simple issue at all - raising a child with a physical or mental disability.

Sometimes they are ready for it in advance - before birth or immediately after the child is born, and sometimes it comes at a later stage at one age or another when it is diagnosed.

Either way coping is not easy, both emotionally and financially.

A child with special needs and disabilities of any kind, needs many treatments and the costs are high.

The State of Israel grants rights to such families and not everyone is aware of this and knows how to use these rights properly.

On the occasion of the International Day for Equal Rights for People with Disabilities, which takes place tomorrow (December 3), we have selected and coordinated for you, what are the rights of families with children with special needs in Israel in 2021.

More on Walla!

I gave birth to a baby girl weighing 768 grams.

That's how we survived it

To the full article

Allowances, tax credit points and discounts on payments.

Girl with Down Syndrome in Developmental Therapy (Photo: ShutterStock)

Disabled child allowance from the National Insurance Institute

- A family dealing with the upbringing of a child with a severe disability is entitled to a monthly allowance from the National Insurance Institute, which is determined according to the child's disability percentage, between 50 and 235 percent. There has recently been an increase in the benefit following the disability reform, and from January 2022 a new level of eligibility will be added at a rate of 235 percent for children who are dependent on the help of others and need comprehensive medical care. The amount of the 235 percent disability benefit is NIS 7,168 per month.

As part of the health services basket, every child diagnosed with a developmental disability is entitled to developmental treatments in accordance with his age and medical diagnosis.

According to an updated Ministry of Health circular last October, every child up to the age of 9 is entitled to a basket of treatments from the health professions from the HMO to which he belongs.

Each age group has a definition of the number of treatments per year.

For children with somatic disability or autism, the basket of services is significantly larger and is provided until the age of 18. It is also stipulated that the waiting time for treatments will be up to five months at most and that they will be provided at a reasonable distance from home.

Please note, a right that is not clear to many parents, stipulates that the HMO must provide treatments of the health professions, even to children studying in special education, depending on the child's needs, in addition to the services he receives at school.

The HMO should provide a therapeutic response within 5 months and at a reasonable distance from home.

Dafna Berkowitz during occupational therapy (Photo: Tzohar Halev)

Eligibility for Rehabilitation Devices

- The Ministry of Health participates in the financing of rehabilitation and mobility devices for children and adults with developmental disabilities that involve physical limitation, such as: strollers and special wheelchairs, inserts and toilet seats, electric and hydraulic cranes, hydraulic beds and special mattresses, walkers and accessories, walking equipment and accessories . The application process and approval for purchase from the Ministry of Health is done on the recommendation of health professionals.

- The Special Education Law stipulates that a child diagnosed with a mild to complex developmental disability, from infancy to the age of 21, is entitled to be integrated into an educational framework appropriate to his needs. The eligibility and characterization committee in the local authority where the child lives will determine the student's eligibility for special education services and the student's parents will choose the educational framework from the options: regular class, special class in regular education, or special education framework. In 2002, the "Integration Law" was added, which states that the Ministry of Education will maintain a program for the integration of children with special needs in regular educational institutions, in which it is entitled to additional teaching hours and special services.

Parents of a child with special needs play a key role in considering their child's inclusion in the educational framework. Updated details regarding the new law and the participation of parents in decisions, you can read in a booklet published by the Ministry of Education in February 2020, under the heading: Application of Amendment 11 to the Special Education Law - information sheets for parents.

Parents of a child with special needs play a key role in considering their child's inclusion in the educational framework.

A teacher helps a child with writing (Photo: ShutterStock)

Technological accessibility in the education system

- The Ministry of Education funds accessibility aids and technological equipment customized for alternative supportive communication needs for a student with autism, developmental mental disabilities, or severe physical disability.

In addition, the Ministry of Education approves funding for personal accessibility for a student who has difficulty writing and can improve his or her typing participation through technology aids.

The technological adjustments are determined and recommended by an occupational therapist or communication clinician.

More on Walla!

• Why does no one ask the kids if they want to get vaccinated for Corona?

• How many hours a day do Israeli parents spend with their children?

• Due to the growing demand for effective pain treatment: B-Cure laser in a special operation

Tax relief and payments

- A family for a special child who receives a disabled child allowance is entitled to discounts on payments and tax, such as: telephone payments at Bezeq, a discount on the payment of the electricity bill and the water bill. A family with a disabled child is entitled to two points of credit in income tax, a tax exemption for early withdrawal of provident funds, a tax deduction and a purchase tax rebate on the purchase of an apartment or land for construction, according to real estate appreciation tax regulations.

The rights of the child with special needs and his family can be found on the websites: All-Right, Equal, Home-Contact of Special Families, Ministry of Education Website-Parent Portal. On the National Insurance website, there is a new page "Rights of recipients of Social Security benefits in other institutions and organizations" where the rights and benefits to which you are entitled are concentrated for you.

Remember - knowledge is power. Learning the details and the law are a first and important step in exercising your rights. It comes to you by virtue of the law and will help you in your day-to-day coping.

• health

• parenthood

• Child health

Tags

• Child Development

• Special Needs

• Disabled

• Special Education