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www.autismsupport.ie » www.autismireland.ie » Benefits & Entitlements » Domicilary Care Allowance

Domicilary Care Allowance

This allowance is a great help to parents to allow them to help their child and pay for some of the additional costs that are incurred due to their child’s disability. The application process can be quite off-putting but it is important to fully complete the form. E.g. make sure it is explained fully the extra 24 hour care and attention your child with Autism or Aspergers needs over and above another typical child. It is important to ensure that you emphasise the way in which your child has needs requiring more attention/time than a typically developing peer. Some parents keep a diary of a typical day with their child including the help their child needs with basic tasks such as toileting, dressing and feeding, the extra attention required to ensure the safety of the child, the additional assistance the child needs to communicate and interact. In the case of a higher functioning child, the additional time and attention required to complete schoolwork, the need to function from schedules and difficulties the child has with processing information and with organisational tasks that require additional assistance.

You should include a copy of your Psychologist, SLT and OT reports.

The person receiving this form does not know your child or family life so in order to help them make a fair assessment of the application it is vital to ensure that the form is fully completed. Please read below and if you have any queries on the process please ring the Irish Autism Action Information Officer on 01 8531573. If your application is not successful in the first instance remember there is an appeals process.

Source – Department of Social Welfare

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment to the carer of a child with a disability so severe that it requires care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be provided to allow the child to deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.

The Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme was administered by the Health Service Executive before it was transferred to the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

The transfer took place in two stages:

Since 1 April 2009 - all new claims for Domiciliary Care Allowance are being decided by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
Since September 2009 - the Department have taken over responsibility for the payment of all Domiciliary Care Allowance claims from the Health Service Executive.

Rules

In order to qualify, the child must have a severe disability that is likely to last for at least one year and:
Be aged under 16, (at 16, the child can apply for a Disability Allowance)
Live at home with the person claiming the allowance for 5 or more days a week - see 'Half rate payment' below
Meet the medical criteria - see below
Be ordinarily resident in the State.

In addition, the person claiming the allowance for the child must:

Provide for the care of the child
Be habitually resident in the State.

Medical criteria

Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is not based on the type of impairment or disease, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind which means the child needs extra care and attention. The Department's Medical Assessor will take the following into account before giving his/her opinion on whether the child meets the medical criteria:

Review the history of the case
Consider all medical reports received
Have regard to the description of the care and attention required by the child given by the parent/guardian.

Reviews and appeals

If your application is refused on medical grounds, you may submit additional information and ask for the case to be reviewed by a different Medical Assessor. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of this review, or wish to appeal on other grounds, you can appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Rates

The Domiciliary Care Allowance rate is €309.50 per month (2009).

There is no restriction on the number of children in respect of whom you may claim Domiciliary Care Allowance. (In other words, if you are caring for more than 1 child who qualifies for Domiciliary Care Allowance, you may claim the monthly allowance for each).

Payment is made on the third Tuesday of every month for the current month.

Other payments

Entitlement to Child Benefit is not affected and a parent or other carer may also qualify for Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance if they meet the other conditions.

You can also claim a Respite Care Grant, which is paid automatically each year during the month of June.

How to apply

To apply, fill in a Domiciliary Care Allowance form (pdf) or text “FORM DCA” followed by your name and address to 51909 (standard text rates apply).

You can also get an application form in your Social Welfare Local Office or Citizens Information Centre.

You should complete Parts 1 to 5 of the application form and have your child’s GP complete parts 6 and 7. Please ensure that you attach any reports or assessments relevant to your child’s disability.