Guidance for parents
Practical guidance for families when a child becomes seriously ill.
Table of contents
When a child becomes seriously ill
Learning that your child is seriously ill changes life in an instant. Suddenly, everyday life is filled with hospital visits, treatments, anxiety and difficult decisions. At the same time, many families need to deal with government agencies, insurance companies and a financial situation that can deteriorate rapidly.
This guide is intended to help you take the first important steps and give an overview of the support that may be available.
Start here
When your child has received a serious diagnosis, there are a few things that are particularly important to do early on:
- •Request a medical certificate (läkarintyg) for a seriously ill child.
- •Contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) and apply for the benefits that may be relevant to your situation.
- •Contact the company providing your child's insurance (barnförsäkring).
- •Document important decisions, costs and certificates.
- •Contact the hospital's hospital social worker (kurator) for advice and guidance.
Benefits that may be applicable
Depending on the child's situation, different forms of financial support may become relevant.
temporary parental benefit (VAB – tillfällig föräldrapenning) (VAB)
Parents of seriously ill children may, under certain conditions, receive benefits for caring for the child for a longer period than under ordinary VAB rules. In some situations, both parents may receive benefits simultaneously.
care allowance (omvårdnadsbidrag)
If the child has a long-term need for care, supervision or support, care allowance (omvårdnadsbidrag) may be applicable.
additional cost compensation (merkostnadsersättning)
Families may be entitled to compensation for certain additional costs arising from the child's illness or disability.
healthcare travel reimbursement (sjukresa) and other support
Your regional healthcare authority (region) and municipality (kommun) may also provide support such as healthcare travel reimbursement, housing solutions or other measures.
How does the family's finances change?
Many families find that their financial situation changes significantly when a child becomes seriously ill.
Temporary parental benefit (VAB) does not always replace your full salary, and for families with higher incomes the loss of income can be considerable. At the same time, costs for travel, parking, accommodation, food and other practical needs often increase.
It is therefore important to get an early overview of the family's finances and to investigate which benefits and insurance policies may be applicable.
On this website you can use the page "VAB calculator" to calculate how the family's finances are affected.
The medical certificate is important
The medical certificate (läkarintyg) is crucial for many benefits.
The medical certificate describes the child's illness, treatment and need for care, and often forms the basis for Försäkringskassan's assessments.
Always keep copies of medical certificates and other medical records.
More information and guidance documents are available in the Document Library (Dokumentbank).
Insurance
If your child has child insurance (barnförsäkring), the insurance company should be contacted as soon as possible.
Depending on the terms of the policy, compensation may sometimes be paid for:
- •Diagnosis
- •Hospitalisation
- •Medical disability
- •Permanent injury
- •Specific medical conditions
Rules vary between insurance companies.
You are not alone
There are several organisations that offer support, knowledge and community to families living with serious illness.
Examples include Barncancerfonden, AjaBajaCancer, Hjärtebarnsfonden, Ung Cancer, Min Stora Dag and Ågrenska.
More information can be found under the page "Important links".
Know your rights
It sometimes happens that families receive conflicting information from different parties. If you receive a rejection on an application or feel uncertain, it is important to request clear information about the rules on which the decision is based.
In the Document Library (Dokumentbank) you will find guiding court rulings, legal position statements (rättsliga ställningstaganden) and other important documents.
One step at a time
You do not need to understand everything at once.
Focus first on the child's care and the family's situation. Then seek help from healthcare, Försäkringskassan, insurance companies and support organisations to find the right way forward.
No family should have to face this journey alone.