Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2012
362 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give consideration to restoring the autism allowances to children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21555/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to qualify for domiciliary care allowance (DCA), a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention substantially in excess of another child of the same age without the disability and must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months. Qualification for the scheme is not based on the particular disability of the child but on the level of additional care required. Autistic Spectrum Disorder is treated in the same manner as any other disability when processing an application for DCA.
The Department took over responsibility for the scheme in April 2009. As there were no agreed national medical guidelines for the scheme while it was administered in the Health Service Executive, an Expert Medical Group was established in advance of the transfer. This Group was chaired by the Department's Chief Medical Advisor and comprised of senior medical personnel from the HSE, as well as eminent professionals in the areas of physical disabilities which affect children, and child psychiatry/psychology. The primary purpose of this Group was to agree a set of consistent and objective guidelines for use nationally in determining eligibility of children for the scheme. The report of the Group was reviewed independently by external medical experts.
The Group considered that the most appropriate way for the Department to conduct assessments for medical eligibility was by assessing evidence submitted by the claimant rather than by way of individual examination by the Department's Medical Assessors, as they are not involved in advice or treatment of the child and the diagnosis of the child's condition by their GP is not in dispute.
The process in operation in the Department involves the submission of a detailed statement by the parent or guardian of the child; a detailed statement by the child's General Practitioner; and any other relevant evidence from qualified experts who have examined the child. This evidence is assessed by designated Departmental Medical Assessors who provide an opinion to the deciding officer as to whether the child meets the medical criteria for the payment.
In assessing the medical evidence and written reports, the Medical Assessor is required to make a determination as to whether the information contained in the application demonstrates that the child requires substantial continuous additional care and attention. In this regard, the medical evidence and supporting documentation are key to assisting the Medical Assessor to determine if the child meets the scheme qualifying criteria.
It is open to any person who is not satisfied with the decision in their case to appeal that decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. Any new or additional information received after the issue of the decision and before the appeal is heard, is further assessed by another medical assessor. In this way, the process affords applicants every opportunity to provide additional information and to have this information assessed and the decision revised, if warranted, at an early stage in advance of an appeal hearing.
