Relief for parents of children in need of care
These support and counseling options are available for parents of children in need of care.
Almost all children with care needs are cared for by their parents at home. One of the special features of children in need of care, in contrast to senior citizens in need of care, is that children are to be accompanied by the care into a life as independent as possible. That's why care includes various early intervention measures – a time-consuming undertaking.
Parents of children in need of care are therefore responsible for a wide range of tasks:
- Caring for, looking after and supervising the child
- the implementation of medical-therapeutic care measures
- symptom management and medication
- Monitoring for technology-intensive care
- organizing and coordinating care
- Communicate with involved stakeholders, for example, school support or care services
- Negotiations with payers
- Administrative procedures and applications
- Organization of remedies and aids
- Housing design
- Accompanying the child to therapeutic measures
- Doctor visits and hospital stays
- Continuation of therapeutic and supportive measures at home.
In addition to the daily household duties, there is often also the care of siblings or a possible occupation. It is easy to imagine that with this workload, leisure time and recreation often come up short. But in order to be able to shoulder a care situation in the long term, it is important for parents to take preventive action – otherwise there is a risk of health effects as a reaction to the strain.
Use care advice – know services
In order to be aware of all relief options and the offers of the care insurance, parents should seek professional advice within the framework of a care consultation. Care consultants can provide long-term and permanent support in organizing the care situation and advise the families. The topics of the consultation range from the classification in the correct care degree over relief offers such as short-term care up to the separation from the parental home.
Finding self-help groups and networks
Families usually organize the care of their child over a long period of time – often into adulthood and sometimes beyond. There are always upheavals or difficult phases, for example when starting kindergarten or school. That's why it's important for parents to create a network that supports them and takes on tasks. Such a network may include, for example, friends, extended family, sponsors or neighbors, as well as other affected individuals. But also professional help or self-help groups can contribute to the relief of caring parents.
Find a local provider
Finding local professional providers who can assist in the caregiving situation is helped by the care search tool. Many search results can be refined here specifically for offers for children and adolescents in need of care.
If parents are looking for providers in the region, care advisors can also help here, who are usually very well networked locally or can take over the research of suitable offers.