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Child with a health problem

Supporting a child who requires permanent support due to their medical condition

Child's permanent health condition is a major life change for every parent. The purpose of this overview is to gather information regarding the support of a child who requires permanent support.


Proactive government service Supporting a child who requires permanent support due to their medical condition consists of the following:

Identification of the illness and the start of the treatment journey

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Estonia has three levels of healthcare: family physician care, specialised medical care and nursing care. Quick health advice is available in Estonian, English, and Russian through the family physician advisory line 1220.

The detection of the illness and the diagnosis provide an opportunity to begin offering the necessary support to the child, the parent, as well as the family and loved ones.

Assistance for everyday coping from the local government

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The provision of social services, social benefits and other assistance is arranged by the local government of the of the residence of the person in the Population Register, that is, the rural municipality or city government where the person is officially registered.

To support everyday life assistance and intervention must be provided by the local government, with the regional child protection official assessing and coordinating help based on your child’s needs.

State benefits and services

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The assistance provided by the state is justified if first-level interventions, that is, those by the local government, are insufficient to meet the child’s need for assistance.

The sate assistance includes a wide range of interventions, such as establishment of a disability, financial benefits, social rehabilitation and the provision of technical aid and medical equipment.

Educational support services

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You can view all nursery schools and schools operating in your area on the Education Portal’s map application.

The local government is responsible for ensuring nursery school and formal education for every child and arranging access to necessary support services.

Transition from childhood into adulthood

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Note! Typically, a person is considered an adult at the age of 18, but the arrangement of some services and benefits changes after the child’s 16th birthday, when they reach working age.

The transition from childhood to adulthood may require reorganising existing support services, as the benefits and services for children differ from those for adults.