Social Benefits and Guarantees for Families Raising Children with Disabilities

Social protection of persons with disabilities – a system of legal, organizational measures and social support measures guaranteed by the state, providing persons with disabilities with conditions for overcoming, replacing (compensating) life limitations and aimed at creating equal opportunities for them to participate in society with other citizens.

Social support for persons with disabilities – a system of measures ensuring social guarantees for persons with disabilities, established by law.

Ensuring equal opportunities – a process in which various systems of society and the environment, such as services, education, employment, information, etc., become accessible to persons with disabilities.

Inclusivity – a principle of educating persons with disabilities together with other people based on different learning paces using adequate curricula, methodologies, and organizational measures.

Families raising children with disabilities receive special support, attention, and care (Article 66 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Marriage and Family).

• Allowance for a child with a disability for care up to 3 years of age: assigned and paid at an increased rate — 45% of the average monthly salary (Article 13 of Law No. 7-Z).
• Allowance for children over 3 years of age from certain categories of families: assigned for each child with a disability under 18 years of age in the amount of 70% of the highest subsistence minimum budget (Article 15 of Law No. 7-Z).
• Allowance for caring for a child with a disability under 18 years of age: assigned in amounts: for I or II degree of health impairment — 100% of the subsistence minimum; for III or IV degree — 100% of the subsistence minimum up to 3 years, 120% of the subsistence minimum after 3 years (Article 18 of Law No. 7-Z).
• Temporary disability allowance for caring for a child with a disability: paid to persons actually caring for a sick child under 14 years of age or a child with a disability under 18 years of age (Article 19 of Law No. 7-Z).
• Temporary disability allowance for sanatorium-resort treatment: assigned for the entire period of treatment and travel, but not more than once per calendar year (Article 20 of Law No. 7-Z).

• Overtime restriction: women with disabled children under 18 years of age are involved in overtime work only with their consent (Article 120 of the Labor Code).
• Contract conclusion: contracts with women with disabled children under 18 years of age are not concluded without their consent (Presidential Decree No. 180).
• Labor leave: the employer is obliged to grant leave at the employee's request to women with a disabled child under 18 years of age, including during the summer (Article 168 of the Labor Code).
• Leave without pay: the employer is obliged to grant leave for up to 14 calendar days at the employee's request (Article 189 of the Labor Code).

• Monthly additional day: a mother, father, or guardian raising a disabled child under 18 years of age is granted one additional day off monthly with payment at the rate of the average daily wage (Article 265 of the Labor Code).
• Weekly additional day: upon written application, one additional day off per week is granted with payment at the rate of the average daily wage (Article 265 of the Labor Code).

• Early retirement pension: mothers who have raised disabled children for at least 8 years are entitled to a pension with a reduction in retirement age by 5 years with a work experience of at least 20 years; fathers - with an experience of at least 25 years (Law No. 1596-XII).

• Free manufacturing and repair of dental prostheses: disabled children under 18 years of age are entitled to free manufacturing and repair of dental prostheses in state healthcare organizations, as well as to the provision of technical means of social rehabilitation (Article 11 of Law No. 239-Z).
• Vouchers for sanatorium-resort treatment: allocated to disabled children under 18 years of age by decision of the regional divisions of the Republican Center for Health Improvement (Presidential Decree No. 542).
• Travel benefits: disabled children under 18 years of age and their accompanying person are entitled to free travel on urban, suburban, and intercity transport within the district of residence (Articles 13-14 of Law No. 239-Z).
• Social services: territorial centers provide hourly care services for disabled children (nanny services) - up to 20 hours per week; single-parent families with a disabled child under 4 years of age or families with two or more disabled children receive the service free of charge.

• Housing and utility benefits: payment for water supply, sewerage, gas, and electricity services is made at subsidized tariffs without differentiated payment for single-parent families with a disabled child and complete families with a disabled child with III–IV degree of health loss.
• Standard tax deduction: parents with disabled children under 18 years of age are granted a standard tax deduction for each child per month (Article 164 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus).
• Financial assistance to the unemployed: provided regardless of participation in paid public works to parents raising disabled children.
• Optional participation in public works: participation in paid public works is not mandatory for parents raising disabled children.