Support for children with disabilities
Finding your way through a new country's support system is hard enough - doing it while also arranging care for a child with a disability can feel overwhelming. The good news is that Flanders has a structured, well-funded system for disability support, and much of it is accessible regardless of nationality once you're registered.
This page explains who can help, what financial support exists, and how schooling works for children with additional needs.
Overview
Support for children with a disability in Flanders runs through a few connected systems: the VAPH for care and assistance, the Growth Package for financial support, and the education system for schooling adapted to your child's needs. Most families work with more than one of these at the same time.
VAPH support
The VAPH (Flemish Agency for Persons with a Disability) is the main government agency organising care and support for people with a disability, including children.
Through the VAPH, families can access:
- A personal assistance budget, which parents can use to pay for care, support, or assistive equipment.
- Day and residential care services, for children who need more intensive support.
- Guidance from a support team, who help you figure out what your child needs and which services fit.
To access most VAPH services, your child first needs a recognised diagnosis or assessment confirming their support needs. Your application runs through a recognised multidisciplinary team - your doctor or a CLB (student guidance centre) can start this for you.
Financial support
On top of VAPH-organised care, families may also be entitled to extra financial support:
- A care supplement (zorgtoeslag) within the Growth Package for children with a recognised disability, on top of the standard child benefit. It's assessed through a points system, carried out by an Opgroeien physician who evaluates your child's care needs. This is different from the income-based social supplement, which depends on your family's earnings rather than your child's care needs.
- The Flemish care budget (Vlaams zorgbudget), a separate monthly payment of roughly € 140 for children with heavy care needs - easy to miss as a newcomer, since it's not part of the Growth Package itself.
- Reimbursement for therapy and paramedical care (such as speech therapy or physiotherapy) through your health insurance fund (mutuality), often at a higher rate for children with a disability.
- Possible tax benefits, depending on your family's situation - a tax advisor or your municipality's social service can confirm what applies to you.
Special education
Flanders offers special education (buitengewoon onderwijs) for children who need more support than mainstream schools can provide, alongside options for inclusive education within mainstream schools.
- A CLB (student guidance centre) carries out the assessment needed to access special education, and can advise on which type of school fits your child best.
- Special education is organised into different types, depending on the nature and level of support your child needs.
- Many children get extra support in a regular classroom through a learning support centre (leersteuncentrum).
Getting started
- Talk to your child's doctor or paediatrician about getting a formal diagnosis or assessment, if you don't already have one.
- Contact a CLB (student guidance centre) if the support need is school-related, or the VAPH directly for care and assistance outside school.
- Inform your mutuality, so any therapy or paramedical costs can be reimbursed correctly from the start.
- Reach out to a parent support organisation - many families find it easier to navigate the system with support from others who've been through it.
Don't let a language barrier hold you back from starting this process: both CLB and VAPH can arrange an interpreter if you don't yet speak Dutch.
Good to know: waiting times for VAPH support and assessments can be long, so it's worth starting the process as early as possible, even before you're sure exactly what your child will need.
Sources
- VAPH - Flemish Agency for Persons with a Disability
- Vlaanderen.be - Education in Flanders
- Groeipakket - official Flemish child benefit portal
