Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will publish a list of levels of attainment for children between four and 16 years diagnosed within the autism spectrum and applying for carer's allowance; if she will review the procedures currently being used to evaluate eligibility for carer's allowance in relation to children with autism diagnosis; the reason those diagnosed within the autism spectrum are listed as less likely to require substantial care and attention as part of the application procedure for carer's allowance and if she will address the incremental differences between children with autism and healthy children between the ages of four and 16; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17349/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand this question is intended to refer to domiciliary care allowance and not carer's allowance.

Domiciliary care allowance is a monthly payment to the carer of a child with a disability so severe that the child requires care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be provided to allow the child to deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.

Autism spectrum disorders are included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) as: autism F84 – F84.9 as classified by the World Health Organisation. The Department recognises autism spectrum disorders as disabilities.

Applications for domiciliary care allowance are assessed on a case by case basis by one of the Department's medical assessors all of whom are fully qualified medical practitioners who have training/experience in human disability evaluation. The medical assessor's opinion is based on the information furnished as part of the application process. This information includes personal details supplied on the application form by the child's parent / guardian; details of the additional care and attention required by the child as outlined by the parent / guardian and medical details provided by the child's GP. Any additional information the parent / guardian considers relevant to the application is also reviewed (this could include consultant's reports, reports from a community health doctor, a copy of the needs assessment carried out by the HSE etc.).

Eligibility is determined primarily by reference to the degree of additional care and attention required by the child rather than to the type of disability involved. It is important to note that the normal ages of attainment data for children up to 4 years are provided to assist the medical assessor in his/her assessment. It is not a scale which determines eligibility or otherwise. Reports from child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists or occupational therapists, usually provide information on the child's individual developmental status on a percentile basis.

Whereas, no normal age of attainment data for children over 4 years of age or adolescents is provided by the Department, should a medical assessor consider it helpful, there is a wealth of reference material available in the medical literature e.g. Centres for Disease Control Development Milestones / Queensland Government Development Milestones.

Categories of conditions, which are more likely or less likely to result in a child requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of that required by a child of the same age, were developed to assist the medical assessor in the assessment process. It is important to note that inclusion in either category does not, of itself, determine eligibility or otherwise to domiciliary care allowance.