Violates Child Nursing decision

Child Nursing babySleeping baby. Photo: Pixabay.com

The Government violates Child Nursing decision

The Government violates the Norwegian Parliament’s decision to propose how the Child Nursing scheme can be made time unlimited by the end of 2018, The Socialist Party (SV) believes.

 

The Government presented changes to the scheme on Friday, which is a temporary income scheme for parents who must be away from work to care for sick children.

In a press statement, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Anniken Hauglie (Conservatives), writes that the Norwegian Parliament will remove the five-year time limit from the scheme so that recipients can receive care benefits until the child reaches the age of 18. The Government is investigating how such an arrangement can be organized, and what the consequences thereof will be the Cabinet Minister highlights.

– We have time to achieve this, since everyone started a new “time account” on October 1st, 2017 and consequently will have a right to Child Nursing care benefits for 1,300 days as of that date, she continues.

– It is important that such a significant expansion will be good for families, sustainable for society and safeguarding other important concerns for both individuals and society, Hauglie elaborates.

A shame

The message makes Socialist Leader, Audun Lysbakken tilt.

– This Government has had a whole year to provide proper answers to the families with the sickest children. The Government is violating a crystal clear decision by the Norwegian Parliament. It is disrespectful to the families who do not get straight answers today, he rages to NTB.

Lysbakken indicates that one year with insecurity for the families now slides into another.

– The Government claims that they have plenty of time to evaluate the scheme. The same does not apply to these families. They await a clarification. We have stories about parents who do not dare to withdraw care money in order not to use up the time quota prematurely, the SV leader continues.

– The decision by the Parliament has an absolute deadline of submitting a proposal by the end of 2018. the Government aims to violate that decision. That is a shame.

Several improvements

Hauglie emphasizes that the Government is now introducing several improvements that provide families with seriously ill children with greater freedom of choice and more flexibility.

Among other issues, several more are eligible, as a changed grading allows parents with nursing needs – down to 20 per cent – to make use of the scheme. An exemption clause allows for extension – with no time limit – when the quota of 1,300 days has been used up.

The Child Nursing scheme is extended to an estimated 9,000 additional families, compared to the existing scheme.

There will be a further expansion of the scheme as of January 1st, 2019. Until now, the requirement is that the caretaker has to be responsible for the care of the child before the special need arises. As of then, more persons, such as other family members, can step in as the caretaker under extraordinary circumstances.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today