Interview with a parent of one of our child clients. The parent is also employed as a personal assistant to be the child’s personal assistant.
The family has chosen to remain anonymous, so the images are fictional, and the text does not mention names or other details that could identify them.
How did you decide to organize the support for your child? Are you employed or do you have other employees?
Only the family works. At the moment, we do not want anyone from outside because the child is very safe with the family due to their disability.
How was it from the very beginning? When was support assigned to the child?
About a year ago, they received support. Previously, we lived in another municipality that did not provide information about available services. When we moved to a different municipality, a special education teacher from the habilitation service recommended personal assistance. We then submitted a request to the municipality and the Social Insurance Agency. The Social Insurance Agency rejected us, but the municipality approved support for the child. From the moment we submitted the request, it took about a month to receive the decision.
How does your life differ from the lives of other families with children who do not have personal assistance?
There is much more stress in the family, and it affects the child. Now, with support, there is less stress and fewer worries. This is because the family can focus on working with the child instead of dealing with other tasks. We also feel less stressed because the financial situation has improved.
Challenges in obtaining support?
At the moment, we do not see any.
What opportunities does the support provide?
Less stress and more time for the child.
Why is support important for the child?
Peace of mind, less worry, and more time with the child.
What was life like before we were granted support?
There was a lot of stress and worry. We did not have the same amount of time with the child and felt that the family had no control.
Have you used other support companies? What do you value in Personal Assistance?
Previously, we had no other companies, but the administrator advised us about Personal Assistance. Personal Assistance truly lives up to the administrator’s praise. The collaboration works excellently, and we trust Personal Assistance a lot. Personal Assistance has and shows great understanding. The area managers explain things very well and simply, which avoids misunderstandings. We feel like one big family, where we can talk to Personal Assistance (the area managers) about everything. “The first time we came to the office, I was very surprised at how comfortable it felt; I felt like I was entering your family.”