Access to Personal Assistance by Parental Education Among Children with Cerebral Palsy in Sweden: A Register Study 2006–2020

Background: We investigated whether receipt of personal assistance compensation varied across parental educational levels in Sweden between 2006 and 2020.

Methods: We identified individuals aged 1–18 years with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) between 2006 and 2015, and followed them until 2020. Differences in the likelihood of receiving personal assistance and the amount compensated were analyzed, adjusting for demographic factors and certain factors related to CP.

Results: Compared to the compulsory-educated group, children with secondary- and two tertiary-educated parents had higher odds of receiving personal assistance (OR_adj = 1.43/1.49). The secondary-educated, one-parent tertiary-educated, and two-parent tertiary-educated groups received significantly more hours of personal assistance with a clear gradient (mean difference_adj = 13.09/14.66/24.62) than the compulsory-educated group. Differences in number of hours compensated were formed during the study period.

Conclusion: The significantly lower amount of personal assistance compensated for children of parents with compulsory education, compared to those with higher educational levels, raises concerns regarding the fairness of the system and may indicate a potential violation of principles of equality and non-discrimination.