The purpose of the support person service is to support a child's ability to cope independently in a situation where they need significant personal assistance to perform their obligations and exercise their rights due to social, financial, psychological or health problems.

The target group of the service are children and young people between the ages of 3 and 18 who need a significant amount of additional assistance in fulfilling their obligations and exercising their rights due to their social, psychological or health condition.

With the help of the service, the parent’s caretaking load is reduced in order to participate in employment and the child is guaranteed equal opportunities with peers with the aim of supporting age- and ability-appropriate development.

The support person can offer personal support to the child as an escort in public spaces and as a caregiver providing supervision at the child's home and enable the child to participate in rehabilitation services and ensure the availability of targeted leisure activities, including hobbies and exercise.

In special cases, the support person can also provide personal support when participating in development and learning activities in an educational institution (kindergarten, school) and/or support social and emotional coping.

The support person, in cooperation with the person raising the child and the child's specialist network, creates a safe and supportive growth environment and conditions for the child to be able to independently cope.

The support person’s task is to ensure a safe and supportive growth environment for the child with age-appropriate guidance, direction and support:

• in activities of daily life and self-care activities (hygiene, getting dressed, etc.);
• to achieve social and emotional coping;
• to communicate and create and develop contacts;
• to fulfil obligations, including developing work skills and forming habits for work;
• to participate in the development and learning process.

The service is need-based. Referral to the service does not depend on the existence of a decision on the degree of disability issued by the Social Insurance Board.

The support person provides services to one child at a time and performs care activities if necessary. The support person does not fulfil the duties of an educational specialist.

Upon reaching the age of 18, a young person acquiring basic education in stationary study or other forms of study for health reasons has the right to receive the service until the end of the academic year.