Serbian Party Proposes Law Changes to Support Parents of Disabled Children

Serbia's Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) has submitted proposed amendments to the parent-caregiver law, aiming to extend benefits to a broader group of parents caring for children with disabilities.

Tatjana Pašić, an SSP lawmaker, stated that the current law is "unacceptable" because it limits the parent-caregiver status to only 3,270 individuals, while an estimated 50,000 parents provide 24-hour care for their disabled children. The SSP's proposal seeks to include all these parents, not just a select few.

Pašić criticized the existing law's "discriminatory provisions," arguing that it "consciously erased and left without support" over 90% of parents who dedicate their lives to caring for children with significant needs. The party insists that the caregiver status should be determined by the child's actual need for care, not by bureaucratic procedures or inefficient commissions.

The SSP is advocating for the removal of employment-related restrictions, asserting that parents who are employed, retired, or over 65 should not be denied this status. They emphasize that the need for care is constant and lifelong, and state support must be continuous. The party submitted these amendments to the Serbian parliament on July 24, 2026.