Domiciliary Care Allowance or DCA is a monthly allowance paid to the parent or guardian of children under 16 who have a severe disability requiring continuous care and attention.

The condition must be likely to last for at least one year and the administrating body may review eligibility from time to time. The allowance may be discontinued if a child no longer requires continuous care and attention.

The means of parents are not considered. Only the personal means of the child are taken into account. The means of the child include inheritance, payments of compensation following a court action or otherwise, in respect of injuries or disabilities sustained by the child etc.

The allowance is not paid for children who are full time residents in a residential special school or centre. However, eligible children in part-time residential care who go home at weekends or holidays may receive a pro-rata payment, i.e. a nightly rate based on the number of nights spent at home.

For those currently in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance or those who have submitted an application for the allowance prior to 1st April 2009, your application will be dealt with by the relevant office within the Health Service Executive.

From the 1st April, 2009 however, any new applications for this allowance should be made through the Department of Social and Family Affairs or DSFA.

More information is available from the Domiciliary Care Allowance Section, Social Welfare Services Office, Department of Social and Family Affairs, College Road, Sligo. Tel: 1890 500 000

You can read Information on Domiciliary Care Allowance on the Department of Social and Family Affairs website