You don't need to know everything right away. Norway has a support system in place – you are not alone in this!
1
Something concerns you?
- Observe your child in different situations
- Write down your observations
- Record short videos (if you can)
- Talk with people close to you
2
First contact
- Helsesykepleier (public health nurse)
- Fastlege (family doctor)
- Share your concerns
- Ask about next steps / referral
3
Referral
- BUP – if there are emotional or behavioral difficulties, or suspected autism
- OR Habiliteringstjenesten – if the child has developmental, communication, sensory or motor difficulties
4
Diagnosis
- Interviews with parents
- Observation of the child
- Tests and assessments
- Discussion of results and recommendations
5
Who will help you?
- Koordinator / Barnekoordinator – someone who helps you navigate the system
- Sosionom (social worker)
- Ansvarsgruppe (responsibility group)
- Individuell plan (IP) – individual plan
6
Support for your child
- PPT (educational-psychological service)
- Kindergarten / School
- Therapies and specialists: speech therapist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist, special education teacher
7
Health and wellbeing
- Adequate, balanced nutrition
- Assessment of possible deficiencies
- Supplementation – only for identified deficiencies and under specialist guidance
- Regular health check-ups
8
Support from your municipality (kommune)
Avlastning (respite care)
Støttekontakt (support contact)
BPA (personal assistance)
Omsorgsstønad (care allowance)
Ledsagerbevis (companion card)
TT-kort (transport)
9
Decision
✅ Support granted
- You use the services you've been granted
- You review them regularly (evaluation)
- You have the right to changes
❌ Refusal
- You have the right to appeal
- Submit your appeal to Statsforvalteren within 3 weeks of the decision (klagefrist)
10
Next stages and the future
Education
Independence
Work and activity
Housing
Growing up and transition to adulthood
Planning for the future
Who can help you?
NNMCCD (our association) — support, guidance and workshops for families of neurodivergent children. Start here if you don't know where to begin:
nnmccd.org
Fastlege (family doctor) — First medical point of contact. Issues referrals.
Helsesykepleier — Nurse at kindergarten/school. Support, conversation, referral to further services.
BUP (Barne- og ungdomspsykiatrien) — Help with mental health, emotions, behavior, autism diagnosis.
Habiliteringstjenesten — Help for children with developmental difficulties and disabilities. Therapies, courses, family support.
PPT (Pedagogisk-psykologisk tjeneste) — Support for kindergartens and schools. Helps with learning, behavior, adaptations.
NAV — Financial support, employment assistance, guidance. Benefits for families.
Kommune (municipality) — Grants and organizes services and benefits for you and your child.
Statsforvalteren — Appeals body when you disagree with a municipal decision.
What can you receive?
✔ Avlastning✔ Ledsagerbevis
✔ Støttekontakt✔ TT-kort
✔ BPA✔ Support at kindergarten/school
✔ Omsorgsstønad
The scope and availability of services vary by municipality and individual needs.
Useful tips
- 📋 Write everything down: calls, dates, emails, decisions.
- 📁 Keep all documents and copies.
- ❓ Ask questions! You have the right to information and explanations.
- 🕐 Be patient – the system takes time.
- 🗣️ You have the right to a free interpreter (tolk) at every contact with public offices and health services — request one in advance.
- ❤️ Don't be afraid to ask for help. You matter just as much as your child.
REMEMBER: Every child is different. Compare your child only to themselves – not to others. Small steps every day lead to big changes.
Table of Contents
How to use this guide
You don't need to read everything at once. Come back to a specific chapter whenever you need it — that's what this guide is for.
—Parent roadmap (poster)
IntroHow to use the guide + your right to an interpreter
1Something concerns you. What next?
2Who can help you navigate the system
3Benefits and municipal support
4Specialists and therapies
5Kindergarten and school
6Growing up and adulthood
—Your notes and important contacts
A–ZGlossary of institutions
Intro
This is a practical, step-by-step guide for parents of neurodivergent children in Norway. It does not replace medical or legal advice. It shows where to start, who can help, and what to expect at each stage.
Remember
You don't need to know everything right away. Norway has a support system in place — you are not alone in this.
🗣️ Your right to an interpreter (tolk)
Not yet fluent in Norwegian? You have the right to a free, independent interpreter when dealing with your fastlege, BUP, Habiliteringstjenesten, the municipality, NAV, and kindergarten/school. Ask for an interpreter in advance when booking an appointment or meeting — this is your right, not a favor from the case worker.
Chapter 1
Something concerns you. What next?
As a parent, you know your child best. If for some time you've had the feeling that your child is developing differently from their peers, don't ignore your intuition.
1.1 Observe and take notes
✅ What to do
- Observe your child in different situations.
- Write down your observations.
- Record short videos of everyday situations.
🚫 What not to do
- Don't wait for months hoping "they'll grow out of it".
- Don't compare your child to others.
✎ What concerns me — my notes
Jot down briefly what you notice and when — it will help you later describe the situation accurately to a doctor or specialist. Example areas that may (but don't have to) apply to you: contact with peers, speech development, eye contact, other everyday difficulties.
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
Date: __________ What I noticed: ___________________________________________
📋 Fill out the online questionnaire
On nnmccd.org you'll find an intake questionnaire built on validated scales (including ATEC, GSRS, the Bristol scale, CSHQ, BAMBI), which help assess different areas of your child's functioning — sleep, digestion, mealtime behavior, and more. It takes about fifteen minutes to complete and gives a clearer picture of the situation — both for you and for our team, so we can support you better.
Diagnosis isn't everything
Even if the diagnostic process takes a long time, or your child doesn't receive a formal diagnosis, it's worth taking care of the basics now: an anti-inflammatory, balanced diet and healthy development — this applies to every child, with or without a diagnosis. Take a look at the NNMCCD guide "ABC of Diet and Supplementation" and consult with our association or a specialist. Diagnosis is only one piece of the puzzle.
1.2 – 1.5 The path to diagnosis
First contact: helsesykepleier (public health nurse) or fastlege (family doctor). Share your observations, show your notes.
Referral: to BUP (Barne- og ungdomspsykiatrisk poliklinikk) or Habiliteringstjenesten. You have the right to have the referral assessed within 10 working days — you should then be told whether your child qualifies for help and within what timeframe (pasient- og brukerrettighetsloven § 2-2a). If you haven't heard back after that time, call and ask for a status update. You can also use your right to choose your treatment provider (rett til valg av behandlingssted, formerly "fritt behandlingsvalg") and pick a different facility if it shortens the waiting time — check helsenorge.no/velg-behandlingssted.
Assessment: interviews with parents, observation of the child, questionnaires, information from kindergarten/school. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Diagnosis: doesn't close doors — it opens the possibility of arranging support. Start a binder with all your documentation.
✎ Your notes
Fastlege / Helsesykepleier: _____________________________ Phone: _______________
Date of first contact: __________ Date referred to BUP / Habiliteringstjenesten: __________
→
→
🩺Helsesykepleier
/ Fastlege
→
→
→
Remember
The path to diagnosis can feel long, but you don't have to go through it alone. Use the help of specialists and ask questions.
1.6 Support for you too (and siblings)
Caring for a neurodivergent child places a strain on the whole family. Norway offers several concrete forms of support for parents and siblings — you don't have to manage on your own.
| For whom | What it is | Website |
|---|
| Autismeforeningen i Norge / ADHD Norge | Local parent groups and so-called likepersoner — other parents in a similar situation who share their experience. | autismeforeningen.no
adhdnorge.no |
| NFU (Norsk Forbund for Utviklingshemmede) | Local chapters supporting families of children with developmental disabilities; guidance and shared experience. | nfunorge.org |
| ICDP foreldreveiledning | A free, municipal group-based parent guidance program — accessed through your helsestasjon or municipality. | bufdir.no/familie/tilbud/icdp-grupper |
| Home-Start Familiekontakten | A volunteer who visits and supports a family with a young child — referral through the municipality. | homestartnorge.no |
| Voksne for Barn (SIBS-Online) | Online support for siblings of children with health or developmental difficulties. | vfb.no/sibs-online |
Chapter 2
Who can help you navigate the system
The Norwegian system has people whose job is precisely to help you find your way after a diagnosis.
| Who | Role |
|---|
| Koordinator (Coordinator) | The family's main point of contact. Coordinates cooperation between school, health services and the municipality, organizes meetings, supports the implementation of the Individual Plan (IP), helps plan the next stages of support. Note: this is a different role from Barnekoordinator — see the A–Z glossary. |
| Sosionom | Does not provide therapy, but knows the benefits, procedures and institutions. Helps fill out applications, prepare appeals, explains letters from the municipality, and maintains contact with relevant offices on the family's behalf. |
| Individual Plan (IP) | For children who need long-term, coordinated support from several institutions. Organizes the actions of everyone involved. |
| Ansvarsgruppe | A team: parents, coordinator, representatives from school/kindergarten, PPT, therapists. Discusses the child's progress and plans further support. |
| Pasient- og brukerombudet | A free, independent patient and service-user ombudsman — helps when something in your contact with health services or the municipality isn't working. |
✎ Your notes
Coordinator: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Sosionom: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Remember
You don't have to organize all of this yourself. Ask about a coordinator or sosionom — it's their job to help you.
Chapter 3
Benefits and municipal support
Support should be tailored to the needs of the child and family — it's best to discuss the options with your coordinator or sosionom.
| Benefit | What it involves |
|---|
| Avlastning | Respite care — stays outside the home or in-home support, giving parents time to rest. |
| Støttekontakt | A person who supports the child in social activities and leisure time. |
| Omsorgsstønad | A benefit for people with particularly demanding caregiving duties. Conditions vary between municipalities and depend on the family's individual situation. |
| BPA | Brukerstyrt personlig assistanse — assistance for people with substantial, long-term support needs. Since 2015 this has been a statutory right (not merely discretionary), including for children. Granted based on a needs assessment and municipal regulations. |
| Ledsagerbevis | A card entitling a companion to free or discounted entry with the child to cinemas, pools, and attractions. Terms of use are set individually by each organizer. |
| TT-kort | The right to special transport in certain situations. Conditions vary between fylke (counties). |
| Support at kindergarten/school | Additional educational support and adapted teaching, often in cooperation with PPT. |
Cash benefits from NAV
| Benefit | What it involves |
|---|
| Grunnstønad | Covers additional, documented costs related to the child's ongoing illness/disability. |
| Hjelpestønad | For children who need more constant care and supervision than their peers; for greater needs — forhøyet hjelpestønad. |
| Pleiepenger / omsorgspenger / opplæringspenger | Paid leave for parents: a child's illness, a serious illness requiring constant care, or participation in training related to the child's illness. |
Where to start
Don't compare your situation to other families. Ask your coordinator or sosionom which forms of support are appropriate at your current stage. Also ask about local summer camps and leisure activities (fritidstilbud).
If you receive a refusal
Every refusal decision must include a written justification (forvaltningsloven §§ 24–25) and information about your right to appeal (forvaltningsloven § 27(3)). You have 3 weeks from receiving the decision to file an appeal (klagefrist, forvaltningsloven § 29) — the appeal is submitted to the institution that made the decision; if it does not change its position, it forwards the case to Statsforvalteren. Don't wait until the last day.
✎ Your notes
Saksbehandler (municipality/NAV): _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Decision date: __________ Appeal deadline (+3 weeks): __________
Chapter 4
Specialists and therapies
There is no single therapy that works for every child — the support plan is tailored to individual needs.
1
🩺
Habiliteringstjenesten
4
✋
Occupational therapist
7
🥗
Nutrition & supplementation
NNMCCD contribution
+ Special education teacher — works with the kindergarten/school, adapting teaching methods to the child's abilities. + Statped — the national special-education support agency; does not work directly with the child, but supports PPT, kindergarten and school with expertise in more complex cases (contact is usually made through PPT).
Nutrition and supplementation are not a formal part of the Norwegian support system (Habiliteringstjenesten, PPT). This is an element NNMCCD wants to add to your child's care — based on our own clinical experience and observations, always in cooperation with a dietitian or doctor.
🍽️ Nutrition
Many children on the autism spectrum have selective eating or digestive difficulties. We cover this topic separately — in the guide "ABC of Diet and Supplementation for Neurodivergent Children" (NNMCCD, the first guide in the series), where we show, among other things, which tests are worth doing before starting supplementation and when to consult a clinical dietitian.
Remember
Not every child will need help from all specialists. The best results come from an individually tailored support plan, created together with the family.
✎ Your notes
Specialist: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Specialist: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Next appointment: __________________________________________________
Chapter 5
Kindergarten and school
Good cooperation with the kindergarten or school can significantly affect your child's development and everyday functioning.
The right to adapted teaching: regardless of diagnosis, a child who does not benefit sufficiently from ordinary teaching has the right to individually adapted teaching (individuelt tilrettelagt opplæring, opplæringslova § 11-6). PPT prepares the assessment and decision (opplæringslova § 11-7), and the specific support plan is described in the Individual Education Plan (Individuell opplæringsplan, IOP, opplæringslova § 11-10), created together with the school and PPT. If the route to school is too difficult, you can also apply for adapted school transport (skoleskyss).
Prepare a single page with the most important information about your child:
- Your child's strengths.
- Sensory difficulties.
- Favorite ways to motivate them.
- What helps in an overload situation.
- The best way to connect with them.
Stay in regular contact — don't wait for the parent-teacher meeting. Changes announced in advance (trips, substitute teachers, new classrooms) are easier to cope with. Gradually teach your child independence, and don't be afraid to ask the school questions.
Remember
The goal is not for your child to be like everyone else. The goal is to create conditions in which they can develop their potential and feel safe.
✎ Your notes
Teacher / Kontaktlærer: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
PPT — contact person: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Chapter 6
Growing up and adulthood
Your child's needs change, and the support system changes along with age. It's worth preparing in advance.
Puberty: new challenges — stronger emotions, need for privacy. Talk openly.
Upper secondary school: visit the school beforehand, hand over documentation.
After age 18: some benefits change or move into the adult system — find out in advance which applications will be needed.
Vergemål: if your son/daughter will not be able to manage their own affairs independently after turning 18, consider applying for legal guardianship (vergemål) to Statsforvalteren in advance — this requires a medical certificate and takes time to process.
Work and activity: pathways adapted to ability — regular employment with adaptations, VTA (permanently adapted employment), arbeids- og utdanningsreiser (subsidized transport to work/study), or uføretrygd (disability benefit) if work is not possible. NAV helps assess the right path.
Independence is built over years: preparing a simple meal, planning the day, using public transport, hygiene — small steps build confidence.
Take care of yourself too — a parent who has the strength to take care of themselves can more easily support their child.
✎ Your notes
NAV advisor: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Statsforvalteren (vergemål) — contact person: _____________________________ Phone: _______________
In closing
Autism does not define your child. It's just one part of their life. You don't need to know all the answers right away — what matters most is taking the next step, one at a time.
Your notes and important contacts
Everything in one place
This page gathers the contacts and reminders from the whole guide in one place — so you don't have to search for them again each time.
Important general contacts
| Institution | Phone / website |
|---|
| NAV | nav.no · 55 55 33 33 |
| Statsforvalteren | statsforvalteren.no |
| Helsenorge | helsenorge.no |
| Autismeforeningen i Norge | autismeforeningen.no |
| ADHD Norge | adhdnorge.no |
| Frambu kompetansesenter | frambu.no |
| NNMCCD | nnmccd.org |
Checklist — 10 steps (from the poster)
☐ 1. I'm observing and noting concerning signs
☐ 2. First contact: helsesykepleier / fastlege
☐ 3. Referral sent — remember: you have the right to have the referral assessed within 10 working days; if that time passes with no response, call and follow up
☐ 4. Diagnostic process underway
☐ 5. I've asked for a coordinator or sosionom
☐ 6. Support for the child at kindergarten/school arranged (PPT)
☐ 7. Health and nutrition — consultation with a dietitian/specialist
☐ 8. Application for municipal support submitted — you have the right to a response as soon as possible; if the decision is delayed, follow up in writing or by phone
☐ 9. Decision received — if refused: appeal within 3 weeks (klagefrist)
☐ 10. Plan for next stages (school, independence, work, adulthood) discussed
Your personal contacts
✎ Contacts
Helsesykepleier / Fastlege: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
BUP / Habiliteringstjenesten — contact person: _____________________________ Phone: _______________
Coordinator: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Sosionom: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Saksbehandler (municipality/NAV): _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Specialist: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Teacher / Kontaktlærer / PPT: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Other: _____________________________ Phone: _______________ Email: _______________
Appendix
Glossary of institutions A–Z
Not every family will use all of the institutions below. If you don't know where to start, ask your coordinator or sosionom for help.
| Institution | What it is |
|---|
| ADHD Norge | An organization with local chapters; offers support groups, courses for parents (mestringskurs), and materials for families of children with ADHD. |
| Ansvarsgruppe | A team of people supporting the child: parents, coordinator, representatives from school/kindergarten, PPT, therapists. |
| Autismeforeningen i Norge | An organization offering knowledge, meetings, and support groups for families of people on the autism spectrum. |
| Barnekoordinator | A separate statutory right (since 2022) for families of children with a serious illness or disability requiring long-term, complex care — supports the whole family, not just the child. See also: Koordinator. (pasient- og brukerrettighetsloven § 2-5c; helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven § 7-2a) |
| BPA | Brukerstyrt personlig assistanse — assistance for people with substantial, long-term support needs. Since 2015 a statutory right (not merely discretionary), including for children. (pasient- og brukerrettighetsloven § 2-1d; helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven § 3-8) |
| BUP | Barne- og ungdomspsykiatrisk poliklinikk — diagnoses and treats children and adolescents with mental health and neurodevelopmental difficulties. |
| Fastlege | Family doctor — the diagnostic process usually begins here. |
| Frambu kompetansesenter | A national competence center for rare diseases and certain developmental disorders. |
| Kommune (Municipality) | Organizes services: avlastning, støttekontakt, omsorgsstønad, BPA and more. |
| Grunnstønad | A NAV benefit covering additional, documented costs related to a child's ongoing illness or disability. |
| Habiliteringstjenesten | A team of specialists supporting children with persistent developmental disorders and their families. |
| Helsesykepleier | Public health nurse — helps with early identification of difficulties. |
| Hjelpestønad | A NAV benefit for children who need more constant care and supervision than their peers; for greater needs — forhøyet hjelpestønad. |
| Home-Start Familiekontakten Norge | A volunteer who visits and supports a family with a young child through everyday difficulties. Referral usually through the municipality. |
| ICDP foreldreveiledning | A free, municipal group-based parent guidance program. Accessed through your helsestasjon or municipality. |
| Klagefrist | The deadline for appealing an administrative decision — 3 weeks from receiving the decision (forvaltningsloven § 29). |
| Koordinator | Helps coordinate cooperation between institutions and the family; may be granted to a child using multiple services. This is a different role from Barnekoordinator — see above. (pasient- og brukerrettighetsloven § 2-5b; helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven § 7-2) |
| Ledsagerbevis | A card entitling a companion to free or discounted entry with the child to many venues. |
| NAV | Responsible for, among other things, certain benefits, employment, and social and vocational support. |
| NFU (Norsk Forbund for Utviklingshemmede) | A national organization (about 8,300 members, 166 local chapters) supporting families of children and adults with developmental disabilities — guidance and shared experience. |
| Omsorgsstønad | A benefit for people with particularly demanding caregiving duties. (helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven § 3-6) |
| Pasient- og brukerombudet | A free, independent patient and service-user ombudsman — helps when something in your contact with health services or the municipality isn't working as it should. |
| Pleiepenger / omsorgspenger / opplæringspenger | Paid leave from NAV for parents: a child's illness, a serious illness requiring constant care, or participation in training related to the child's illness. |
| PPT | Pedagogisk-psykologisk tjeneste — assesses educational needs, supports kindergarten and school. |
| Rett til valg av behandlingssted | The right to choose your treatment provider (formerly "fritt behandlingsvalg", name changed as of 1.01.2023) — you can choose a different facility if it shortens the waiting time. Check helsenorge.no/velg-behandlingssted. (pasient- og brukerrettighetsloven § 2-4) |
| Rett til vurdering | The right to have a referral assessed within 10 working days. (pasient- og brukerrettighetsloven § 2-2a) |
| Skoleskyss | Adapted school transport, granted when the route to school is too long, difficult, or unsafe; sometimes with an escort. |
| Sosionom | Helps you understand the support system and benefits, and prepares applications and appeals. |
| Statped | The national special-education support agency. Does not work directly with the child — supports PPT, kindergarten and school with expertise in more complex cases; contact is usually made through PPT. |
| Statsforvalteren | Handles complaints and appeals against certain administrative decisions. |
| Støttekontakt | A person who supports the child in social activities and leisure time. |
| Tolk | A free, independent interpreter — available when dealing with your fastlege, BUP, Habiliteringstjenesten, the municipality, NAV, and kindergarten/school. Request one in advance. |
| TT-kort | The right to special transport; conditions vary between fylke. |
| Uføretrygd | Disability benefit for adults for whom — after a NAV assessment — working is not possible. |
| Vergemål | Legal guardianship of an adult unable to manage their own affairs independently; application to Statsforvalteren, ideally before their 18th birthday. |
| Voksne for Barn (SIBS-Online) | Online support for siblings of children with health or developmental difficulties. |
| VTA (Varig tilrettelagt arbeid) | Permanently adapted employment in sheltered conditions for people who cannot take on regular work. |
Legal information current as of: August 2026. The content of this guide is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not replace legal or medical advice, or individual consultation with a coordinator, sosionom, doctor, or relevant institution. Information about benefits and procedures may vary between municipalities and may change over time.
In case of any discrepancy between the content of this guide and information from the municipality, NAV, Statsforvalteren, or the current text of the law (lovdata.no), the official source always takes precedence.
NNMCCD does not diagnose or treat. The support offered by the association is informational, educational, and organizational in nature — diagnosis and treatment are provided exclusively by licensed health institutions (including BUP, Habiliteringstjenesten, fastlege).
This guide was prepared by Paulina Borkowska, clinical dietitian, founder of NNMCCD — editorially responsible for its factual accuracy in line with current knowledge and regulations at the date of publication.
© 2026 NNMCCD — Nordic Nutrition & Metabolic Center for Child Development · Sandvika, Norway · Org.nr 937 889 151 · nnmccd.org