This chapter examines Sweden’s evolving policy response to autism within its universal welfare system. It traces the shift from early references to “child psychosis” to a rights-based framework aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since 2008. Key reforms include the Swedish Education Act mandating mainstream inclusion, and the introduction of three allowances (Care Allowance, Assistance Allowance, and Additional Cost Allowance) designed to support families based on assessed needs rather than diagnosis alone. The chapter reviews recent national guidelines for ADHD and autism, emphasising multi-disciplinary assessment and early intervention. It also explores inclusive education practices, funding mechanisms, and trends in benefit uptake amid rising autism diagnoses. Finally, it highlights Sweden’s holistic approach, combining financial support, paramedical therapies, and social services to promote participation and equity for children with ASD.
Policy Responses to Rising Autism Diagnoses in Childhood
Abstract
Sweden’s autism policy: Social inclusion and needs-based support
Sweden was slow to abandon the term “child psychosis” at first but has come a long way since. Since 2008, disability policy has been broadly in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, for instance through the Swedish Education Act, according to which all students should be included in mainstream schooling. In 2019, Sweden introduced two new disability allowances: Care Allowance and Additional Cost Allowance.
Rates of autism diagnosis and contacts with the healthcare system have grown in Sweden, at least in the past 15 years. In response, the National Board of Health and Welfare has issued a national guideline for ADHD and autism in 2022 (updated in 2024), outlining recommendations for treating children and adults with ADHD and autism in the health and social care system.
Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency offers three distinct allowances for children with disability. A Care Allowance recognising the care parents provide to their child; an Assistance Allowance ensuring the child can participate in society on an equal basis through individually tailored support provided by an assistant; and an Additional Cost Allowance designed to help parents cover extra expenses exceeding what is typical for children of the same age.
Care Allowance is by far the most common allowance for families in Sweden, with 100 000 parents receiving it in July 2025. Children with pervasive developmental disorders (F84) accounted for nearly one‑third of this group. In contrast, only 14% of children receiving an Additional Cost Allowance and 17% of those receiving an Assistance Allowance in 2024 had an F84 diagnosis.
Eligibility for Sweden’s allowances is primarily determined by a child’s support and care needs. A formal medical diagnosis is only needed for Assistance Allowance, but a diagnosis alone is not sufficient, as a child must also demonstrate extensive daily support needs. Reassessments are conducted regularly for Care Allowance and Additional Cost Allowance but take place on an ad hoc basis for Assistance Allowance, triggered by signs that circumstances have changed.
Since 2021, the number of newly granted Care Allowances for children with an F84 diagnosis has decreased following a spike associated with the transition from the former Care Allowance for Disabled Children to the new Care Allowance in 2019. The continued downward trend suggests that Sweden’s reliance on support needs assessments helps insulate the allowance from the broader national increase in autism diagnosis rates. The same phenomenon can be observed with the Additional Cost Allowance.
Sweden strongly promotes the inclusion of children with SEN in mainstream education, where around 75% are enrolled. To ensure appropriate placement, comprehensive support needs assessments are carried out, which may recommend enrolment in an Adapted School or a Special School if necessary.
Paramedical therapies for children with disability, such as speech and occupational therapy, are publicly funded and provided free of charge, most commonly through regional habilitation centres following a doctor’s referral. In addition, Sweden offers a broad range of social services for children with disability, many of which are guaranteed under Sweden’s Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments Act.
Sweden’s policy approach to autism has undergone significant transformation over the past decades, moving from the early use of the term “child psychosis” to a comprehensive, rights-based framework aligned with the UNCRPD since 2008. In response to rising rates of autism diagnosis and increased contact with the healthcare system over the past 15 years, the National Board of Health and Welfare introduced national guidelines for ADHD and autism in 2022, updated in 2024, providing evidence‑based recommendations for the care and support of children and adults.
Eligibility for financial support is primarily based on assessed care and support needs rather than diagnostic status, with three main allowances available under Sweden’s social protection framework: the Care Allowance (replacing the former “Care Allowance for Disabled Child”), the Additional Cost Allowance and the Assistance Allowance. Among these, the Care Allowance is the most widely accessed, although the number of new grants for children diagnosed with autism has declined in recent years. Sweden places strong emphasis on inclusive education, with approximately three‑quarters of children with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream schools and supported through comprehensive assessments and, where necessary, adapted or special school placements. In addition, a wide range of paramedical and social services – most of which are publicly funded and provided free of charge under the LSS (Lagen om stöd och service till vissa funktionshindrade, Act Concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments) – ensure that children with disability, including autism, receive multi-disciplinary support to promote their development and participation. This case study examines how these policies have evolved in practice and their take‑up by children with autism in Sweden.
In Sweden, up until the 1980s, autism was referred to as “child psychosis”, even though most of the world already converted to the term “autism” (see Chapter 2 for more information). In 1972, a parent-led advocacy organisation called “Association for Psychotic Children” was founded (now: Autism Sweden), with schooling of children with ASD as one of the focal issues of the association in its early years (Autism Sverige, 2013[1]). The founding of the association marked a turning point in social attitudes towards children with autism and their families in Sweden.
In 1976, the Swedish Parliament approved motion 1975/76:559 about the teaching of psychotic children in special education. The act included instructions to set up special education classes for children with autism in special education schools (Sveriges Riksdag, 1976[2]).
In 1982, the Swedish Government’s Omsorgskommittén (Care Committee) published a proposal for a new disability legislation, including “childhood psychosis” as a separate group. Two years later, in 1984 the government set up the “Rebecka Project”, a national initiative to set up services for children with ASD across the country. Finally, in 1986, Sweden enacted a new legislation for people with disabilities, the Omsorgslag (Care Act for persons with certain disabilities). This marked the recognition of autism as a disability in Sweden, separate from intellectual disability and psychiatric disorders (Autism Sverige, 2013[1]).
In the 1990s, the term “childhood psychosis” was completely abandoned in Sweden and disability policies were also reviewed, greatly benefiting children with ASD. In 1993, Sweden saw the introduction of the “LSS law” (Act Concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments). Under the new law, three categories of functionally impaired persons were targeted, one of them being “persons with an intellectual disability, autism or a condition resembling autism” (Socialstyrelsen, 2009[3]). The Act made counselling, personal assistance and other services available for children and adults with autism (ibid.).
In 2008, Sweden ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Progressively, education and employment policy in Sweden became more inclusive (van Kessel et al., 2019[4]). The 2008 Discrimination Act (Discrimination Act 2008:567) made it compulsory for schools, employers and public services to accommodate people with disability, including people with autism (Equality Ombudsman, 2025[5]).
In 2010, the Swedish Education Act (Education Act 2010:800) entered into force. According to the Act, all persons should be included in mainstream schooling, and placement in special education classes should be used only as a last resort (van Kessel et al., 2019[4]).
Sweden does not have a population-level survey to estimate the prevalence of autism in the population. Instead, Sweden has a national patient registry that records diagnoses of autism established in the health system. Autism is recorded as a primary diagnosis for individuals admitted to inpatient and/or specialised outpatient care. Although data on contacts with the healthcare system does not cover overall diagnostic rates, evolution of diagnoses in inpatient and/or specialised outpatient care can provide insight into how the rate of autism has evolved in Sweden. This data shows that the rate of autism among children has increased four‑to-fivefold between 2008 and 2024 (Figure 2.1).
According to sex-disaggregated data from a recent report of the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen, NBHW), although men are on average more diagnosed with autism than women, the gap has started to narrow since 2010, especially among older children and youth (Socialstyrelsen, 2024[6]). While in 2010, 10‑to‑17‑year‑old boys were on average diagnosed 2.3 times more than girls (251 new diagnoses per 100 000 boys compared to only 108 new diagnoses per 100 000 girls), by 2023 girls caught up to boys in terms of new autism diagnoses: 582 new diagnoses per 100 000 were recorded for 10‑to‑17‑year‑old girls and 586 for boys of the same age group (Figure 9.1). Among 18‑24 year‑olds, the trend even got inversed, as from 2020 onwards, more 18‑to‑24‑year‑old women got a new autism diagnosis than men of the same age, with the gap between the two sexes increasing exponentially since. By 2023, there were 1.6 times more new diagnoses recorded for 18‑to‑24‑year‑old women than for men (Figure 9.1). It is however important to note that these data refer to a first episode of care in specialised outpatient or inpatient care due to autism, meaning it does not reflect the actual number of diagnoses among men and women in Sweden. It is possible that young women with autism are being hospitalised more than their male counterparts. Nevertheless, the data points to an important increase in the number of girls and women diagnosed with autism in the last 10 years or so.
New autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases per 100 000 inhabitants, by age groups, 2010‑2023
Note: Share of children / youth with a first episode of care in specialised outpatient or inpatient care due to autism, given calendar year.
Source: Socialstyrelsen (2024[6]), Autism – Förekomst och samsjuklighet, https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/publikationer/autism--forekomst-och-samsjuklighet-2024-11-9353/.
Studies have also found that the rate of autism in Sweden has been increasing, although it is unclear whether this is a real increase in the prevalence of ASD in the Swedish population or if the growing numbers are due to better detection. Lundstörm et al. (2015[7]) found that while the number of clinically diagnosed individuals with ASD increased substantially in a 10‑year period (1993‑2002), the measured level of autism symptoms actually remained stable. Similarly, a follow-up study by Arvidsson et al. (2018[8]) found that, while more autism diagnoses were made with time, this was due to a drop in the threshold of autism symptoms necessary for a diagnosis, rather than an increase in autistic symptoms in the population.
In Sweden, the age of first diagnosis is much earlier for boys than for girls
Based on a recent report of the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen), there are considerable differences between sexes when it comes to the age at which a child or an adult is first diagnosed with autism (Socialstyrelsen, 2024[6]). Boys are diagnosed significantly younger than girls (Figure 9.2): in 2023 while most new diagnoses for boys were made among 4‑year‑olds (825 new diagnoses per 100 000 inhabitants), followed by boys aged 5 and 6 (780 and 710 new diagnoses per 100 000, respectively); for girls most new diagnoses were made at age 15 (877 new diagnoses per 100 000 inhabitants), followed by 16‑ and 18‑year‑old girls (865 and 804 new diagnoses per 100 000 respectively).
New autism diagnoses per 100 000 inhabitants by age, 2023
Source: Socialstyrelsen (2024[6]), Autism – Förekomst och samsjuklighet, https://www.socialstyrelsen.se/publikationer/autism--forekomst-och-samsjuklighet-2024-11-9353/.
There seems to be little difference in autism rates across different socio‑economic groups
In Sweden, there seems to be little difference in autism diagnosis rates between children with different socio‑economic status. According to a 2012 study, children from lower-income families and those with parents in manual occupations had a slightly higher risk of getting an ASD diagnosis – 1.4% compared to 1% for children with more affluent parents (Rai et al., 2012[9]). The availability of free and standardised diagnostic pathways and access to routine developmental screening likely leads to earlier and more equitable identification of ASD across socio‑economic groups (ibid.).
Sweden published a national guideline for ADHD and autism, two of the main neurodevelopmental disorders, for the first time in 2022. An updated guideline was published in March 2024 by the National Board of Health and Welfare. In this guideline, the National Board of Health and Welfare outlines its main recommendations for supporting the treatment of neurodevelopmental1 disorders in the health and social care services. The guideline places particular emphasis on early and timely intervention through diagnosis and assessment (Socialstyrelsen, 2024[10]).
According to the guideline’s recommendations, assessment and diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism should be done through an individualised approach, involving a team of multi-disciplinary professionals. At a minimum, a physician and a licensed psychologist should be included in the assessment; ideally the physician should be a specialist physician or a resident in psychiatry with training in child and adolescent psychiatry or paediatrics (including paediatric neurology). According to the guidelines, other health and social care professionals should be included in the assessment and diagnostic process, as needed. Professionals can include the following (ibid.):
Occupational therapist;
Speech therapist;
Physician with experience of addiction disorders;
Social worker;
Physiotherapist;
Special needs teacher;
Counsellor;
Dietitian;
Specialist nurse (e.g. midwife, paediatric nurse or psychiatric nurse).
Sweden’s disability allowances, such as the Care Allowance do not require a medical diagnosis to access support, as eligibility is determined based on needs rather than based on diagnosis. However, to determine eligibility for the Assistance Allowance, a medical diagnosis plays a more prominent role (for more information on eligibility criteria see the section on Assistance Allowance).
Sweden provides three different allowances for children with disability, including those with ASD. All three allowances are administered by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) and are neither income‑ or asset-tested. Two of them fall within the category of carer allowances – the Care Allowance (omvårdnadsbidrag) and the Assistance Allowance (assistansersättning). The third benefit, the Swedish Additional Cost Allowance (merkostnadsersättning), naturally fits into the category of additional cost allowances. Each allowance serves a distinct purpose. The Care Allowance primarily provides families with financial support in recognition of the care parents provide to their child with disability or long-term illness. The Assistance Allowance combines elements of a carer allowance with elements of a disabled child allowance: on the one hand, it ensures that children with disability, through individually tailored support provided by an assistant, can live and participate in the society on an equal basis with others; on the other, it reduces some of the supervision and care burden on parents by enabling them to hire an assistant for several hours per week. Finally, the Additional Cost Allowance is designed to help parents cover extra expenses arising from their child’s disability that exceed what is typical for children of the same age, thereby preventing financial strain on the family.
Care Allowance provides financial support to parents caring for a child with disability
The Care Allowance, available up to and including June of the year in which the child turns 19, is divided into four levels according to the child’s need for care and supervision. These levels correspond to one‑quarter, one‑half, three‑quarters, or the full monthly allowance, with current rates set at (Försäkringskassan, 2025[11]):
1. SEK 3 063 (~7% of average monthly wage in 2024)
2. SEK 6 125 (~13.9% of average monthly wage in 2024)
3. SEK 9 188 (~20.8% of average monthly wage in 2024)
4. SEK 12 250 (~27.8% of average monthly wage in 2024)
Although a parent is legally entitled to reduce their working hours by up to 25% if one of the parents receives the Care Allowance, the benefit is not designed to compensate fully for lost income in cases in which a parent substantially reduces their working hours (i.e. more than 25%). Even the full allowance only covers about 27.8% of Sweden’s average monthly wage in 2024 (OECD, 2025[12]).
A child’s need for care and supervision determines eligibility, not a medical diagnosis
Eligibility for the Care Allowance depends solely on the extent of care and supervision the child requires compared with a child of the same age without disability, assessed primarily against developmental milestones. The child’s support needs are placed at the centre of this determination process. “Care” is interpreted broadly, covering not only medical care but also needs such as special training or motivational support. “Supervision” refers to the presence of an adult to ensure the child’s safety and well-being, for example to prevent them from running away or encountering dangerous situations (Försäkringskassan, 2025[11]).
A formal medical diagnosis is not required to qualify for the allowance, although in practice most children recorded in the register of Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency do have a diagnosis. Instead, the child’s treating doctor must complete a medical report – the Medical Report for Care Allowance and Additional Cost Allowance. In this form, the physician describes in detail the child’s everyday challenges, need for care and supervision, and ongoing treatment.
To establish eligibility and the appropriate allowance level, the medical report is complemented by an application form that parents complete online or on paper. This form consists mainly of open-ended questions, allowing parents to describe their child’s individual needs in detail across key areas of daily life, including practical everyday support, communication and social interaction, and school-related needs.
The Försäkringskassan case administrator then reviews the medical report, parental application, and any additional documents provided, such as teacher reports. After this initial review, the case administrator typically holds a phone interview with the parents to discuss the child’s needs in greater depth. Parents who prefer not to complete the written form can choose to rely on this phone interview exclusively (Försäkringskassan, 2025[11]). If uncertainties remain, the case administrator may seek input from the Social Insurance Agency’s internal medical experts or consult the child’s treating physician again. While case administrators are guided by an internal manual, there is no standardised point-scoring system to determine the child’s level of support needs and corresponding allowance level. Reassessments – while resembling the structure of the initial eligibility assessment, though typically less extensive – are carried out every two years and differ according to the circumstances of each individual case.
Assistance Allowance funds several hours of personal assistance per week
Sweden’s Assistance Allowance is the most individualised of the three available Swedish allowances. Unlike other allowances, such as the Care Allowance, it is not structured in tiers or levels. Instead, the key variables are the number of assistance hours granted per week and whether the standard or elevated hourly rate applies, based on the child’s assessed needs. In 2025, the standard rate for an assistant was SEK 342.60 per hour, while an up to 12% higher hourly rate is available for applicants with special circumstances, such as those requiring specially qualified assistants. The allowance rate is therefore determined directly by the child’s need for assistance (Försäkringskassan, 2025[13]). Parents then use the allocated funds to either purchase personal assistance services from their municipality or a private assistance provider, employ their own assistants or combine these alternatives. Such assistance services not only help the child navigate daily challenges and better integrate into social environments but also ease parents’ care responsibilities. Notably, parents may also choose to serve as an assistant themselves – either as employees of a municipal or private assistance provider or as self-employed assistants. Parents who opt to arrange the assistance themselves must report the activity to the Inspectorate for Health and Care and be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency.
A child can receive the Assistance Allowance if they fall into one of the eligibility groups of Sweden’s Law on Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS) and have a disability that causes significant difficulties in daily life. While ASD is included in the first eligibility group under the LSS, children with ASD as their sole diagnosis rarely meet the threshold of support needs to receive the allowance. Although a medical diagnosis is required to fall into the first and second eligibility group, the diagnosis alone does not qualify a child for Assistance Allowance. The child must also demonstrate the need for personalised assistance for more than 20 hours per week in daily activities such as personal hygiene, eating, dressing, or communication. For children requiring less than 20 hours of assistance per week, parents can instead apply for personal assistance through their municipality rather than the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan, 2025[13]).
The application and assessment process for the Assistance Allowance closely mirrors that of the Care Allowance. Parents complete a form specifying the number of assistance hours needed and, if possible, the types of activities for which support is required. They also submit their child’s medical diagnosis and a medical statement describing the child’s impairment and how it affects them. The remainder of the assessment follows the same steps as for the Care Allowance: after an initial desk review, the case administrator conducts a follow-up phone interview or an in-person meeting with the parents to discuss the child’s support needs in greater detail.
In contrast to the Care Allowance, the Assistance Allowance is available not only to children but also to adults, up to the age of 66. Furthermore, reassessments are not carried out periodically but instead take place on an ad hoc basis, triggered only when there are signs that the child’s circumstances have changed, making a review necessary.
The LSS is a rights-based law designed to ensure that individuals with significant, permanent functional impairments receive the support and services necessary to live as full, independent, and participatory lives as possible. Responsibility for LSS is shared between the state (specifically the Försäkringskassan) and municipalities.
LSS defines ten categories of support services that eligible individuals can apply for, such as personal assistance, companion services, respite care in the home, and short-term supervision for pupils over the age of 12.
To be eligible under LSS, a person’s impairment must fall into one of three groups:
Group 1: intellectual disability, autism, or an autism-like condition;
Group 2: significant and long-lasting cognitive impairment caused by brain injury in adulthood due to illness or trauma;
Group 3: other major, long-term physical or mental disabilities that are clearly unrelated to normal ageing, which create substantial difficulties in daily life and require extensive support.
A medical diagnosis determines whether a person belongs to eligibility group 1 or 2. By contrast, eligibility for group 3 is not based on diagnosis but on an assessment of the person’s difficulties in daily life arising from one or more impairments.
Source: Region Stockholm (2023[14]), The Act on Support and Services for Certain Disabled People – LSS, https://www.1177.se/Stockholm/sa-fungerar-varden/lagar-och-bestammelser/lagar-i-varden/lagen-om-stod-och-service-till-vissa-funktionshindrade---lss/.
Additional Cost Allowance compensates disability-related expenses
Sweden’s Additional Cost Allowance (merkostnadsersättning) is designed to financially support parents who face considerable extra expenses directly related to their child’s disability – costs that go beyond what is typical for children of the same age. These expenses may be one‑off or recurring, such as specialised equipment, adapted transport, or a special diet. The allowance does not function as a strict reimbursement of actual costs but is instead paid as a fixed amount across different levels, provided the additional costs exceed a set eligibility threshold. The benefit, which is not means-tested, is structured into five levels, determined by the scale of the documented extra expenses (Försäkringskassan, 2025[15]):
30% Level: costs of at least SEK 14 700 per year lead to an allowance of SEK 1 470 per month
40% Level: costs of at least SEK 20 580 per year lead to an allowance of SEK 1 960 per month
50% Level: costs of at least SEK 26 460 per year lead to an allowance of SEK 2 450 per month
60% Level: costs of at least SEK 32 340 per year lead to an allowance of SEK 2 940 per month
70% Level: costs of at least SEK 38 220 per year lead to an allowance of SEK 3 430 per month
As with Care Allowance, a child does not need a formal medical diagnosis to qualify for the Additional Cost Allowance. Eligibility is established through medical documentation, provided in the form of a medical report completed by the child’s treating doctor. This is the same report form used for the Care Allowance. Parents must also complete an application form, either online or on paper, in which they detail all additional expenses directly linked to their child’s disability and explain how these costs arise from the disability (Försäkringskassan, 2025[15]). The subsequent assessment procedure mirrors that of the other Swedish allowances: a Försäkringskassan case administrator reviews the documents, conducts a follow-up phone interview or an in-person meeting with the parents, consults medical or internal experts if needed, and prepares the case for the decision maker. Assessments for the three allowances are carried out by different case administrators. However, some of the information and medical documentation gathered in one allowance assessment process could be used in another process if duly noted in the case. Reassessments for the Additional Cost Allowance – while resembling the structure of the initial eligibility assessment, though typically less extensive – are conducted every four years and differ according to the circumstances of each individual case. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that it is relatively uncommon for children with ASD as their only diagnosis to qualify for the Additional Cost Allowance.
Children with an F84 diagnosis are overrepresented among Care Allowance recipients
Sweden’s Care Allowance is by far the most common benefit for parents of children with disability. In 2025, almost 100 000 children entitled their parents to a Care Allowance, roughly 32 000 with ICD‑10 diagnosis code F84 “Pervasive Developmental Disorders” (Figure 9.3). The distribution of allowance levels (one‑quarter to full allowance) of these children is in line with the trend of all children with disability, with only minor differences at the lower allowance levels. Children with F84 diagnoses not only account for around one‑third of all Care Allowance recipients in 2025, but also for one‑third of total payments in 2024. Total Care Allowance payments to this group of children amounted to about SEK 1 742 million (Figure 9.4).
The significant share of children with F84 is also reflected in the annual number of new claims (Figure 9.4). In 2023 and 2024 respectively, around 6 000 children with F84 diagnoses were newly granted a Care Allowance. Only children diagnosed with F90 “Hyperactivity Disorders” have entered in higher numbers. Until 2021, trends for F84 and F90 were similar, but they have since diverged: in 2024, approximately 10 000 children with F90 were newly granted a Care Allowance. The sharp increase and subsequent drop in newly granted Care Allowances seen for children with F84 and F90 diagnoses, as well as for other diagnostic groups, in 2021 is linked to the fact that the Care Allowance was only introduced in 2019. The Care Allowance replaced the former Care Allowance for Disabled Child, resulting in an increase in numbers in the first years as children had to transition from the old allowance to the new one.
Recipients of the Care Allowance by allowance level and F84 diagnosis, Sweden, July 2025
Note: Care Allowance provides financial support to parents caring for a child with disability. Children are grouped according to their ICD‑10 diagnosis code. Autism is classified under code F84 (Pervasive developmental disorders).
Source: Data provided by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).
Newly granted Care Allowances and annual payments by ICD‑10 diagnosis code, 2020‑2024
Note: Panel A excludes children with no registered diagnosis and those with their diagnosis listed as “other”.
E00‑E99: Endocrine disorders, nutritional disorders and metabolic disorders; F00‑F99 (excludes F84, F90): Mental disorders and syndromes, and behavioural disorders (excluding F84, F90); F84: Pervasive developmental disorders; F90: Hyperactivity disorders; G00‑G99: Diseases of the nervous system; Q00‑Q99: Congenital malformations, deformities and chromosomal abnormalities.
Source: Data provided by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).
Assistance Allowance targets children with very extensive support needs
The number of Assistance Allowance recipients is much smaller, with about 2 000 children receiving it in 2024 (Figure 9.5). This reflects the fact that the allowance is reserved for children with disability who have very extensive support needs. Among these recipients, children with an F84 diagnosis accounted for 17% in 2024 – a considerably smaller share compared to their representation among Care Allowance recipients. While some children with an F84 diagnosis do require substantial hours of daily assistance, such extensive needs appear to be relatively rare within this group.
Because a formal diagnosis is required to qualify for the Assistance Allowance under LSS Group 1 and Group 2, more detailed diagnostic information is available. In July 2025, 89% of children with an F84 diagnosis receiving the allowance were specifically classified under F84.0, “Childhood Autism”. It is important to note, however, that the data only includes children with F84 as their main diagnosis. It is very possible that there are more children that have autism but as their secondary diagnosis – an argument that applies even more to the Care Allowance and Additional Cost Allowance.2
Children (aged 0‑17) receiving Assistance Allowance by F84 diagnosis, 2020‑2024
Note: F84 refers to pervasive developmental disorders. “Children with other diagnosis” includes children with no diagnosis.
Source: Data provided by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).
The low frequency of very extensive support needs is also reflected in the average number of weekly assistance hours children with an F84 diagnosis receive through the Assistance Allowance. On average, children aged 0‑14 receive 131 hours of weekly assistance, and those aged 15‑19 receive 127 hours. By contrast, children with an F84 diagnosis aged 0‑19 receive an average of only 106 hours per week (Table 9.1).
In 2025, the average hourly rate of Assistance Allowance for children with an F84 diagnosis was SEK 343.63, slightly above the standard rate of SEK 342.6. This indicates that, while rare, a small number of children with an F84 diagnosis face particularly severe circumstances that entitle them to a higher hourly Assistance Allowance rate than the standard flat rate.
Average weekly hours of Assistance Allowance granted (since 2022) by ICD‑10 diagnosis code, Sweden
Note: Children aged 0‑17. F84 refers to pervasive developmental disorders.
Source: Data provided by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).
Spending data completes the above‑described picture: children with an F84 diagnosis account for only a relatively small share of total annual Assistance Allowance expenditure (Figure 9.6), which has in fact been rising steadily for children with other diagnoses. In 2024, the average annual expenditure on Assistance Allowance for a child with an F84 diagnosis was about SEK 1 585 000, compared with approximately SEK 2 705 000 for a child with another diagnosis.
Annual expenditure on Assistance Allowance by diagnosis, Sweden, 2020‑2024
Note: Children aged 0‑17. F84 refers to pervasive developmental disorders. “Children with other diagnosis” includes children with no diagnosis.
Source: Data provided by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).
Additional Cost Allowance is granted far less frequently than Care Allowance
The Additional Cost Allowance, like the Assistance Allowance, primarily targets children with extensive support needs, specifically those who incur high additional expenses due to their disability. Recipient numbers are far lower than for the Care Allowance and comparable to the number receiving Assistance Allowance. In July 2025, 1 730 children received the Additional Cost Allowance (Figure 9.7), of which just 238 had an F84 diagnosis. Among these children with F84, roughly half received the lowest allowance level of 30%. The proportion of children with F84 in the lower allowance levels is higher than that of all children, suggesting that while some families of children with F84 may face substantial extra expenses related to their child’s disability, these additional costs tend to be lower than those incurred by the average child qualifying for the Additional Cost Allowance.
Recipients of Additional Cost Allowance by allowance level and F84 diagnosis, July 2025
Note: Children are grouped according to their ICD‑10 diagnosis code. Autism is classified under code F84 (pervasive developmental disorders). The share of children with an F84 diagnosis across allowance levels totals 96% rather than 100%. The remaining 4% likely fall into the 60% or above 70% levels, but their numbers are so small that they are excluded from the administrative data.
Source: Data provided by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).
Although there was a relatively high number of new Additional Cost Allowance claims in 2020 – shortly after the allowance was introduced in 2019 – the number of children newly granted the allowance has steadily declined in subsequent years. This trend is also observed among children with an F84 diagnosis. In 2024, children with an F84 diagnosis accounted for only a small portion of the total annual Additional Cost Allowance payments, receiving approximately SEK 5 million out of the total SEK 43 million (Figure 9.8).
Newly granted Additional Cost Allowances and annual payments by ICD‑10 diagnosis, Sweden, 2020‑2024
Note: F84 refers to Pervasive developmental disorders.
Source: Data provided by Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).
Different schooling options are available for children with special educational needs
Children with SEN have several schooling options in Sweden, depending on the type and severity of their support needs. In principle, children with SEN are encouraged to attend mainstream classes in regular schools, where support is tailored to their individual needs. This may take the form of “Minor Adjustments”, such as modified assignments or additional time, or more extensive “Special Support”, which is documented in the child’s individual Action Plan (åtgärdsprogram). “Special Support” can include measures such as access to a personal assistant, assistive technology, flexible timetables, or on-site therapies (Informationsverige, 2025[16]). Depending on the child’s needs, “Special Support” may also involve placement in a special teaching group (särskild undervisningsgrupp). These groups resemble special education classes (Skolverket, 2025[17]). They are not standardised nationally but instead established at the discretion of individual schools and therefore vary across municipalities.
If inclusion in a mainstream school is not deemed suitable, children may attend specialised schools, depending on their disability:
“Adapted schools” (anpassade skolan) are special education schools exclusively for children with intellectual disability. These are administered by municipalities, which hold overall responsibility for compulsory schools in Sweden (Stockholms Stad, 2025[18]).
“Special schools” (specialskola) can be either regional or national, run by the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools (Specialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten, SPSM). Sweden has five regional “Special schools”, which serve only children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Its four national “Special schools” target specific groups: one school is designed for children with congenital deaf-blindness and hearing impairment with severe learning disorders; one school targets children with visual impairments combined with other disabilities; and two schools are for children with severe developmental language impairments (SPSM, 2023[19]).
Unless a child with ASD also has one of the specific disabilities covered by “Adapted” or “Special schools”, such as intellectual disability or severe developmental language disorder, they will attend a regular class in a mainstream school, supported by special education measures tailored to their needs.3 Some municipalities may however arrange special classes for children with ASD where they benefit from lower student-to-teacher ratios, smaller class sizes, and specifically trained teaching staff.
Comprehensive assessments are carried out to determine most suitable school placement and support
When Minor Adjustments are deemed insufficient and the need for Special Support is suspected, whether raised by teachers, parents, or the child, the school principal is legally obliged to initiate a support needs assessment without delay. This process involves the class teachers, school health professionals, and, where relevant, external specialists. The assessment draws on multiple sources of evidence, such as school records, teacher observations, and psychological reports, complemented by in-school observations and interviews with both the child and parents. Although the precise format of assessments varies between schools, the perspectives of parents and their child are always central; by law, their views must be taken into account. Importantly, a formal medical diagnosis is not required for a child to qualify for Special Support. Once the assessment is complete, the school principal makes the final decision on whether and what kind of Special Support will be granted. The specific measures are then detailed in the child’s individual Action Plan (Skolverket, 2025[17]).
When Special Support in a mainstream school is insufficient to ensure a child can learn on an equal basis with others, a child with an intellectual disability may instead be placed in an Adapted School. The municipality holds the legal responsibility for approving such placements. To initiate the process, the child’s school principal must request a target-group investigation (utredning om målgruppstillhörighet) to determine whether the child has an intellectual disability meeting the criteria for Adapted School. This investigation includes pedagogical, psychological, medical, and social assessments, carried out by school and municipal professionals such as special education teachers, school psychologists, and physicians where needed. Evidence is gathered for example from school records, classroom observations, and interviews with the child and their parents. While, again, a formal medical diagnosis is not strictly required, psychological and medical evaluations are conducted, for which parents’ consent is necessary. The child’s own views are also taken into account. If the investigation confirms the eligibility of the child to attend an Adapted School, the municipality makes the formal placement decision. However, parental consent is always required to finalise enrolment in an Adapted School. Reassessments may be conducted if the child’s condition or support needs change significantly (Stockholms Stad, 2025[18]; Skolverket, 2025[20]).
Placement in a Special school follows a slightly different procedure than placement in an Adapted School. In this case, it is the parents who must apply directly to the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools (SPSM), which makes the final admission decision. The application must be supported by a set of professional assessments tailored to the type of Special School sought. For instance, to apply for a Special School for children with severe language impairments, parents must submit (SPSM, 2025[21]):
a speech and language assessment conducted by a speech therapist,
a medical assessment from the child’s treating doctor,
a psychological assessment from a licensed psychologist,
a pedagogical assessment prepared by a special education professional at the child’s current school, and
a social assessment conducted by a school counsellor.
For children with additional impairments, such as ASD, documentation confirming the diagnosis should also be included. If the SPSM determines that the child does not qualify for placement in a Special school, the child continues their education in either a mainstream compulsory school or an Adapted school within their municipality.
Funding for special education mixes different approaches
According to a classification framework initially proposed by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, 2016[22]) and applied by the OECD (Brussino, 2020[23]), Sweden’s system for funding special education combines elements of both input and throughput funding models (see Chapter 4). General education funding follows an input approach, with municipalities allocating resources to schools based on student numbers. Schools are then responsible for managing these funds and providing SEN support within their allocated budget (European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, 2023[24]).
For pupils with extensive support needs that exceed what can normally be provided through the child’s Action Plan for Special Support, schools may apply for additional funding from the municipality. However, such supplementary funding is not standardised at the national level: while some municipalities may operate with detailed formulas to allocate extra support, others may have no formal mechanism in place. Both schools and municipalities can also apply for targeted grants from the SPSM for specific initiatives, such as adapting the learning environment or providing specialised training for teaching staff. Finally, when a child requires personal assistance at school, funding can be accessed either through the municipality (if the need is under 20 hours per week) or through the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (if the need exceeds 20 hours per week; see section on Assistance Allowance funds several hours of personal assistance per week) (European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, 2023[24]).
Adapted Schools are equally funded by municipalities, which allocate resources on a per-pupil basis, like is the case for mainstream schools. However, the per-pupil amount is typically higher in Adapted Schools to account for factors such as additional teaching staff, specialised pedagogy, and adapted infrastructure. Like mainstream schools, Adapted Schools can also apply for targeted grants – special interventions in schools – from the SPSM. By contrast, Special Schools are directly run by the SPSM and are therefore state‑funded.
Per-child education expenditure in constant prices declined in recent years
Average per-child expenditure for the entire school population, including both children with and without SEN, is, unsurprisingly, far lower in mainstream primary and secondary schools than in Adapted and Special Schools, which exclusively serve children with SEN and therefore face much higher costs for specialised staff and equipment. On a per-child basis, Special Schools are the most expensive, with average expenditure of about SEK 1.04 million in 2018 and SEK 0.94 million in 2023 (Figure 9.9). However, because relatively few children attend Special and Adapted Schools, their total costs to the education system are far lower than that of mainstream schools (Figure 9.10).
Across all school types, per-child expenditure in constant prices fell between 2018 and 2023, even as nominal spending continued to rise (Figure 9.9). At the same time, total costs in constant prices remained relatively stable across most school forms, with the notable exception of Adapted Primary Schools. In these schools, total costs (in constant prices) increased from about SEK 6.58 billion in 2018 to SEK 8.12 billion in 2023 (Figure 9.10). Given that this rise in total costs coincided with a decline in per-child expenditure, it suggests that enrolment in Adapted Primary Schools grew substantially over this period.
Average expenditure per child (in 2023 constant prices) by school type, Sweden, 2018 and 2023
Note: Primary and secondary municipal schools only, i.e. excludes independent and regional schools and sameskola.
Source: Statistikmyndigheten SCB (n.d.[25]), Statistikdatabasen, https://www.statistikdatabasen.scb.se/pxweb/sv/ssd/.
Costs per school type (in 2023 constant prices), Sweden, 2013‑2023
Source: Statistikmyndigheten SCB (n.d.[25]), Statistikdatabasen, https://www.statistikdatabasen.scb.se/pxweb/sv/ssd/.
Placement of children with SEN in mainstream classes is common
The distribution of children with SEN between mainstream and special education schools remained relatively stable from 2018 to 2023, with around 75‑80% of children with SEN enrolled in mainstream schools – a notably high share by international standards. Between 2018/19 and 2020/21, there was a modest increase in mainstream school attendance, followed by a slight decline between 2020/21 and 2022/23 (Figure 9.11).
Distribution of children with SEN across school settings, Sweden, 2018/19‑2022/23
SEN: special educational needs.
Note: The category “special education school” includes adapted primary schools, adapted secondary schools and special schools.
Source: Based on European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (2025[26]), Data tables and background information, https://www.european-agency.org/activities/data/data-tables-background-information.
Early intervention is a priority for Sweden
Sweden’s 2024 National Guideline on ADHD and Autism (Nationella riktlinjer 2024: Adhd och autism) places strong emphasis on early intervention, particularly for children with suspected or diagnosed ASD. The Guideline highlights early support as a top priority, aiming to prevent secondary difficulties such as anxiety, behavioural challenges, or school-related problems. Early intervention is recommended to involve a multi-disciplinary team, including psychologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and educators, working together to address the child’s needs. Importantly, the Guideline stresses that support should be offered to all children showing signs of ASD, even before a formal diagnosis is established, basing eligibility on observed needs rather than waiting for the completion of a full neuropsychiatric assessment (Socialstyrelsen, n.d.[27]).
Access to paramedical therapy is determined by needs and availability
Children with disability most often receive therapy, such as speech and occupational therapy, at Habilitation Centres (habiliteringscenter). These are regional, publicly run clinics that provide multi-disciplinary support to both children and adults with congenital disability. Their services range from assessments and therapeutic interventions to broader support, including guidance for caregivers. As part of Sweden’s public healthcare system, Habilitation Centres are free of charge. Children with disability, including children with ASD, can access them through referrals from a GP, school nurse, child health centre (barnavårdscentralen), or, in some regions, via self-referral. Some centres may require a formal medical diagnosis. Once referred, the child is assessed by a multi-disciplinary team at the centre that develops an individualised intervention plan, which may include speech and language therapy, among other supports. The type, frequency, and intensity of therapy ultimately depend on several factors, including the child’s specific needs as well as the staffing and resources available at the centre (Region Stockholm, 2024[28]; Habilitering, n.d.[29]).
Another pathway for children to access therapy, particularly speech therapy, is through their school. Children who receive Special Support or attend an Adapted or Special School may, depending on availability, resources, and their specific needs, have therapies integrated into their school day. Such interventions are considered special education measures and are included in the child’s Action Plan, which does not require a formal medical diagnosis (see section on Comprehensive assessments are carried out to determine most suitable school placement and support for details on the SEN assessment). Adapted and Special Schools are generally more likely than mainstream schools to provide therapy on-site (SPSM, 2024[30]).
Therapists, such as speech and language, occupational, or physiotherapists, are rarely employed directly by individual schools. Instead, they are typically employed by the municipality’s school health service or by regional health authorities (through habilitation centres). As a result, therapists are often shared across several schools and daycare centres.
Sweden also offers a broad range of social services
As noted earlier, the LSS law (Lagen om stöd och service till vissa funktionshindrade) is one of the most important frameworks through which people with disability can access essential daily supports. The law defines ten categories of support services available to eligible individuals: 1) counselling and other personal support; 2) personal assistance; 3) companion service; 4) contact person; 5) relief service; 6) short-term stays away from home; 7) short-term supervision for schoolchildren over 12; 8) accommodation in a family home or special housing for children and young people; 9) special housing for adults; and 10) daily activities. Children with ASD are covered under Target Group 1 of the LSS law (Region Stockholm, 2023[14]).
Beyond these core social services stipulated by the LSS law, Sweden provides some additional supports. Parents of a child covered by LSS are entitled to up to ten days of paid leave per year (Contact Days), funded by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, to allow participation in activities such as parent training or school visits. This right applies until the child turns 16. Parents may also access special counselling and training programmes offered by Habilitation Centres or municipalities. In addition, municipalities arrange free school transport for children whose disability prevents them from travelling safely on public transport.
Sweden’s experience illustrates a comprehensive and rights-based approach to supporting children with autism within a universal welfare system. Over the past decades, the country has made substantial progress in aligning disability policy with international standards, expanding access to inclusive education, and ensuring that families receive financial and practical support according to assessed needs. Sweden’s approach to financial assistance is particularly notable: support is differentiated according to the level and nature of children’s and families’ needs, rather than tied solely to a medical diagnosis. This tiered system – comprising several allowances for care, assistance, and additional costs – enables families to access support that more accurately reflects the intensity and complexity of their circumstances. The introduction of national guidelines for ADHD and autism represents an important step toward greater consistency and quality in service provision. Moving forward, strengthening implementation of these guidelines, ensuring equitable access to supports across regions, and maintaining a strong focus on inclusion and participation will be critical to sustaining Sweden’s progress in meeting the needs of children with ASD and their families.
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← 1. The guideline uses the word “neuropsychiatric disorder”, which is a different categorisation used to describe disorders such as ADHD and ASD. Since the term “neurodevelopmental disorder” is more broadly accepted, this is the term this report uses.
← 2. Note that the level of diagnostic detail varies depending on how precisely case administrators record this information. For example, diagnostic information was missing for a substantially larger share of cases in 2020 than in 2024.
← 3. “For the purposes of the Education Act, people with autism or autism-like conditions shall not be equated with people with intellectual disabilities unless they also have an intellectual disability or intellectual disability due to brain injury as described above.” (Sveriges Riksdag, 2010[31])