Dorehami
Dorehami · Life in Sweden

VAB: caring for a sick child and applying for compensation

From reporting absence to applying for VAB: the 30-day deadline, records, shared care and the separate route for employment programmes.

VAB: caring for a sick child and applying for compensation
AI-generated illustrative image, not a member, an actual home or a specific institution.

What to know

VAB means care of a child and differs from ordinary parental benefit. The usual age range is eight months until before the twelfth birthday, with exceptions. Illness lasting beyond seven days requires a doctor’s or nurse’s certificate from day eight; weekends count in the illness period.

Prepare before starting

  • Keep a private record of dates, care hours and missed work; do not post child details in the group.
  • Have your work schedule, income information and school or preschool details ready.
  • Coordinate with other carers and avoid overlapping claims in ordinary cases.
  • Check insurance coverage separately if newly arrived, self-employed or working across borders.

A practical step-by-step approach

  1. If employed, report absence to your employer the same day. This does not replace an application to Försäkringskassan.
  2. Record actual care hours. For your own organisation, distinguish the start of illness from the first VAB day.
  3. For days from 1 April 2026, submit an ordinary application within 30 days after the first day at home with the child. Do not wait out a long illness. Read the official exception for seriously ill children.
  4. Use the official Ansök om vab service. Ask the agency about a paper form if digital access is unavailable.
  5. Before signing, compare the child’s name, dates, hours and income details with your records.
  6. Keep the receipt and decision privately. Contact the agency if a submitted application contains an error.

Different circumstances and cautions

Programme participants must report absence from day one to Arbetsförmedlingen and their activity provider, and mark the days in the programme-benefit application. Distinguish this from employees’ ordinary VAB claims. The agency assesses coverage, amount and entitlement. VAB is not named in the current list of benefits affected by the 1 January 2027 qualification change. This is no guarantee of eligibility; do not automatically apply child-allowance conditions to VAB.

A common question

Does a personnummer or approved leave guarantee VAB payment?

No. Identity registration, reporting absence and the benefit decision are separate matters. Residence, work and insurance coverage matter. Prepare your reference number and a specific question: what information is missing and how should it be supplied? Check payment details in your own case. Dorehami does not receive documents or medical records.

Official sources and review date

Sources checked on 19 October 2026. Read the current official page before acting.