If your child requires intensive care and you are entitled to child benefit for your child, you can apply for a doubling of your child benefit starting from July 1, 2026, if your child is at least 3 years old and not older than 17 years.
Parents and caregivers who received a positive medical assessment during the previous application period (2022-2025) and who still meet the conditions for child benefit do not need to submit a new application. These parents and caregivers will automatically qualify for the permanent double child benefit.
They will begin receiving the double child benefit from the end of July 2026, and a new assessment will take place within nine months. These parents and caregivers will receive a letter explaining the double child benefit and the reassessment.
The SZW unit of RCN cannot personally determine whether your child requires intensive care. This is done based on medical advice that we receive via Sentro Akseso/Lokèt Aksesibel (Bonaire) or Public Health (Saba and Sint Eustatius). To make things easier for you, you can submit the application for the double child benefit for children that require intensive care directly to the organisations below. They can also help you to complete the medical questionnaire.
If you do not qualify for the double child benefit for children requiring intensive care, this organisation may still be able to help you with advice on, or access to, other forms of support or assistance in caring for your child.
Requesting double child benefit
View the step-by-step plan for requesting the double child benefit for children with intensive care needs:
A staff member at Sentro Akseso/Lokèt Aksesibel (Bonaire), Prevention Clinic (Sint Eustatius) or the Social worker’s Office (Saba) can help you to complete the medical questionnaire. You must then sign it and provide consent for the medical records of your child to be accessed.
You will then be asked to show the ID (sedula) of the applicant. This is to prevent misuse.
Does your child require intensive care?
Here you can find the assessment framework used by the assessment team.
You will be sent a letter that informs you about the decision (the decree) by post as well has e-mail.
The double child benefit will be transferred to the bank account that is also used to pay out your child benefit.
Additional information
Some children with a disease or condition require a lot of intensive care. Such care is accompanied by extra costs. The parents of these children are able to request double child benefit.
You are entitled to double child benefit for children with intensive care needs due to an illness or condition if:
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you receive child benefit for the child who is part of your household and for whom the application is being submitted.
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the child is at least 3 years and not older than 17.
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intensive care due to an illness or disorder has been confirmed.
The assessment team of care professionals will examine 10 areas where your child may require intensive care, for example, when it comes to personal hygiene, toilet training, eating and drinking, mobility, behaviour and medical care. For each area, the assessment team will award one point if the care needs can be classed as intensive. The total number of points will determine whether the advice is positive or negative.
Would you like to know exactly how the need for care is determined? Download the ‘Assessment framework’ in pdf format.
As of 1 July 2026, it is possible to submit an application. This can be done throughout the entire year. You must submit the application form to Sentro Akseso/Lokèt Aksesibel (Bonaire), the Prevention Clinic (Sint Eustatius) or Public Health (Saba).
The amount is double the child benefit you already receive each month. A parent or caregiver who qualifies for the double child benefit for a child requiring intensive care will receive twice the regular child benefit amount.
In 2026, the allowance has been set at $239 per month per child on Bonaire, $227 per month per child on St. Eustatius and $238 per month per child on Saba.
Contact Information
| Adress |
Kaya Prinses Marie 7 – By appointment only |
| aanvraagkindzorg@aksesobon.com | |
| Phone |
(+599) 717-7300 |
| (+599) 701-5207 |
| Adress |
Charles A. Woodley Road 2nd (next to the pharmacy) |
| Phone |
(+599) 318 2891 to make an appointment |
| Adress |
Upper Road 4, The Bottom |
| Phone | Call (+599) 416 3311 ext 315 or send a WhatsApp message to (+599) 416 5071 to make an appointment. |