Input meeting on BPA at the Storting

The lion mothers were invited to an input meeting at the Storting. It was Erlend Svardal Bøe (H) who initiated the meeting and today's BPA scheme was on the agenda. From Løvemammaene, Marlene Ramberg, deputy member of the central board, presented.

Much has been written, but little has happened with the BPA scheme and today's meeting gave various organizations and teams the opportunity to say what they think about the current scheme and what needs to be done or changed in order for it to be as good as possible and serve its purpose purpose in the best way. The Løvemammaene encouraged Erland Bøe to read through our entire consultation input to the NOU "Self-governed is well-governed" before we briefly talked about our main battle issues within BPA. Among other things, we mentioned that healthcare must be included in the scheme. If BPA is to be a real equality tool, there is no point in discriminating within the scheme. Furthermore, we talked about the importance of getting BPA into the Equality and Discrimination Act in order to strengthen the equality principle and avoid the municipalities' training when complaining about decisions. We were also clear about what we mean about age and hour limits in the BPA scheme and that it must be the need for assistance and not the number of hours or rounds around the sun that determines whether you are entitled to BPA or not. We also addressed the need for a statutory right to BPA in kindergarten and school, removal of deductibles for practical assistance, the importance of an operating budget and that BPA assistants must be given the status of socially critical personnel. Last, but not least, we addressed the need to listen to parents and the specialist health service when measuring hourly needs. It is the follow-up doctor and parents who know the children, their everyday life and their needs best, and this must therefore be given great importance. 

It was an interesting and useful meeting! Løvemammaene thank you for the invitation and the initiative. This is an arrangement that is essential for many of our member families and an arrangement we are willing to fight tooth and nail for.