Raising a child with a disability comes with unique challenges. The Social Security Child Disability program—part of Supplemental Security Income (SSI)—provides financial assistance to families with children under 18 who meet specific disability and income requirements. At California Disability Advocates, we guide families through every step of this process to ensure their children get the support they deserve.
To be eligible for Social Security child disability benefits, three main factors are considered:
Age: The child must be under 18 years old.
Family Income: Parents’ household income and resources must be below a certain limit.
Medical Condition: The child must have a physical or mental impairment that results in “marked and severe functional limitations.”
Unlike adults, children are not evaluated based on their ability to work. Instead, Social Security looks at how the disability affects the child’s ability to function compared to other children of the same age.
A child may be found disabled if they:
Meet or medically equal a condition listed by Social Security.
Or, “functionally equal” a listing by showing:
Marked limitations in two functional domains, or
An extreme limitation in one domain.
Functional domains are broad areas of daily life, such as:
Learning and applying information
Attending and completing tasks
Interacting and relating with others
Moving about and manipulating objects
Caring for personal needs
Health and physical well-being
To qualify, the child’s disability must be supported by medically acceptable evidence, such as:
Doctor’s reports and clinical findings
School records and evaluations
Information from teachers, therapists, or caregivers
Social Security often uses school performance, developmental milestones, and daily activities to evaluate whether the child is functioning at an age-appropriate level.
Children receiving SSI benefits must undergo a disability re-determination at age 18. At that point, Social Security applies the adult disability rules, which are often stricter. Our team helps families prepare for this transition to avoid interruptions in benefits.
Applying for child disability benefits can be overwhelming and confusing. Many families are denied simply because of incomplete paperwork or insufficient evidence. That’s where we come in:
We prepare and file your application.
We work with doctors, schools, and caregivers to gather the strongest possible evidence.
We represent you in appeals if your child’s claim is denied.
We fight to protect benefits when your child turns 18.
For over 30 years, our disability experts have helped California families secure benefits for their children.