Parent: "Does anyone really care what this disabled person is eating and drinking for 7 to 8 months?"

Ahmad Rahmanov’s son has autism. He turned 18 in January. When that happened his disability benefits stopped. His parents also lost the benefits they got for taking care of him.

In Azerbaijan people who are 18 and cannot work can still get benefits. Someone has to be their guardian. The court decides if a person can work or not. Ahmad Rahmanov told Toplum TV that you can only apply for guardianship when your child turns 18. It takes a few months to get it.

The court hearing was on March 16. Now Ahmad Rahmanov is waiting to see what happens next. He says "the court has to make a decision then send it to the people who enforce the law then they have to call us and send us to see a doctor and after that they have to make us guardians... I have no idea when all of this will happen."

Ahmad Rahmanov knows parents of disabled kids who are going through the same thing. He says "I know someone who applied for an exam in November and did not get an answer until mid-January. The exam says we have a lot of work to do... This whole process takes least 7 to 8 months." He also says that one disabled person told him it took a year and a half to get everything sorted out.

Chichek Mammadli is the head of the "Fighting Autism" group. He was able to get custody of his daughter after 7 months. He says the big problem is that the government is not paying the money that parents of disabled kids should get. He says "they tell me to wait 7 months but I ask why... They say I have to go to court but then the court says I need a paper from the DOST Agency... It's a big circle."

Ahmad Rahmanov says some parents of kids even take out loans from banks because they are not getting the benefits they need. He asks "does anyone care what this disabled person is eating and drinking during these 7 to 8 months?"

Ahmad Rahmanov and other parents have tried to get help from the State Social Protection Fund but they were told that the problem is with the law and there is nothing the fund can do. We tried to get answers from the fund. They did not respond.