When most people think about Social Security Disability claims, they assume that the claims are being filed for disabled adult workers who suffer from conditions that are so severe that they can no longer maintain gainful employment. The truth is that some disability claims are filed on behalf of children who are suffering from severely debilitating medical conditions. When a child suffers from such a condition, it can put significant financial strain on the child’s family. As a result, the child may be entitled to disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.
Filing for Social Security Disability benefits for a child is similar to the process that an adult must go through, but the forms that are used are different. SSA Form 3881 is a questionnaire that must be filled out when filing a Social Security Disability claim on the behalf of a child. The form asks for detailed information such as the last grade the child has completed in school, the teacher’s name, the name of the school attended, whether or not the child is in a special education program (you will need to attach a copy of the child’s IEP if they are), questions about the child’s treatment and other questions pertaining to the disability of the child. You will also need to fill out information about yourself, the person who is filling out the disability form on the behalf of the child.
The information provided on this form will help the SSA process the child’s Social Security Disability claim and it is an important part of the Social Security Disability application process. You can obtain SSA Form 3881 by visiting your local Social Security Office, calling the SSA’s toll-free phone number or by downloading the form from the SSA website.
If you are working with a Social Security Disability attorney, your attorney will be able to obtain this form for you and will help you fill out the form, ensuring that the answers are provided properly, decreasing the chance that there will be any delays in the processing of your child’s Social Security Disability claim.
Once SSA Form 3881 has been filled out, you will need to either mail it to your local Social Security office or you can bring it to the office in person. If you are working with an attorney, your attorney can submit the form for you on your behalf.
