The Association for Assistance to Persons with Autism “Children of Light” from Banja Luka, together with its project partner, the Association “Blue Balloon”, organized a public forum on June 8, 2025, on the topic “Improving the Status of Children with Developmental Disabilities and Their Parents.” The event was held at the Theater in Prijedor. The goals of the public forum were to present the work of both associations and to advocate for legislative changes to regulations that currently limit the rights of caregiver-parents to the period before their child with developmental disabilities turns 30. Participants in the forum included: Vojin Nišević (President of the “Blue Balloon” Association), Olivera Davidović Knežić (MSc in Psychology and Project Coordinator), Nikolina Klepić (BA in Psychology and Deputy Coordinator), and Daniela Višnjić (Legal Advisor).

The public forum was supported by citizens, caregiver-parents, members of the “Blue Balloon” Association, representatives of the City of Prijedor, the Youth Council of the Republic of Srpska, the Prijedor Health Center, and others. 

The conclusions of the public forum are as follows:

1. It is necessary to hold meetings with all parliamentary groups of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska in order to inform them about the challenges faced by caregiver-parents and the reasons behind initiating the advocacy campaign for amendments to the Law on Child Protection.

2. A large number of individuals with developmental disabilities who have been assigned a disability percentage of less than 100% by the commission — and have therefore lost the right to a caregiver-parent status — in practice still require constant care and attention.

3. It is essential to raise public awareness about the advocacy initiative and encourage as many citizens as possible to sign the online petition in support of improved rights for caregiver-parents.

“We would like to emphasize that parents of children with developmental disabilities are entitled to free legal support from the 'Children of Light' Association in the process of exercising their right to caregiver-parent status. In line with this, we invite them to contact us so that as many as possible can initiate the procedures for obtaining this right, especially if they were previously beneficiaries but later had the right revoked due to their child’s education”, stated the Children of Light Association from Banja Luka.