3.8 out of 10
Legal capacity can be partially removed and this can limit the right to stand for elections. People with intellectual disabilities are allowed to vote.
Some adults with intellectual disabilities live in larger institutions, few of them live in smaller institutions or psychiatric hospitals.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family, there is little support. Only a few of them live on their own.
Most children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, some of them go to special schools.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market, and they risk to lose their disability benefits when they earn their own salary.
Most people with intellectual disabilities have access to general healthcare. There is no easy-to-read information on healthcare available.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented in the national cross-disability organisation. Association for Promotion of Inclusion does not receive government funding for their advocacy work.
Croatia European average
Persons with disabilities living in institutions receive in general health care of lower level and quality, including lower quality orthopaedic and other aids.
One of the barriers to inclusive education of children with intellectual disabilities and other developmental disabilities is the insufficient number of teaching assistants, which is mainly due to poor working conditions, including job insecurity and low wages.
| Mainstream education | 22,000 |
|---|---|
| Special education | 2,800 |
| No education | 0 |
| Larger institutions | 4,000 |
| Smaller institutions | 1,900 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 100 |
* Education figures: These numbers reflect all disabilities. Institution figures: These are rough estimations.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
4.9 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed,. Right to stand for elections can be limited. People can vote and some support is available for accessible voting.
A small number of adults with intellectual disabilities live in larger institutions, smaller institutions, small care homes or psychiatric hospitals. The government has a plan to close state-run institutions but is not following it.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family. There is no support for families from the government, only from NGOs. Disability benefits often go to the guardian. There is a mechanism to assess quality of standards, but it is not effective.
Some children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, small number go to special schools or have no education. There is strategy for inclusive education.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market or in ‘protected employment’. People do not risk losing disability benefits when they have a paid job. In ‘protected employment’ people are not paid minimum wage.
Most people with intellectual disabilities have access to healthcare. Health insurance is discounted for people with intellectual disabilities. Decisions regarding reproductive healthcare are often made by the guardian. Forced sterilisation is performed.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented in the national cross-disability organisation. There is no person with an intellectual disability part of the board/ council. Association for Promotion of Inclusion does not receive government funding for advocacy work.
Croatia European average
In 2023, changes were made to the Family Law and now it is again possible to fully deprive a person of their legal capacity which is a big step backwards.
| Larger institutions | * |
|---|---|
| Smaller institutions | * |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 400 |
| Living with family | 28,000 |
| In foster care | 1,500 |
| Living in own home | * |
| Homeless | * |
* Education figures: These numbers reflect all disabilities.
* Data does not differentiate children with intellectual disabilities from children with other disabilities.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
4.4 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed, and this can limit the right to stand for elections. People with intellectual disabilities can vote but there is limited support available for accessible voting.
Some adults with intellectual disabilities live in large institutions, smaller institutions, small care homes or psychiatric hospitals. The government has a plan to close state-run institutions but is not following it.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family. Disability benefits often go to the guardian. Mechanisms to assess quality of services are without real impact.
Some children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, very few go to special schools. There is a national strategy for inclusive education.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market or in ‘protected employment’. Some attend daycare and many stay at home. People do not risk losing disability benefits when they have a paid job.
Most people with intellectual disabilities have access to healthcare, but there is no easy-to-read information about healthcare. Sex education is poor. Decisions about reproductive health are often made by the guardian. People with intellectual disabilities cannot be forcibly sterilised.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented in the national cross-disability organisation, but there is no person with an intellectual disability part of the board/council. Association for Promotion of Inclusion does not receive government funding for advocacy work.
Croatia European average
It is important to highlight the existence of private residential homes for people with disabilities—a category of service providers that is often overlooked in reform discussions. While the Ministry has initiated processes aimed at transforming state-run institutions toward more community-based and person-centred models of support, no equivalent transformation efforts are being directed at private institutions.
Families often do not have enough information about the services and Social Welfare Centres are too understaffed to be able to provide valuable information. Navigating the system to access social welfare benefits, housing, healthcare, and personal assistance services can be overwhelming.
| Larger institutions | 2,300 |
|---|---|
| Smaller institutions | 2,000 |
| Small care homes | 1,000 |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 400 |
* Education figures: These numbers reflect all disabilities.
*Data does not differentiate children with intellectual disabilities from children with other disabilities.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.