Public Service

Public officials can now combine their employment with a family assistant activity

Publié le 09 novembre 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

In order to cope with the shortage of family assistants, public officials have been authorized to carry out this activity in addition to their employment since 31 October. This consists in housing children in difficulty at home, for a fee. Public Service provides you with the terms of this provision.

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A public official may be authorized by his employer’s administration to carry out an activity known as ‘ancillary’. This activity may be for profit or not, and may be carried out with a public or private person or body. Among the permitted activities:

  • education and training;
  • certain personal services (childcare, assistance to the elderly or disabled, etc.);
  • coaching or animation activities in the fields of sport, culture or popular education;
  • small works carried out in private individuals.

Since 31 October, public officials may also be authorized by their employer's administration to combine their employment with an ancillary activity of family assistant.

The mission of a family assistant is to house at home, for remuneration, one or more children in difficulty. A family assistant, together with the persons residing in his home, shall constitute a foster family.

As regards public officials, they may combine their employment with an activity as a family assistant provided that only one minor or young adult under the age of 21 is admitted, of school age (whether student or in employment). This reception can be continuous or intermittent; reception is considered continuous in particular where it lasts for more than 15 consecutive days, taking into account the days of reception in a boarding school or in a specialized establishment for minors or young adults with disabilities or with adaptation difficulties.

Please note

To be able to carry out an activity on an ancillary basis, a public official must send a written request to his hierarchical authority, containing at least the following information:

  • the identity of the employer or the nature of the body on whose behalf it intends to carry out that ancillary activity;
  • the nature, duration, periodicity and conditions of remuneration of this activity.

It may accompany its request with any other useful information.

The hierarchical authority shall address its decision within one month of receipt of the request (or within two months, if it requests additional information). In the absence of a written decision within the time limit, the application for authorization shall be considered as refused.

You can find all the modalities on the practical sheet Public Service « Can a public official combine his employment with a private activity? ».

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