How to become a family friendly (welcoming an elderly or disabled person)?

Verified 06 November 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

A family caregiver welcomes at least one elderly person or an adult with a disability to his or her home, who, in exchange, pays him or her. To become a family friendly, you must first obtain an approval from the department. The license may be granted to a person or a couple for a period of 5 years, renewable. We present you the regulations to know.

Obligations of the family host

To obtain the approval of a family host, you must comply with the following obligations:

  • Guarantee reception conditions that ensure the health, safety, physical and moral well-being of the persons received
  • Accept that the people welcomed can benefit from social and medico-social follow-up, including visits to your home
  • Commit yourself to ensuring a continuous welcome, by offering in particular, in the reception contract, satisfactory alternatives during your periods of absence (e.g. leave)
  • Commit to initial and continuing training, as well as an introduction to first aid
  • Commit to subscribe to a insurance contract guaranteeing the financial consequences of your civil liability due to any damage suffered by the host person.

FYI  

You and the person with whom you live as a couple must not be related up to and including the 4th degree, with the person welcomed.

Accommodation of the family host

You must have a dwelling whose condition, dimensions and environment, meet the criteria of decency.

Your accommodation must be compatible with the constraints related to the age or disability of each person.

FYI  

The person admitted must be able-bodied, or have a loss of autonomy compatible with family care, i.e. not be heavily dependent (for example: not needing constant care).

Each guest must have a room of at least 9 m² (or at least 16 m² for 1 couple) with a window directly overlooking the outside. The room must be located near a bathroom and toilet.

Guests must have free access to the common areas (e.g. the living room).

You must follow 2 steps:

1Submit the application file

You must compile your application file, grouping the following documents:

You must send your file to the president of the departmental council:

  • Either by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt
  • Either by depositing it on the spot, against receipt.
Who shall I contact

After receiving your file, the department's services have 15 days to:

  • Either send you an acknowledgement of receipt
  • Either claim the missing information or documents, when your file is incomplete.

2Receive the visit of the professionals of the department

Representatives of the department's services organize at least one interview with you, and possibly with the people who will replace you at your home, and those with whom you live.

They visit your home at least 1 time.

They're checking that you don't have convictions.

After receiving your complete file, the department services have 4 months to make their decision.

FYI  

Without a response beyond that time limit, the approval shall be deemed to have been granted. In this case, we are talking about implied decision of approval.

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Approval Decision

The approval decision shall state the following:

  • Your surname, first name and address
  • Date of grant and date of end of approval
  • Number of people who can be accommodated simultaneously, up to a limit of 3 (or 4 in case of derogation granted by the president of the departmental council for the reception of a couple)
  • Possibly, maximum number of reception contracts implemented at the same time (up to 8)
  • Possibly, distribution between elderly and disabled
  • Reception mode for each person received (permanent or temporary, full-time, part-time, day or night, or sequential)
  • Mention of the authorization or not to receive persons benefiting from social assistance in accommodation (ASH).

The approval decision may also include the following information:

  • Characteristics, in terms of disability and loss of autonomy, of the persons received
  • Specific modes of your training, follow-up and support and, if necessary, of the persons received, for the reception of persons whose loss of autonomy or disability require it

FYI  

If the approval decision does not correspond to your request (number of persons received, types of persons received, reception methods), the decision must indicate the reason.

Implied decision of approval

The acknowledgement of receipt of your complete file indicates that you can ask the services of the department to issue you a certificate.

Decision to refuse approval

The decision to refuse your application for approval must state the reasons for it.

You must not re-apply for registration in the year following the refusal decision.

Approval shall be granted for 5 years. This duration is renewable.

The content of a valid approval may be modified by order of the president of the departmental council:

  • Either at the initiative of the president of the departmental council
  • Either on your request. You must make the request to the president of the departmental council, indicating the reason for this request for amendment. The procedure is identical to that of your application for approval.

You must compile your application file, grouping the following documents:

You must send your file to the president of the departmental council:

  • Either by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt
  • Either by depositing it on the spot, against receipt.
Who shall I contact

FYI  

Changing the content of the license does not affect the end date of your license.

You must apply for renewal of your license at least 6 months before the end of its validity. The procedure is identical to that of your application for approval.

You must compile your application file, grouping the following documents:

You must send your file to the president of the departmental council:

  • Either by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt
  • Either by depositing it on the spot, against receipt.
Who shall I contact

FYI  

In the year preceding the end of the validity of your approval, the services of the department send you a reminder by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

If you are a certified family caregiver and are planning to move, you must inform the department.

The approach is different depending on the location of your future move-in:

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Moving to the same department

At least 1 month before moving in, you must indicate your new address to the department.

You must do so by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

The approval can be withdrawn if the reception conditions are no longer met.

Moving to another department

At least 1 month before you move in, you must indicate your new address to the services of your new department. You must attach a copy of the accreditation decision to your letter.

You must send your mail by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

The approval can be withdrawn if the reception conditions are no longer met.

When the two members of a couple no longer jointly provide the reception activity, the approval granted to them as a couple is no longer valid.

In this case, the couple or one of its members must inform the president of the departmental council as soon as possible.

It is recommended to do so by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

Who shall I contact

If only one or each of these persons wishes to continue their hospitality activity, they must apply for individual approval.

After obtaining this individual approval, it must bring the current reception contracts into line with its new approval.

The services of the department ensure that as a family friendly, you respect the conditions of the approval.

For example, in the absence of a hospitality contract or in the event of non-subscription of an insurance contract, the departmental services you give formal notice, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to remedy this situation.

If you disregard this formal notice, the advisory committee on withdrawal of authorization meets.

You are informed of this, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, at least 1 month in advance.

At the committee meeting, you can be assisted by 2 people of your choice

You can present your arguments in writing, or make them known at the committee meeting.

At the end of this meeting, the committee decides whether or not to withdraw your approval.

The committee deliberates outside of your presence and the people who assist you.

Please note

In case of emergency, the approval can be withdrawn without prior notice or consultation with the commission.

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