Becoming a host family

Last update

A child with social difficulties and problems at home, possibly in combination with psychological problems that their family is unable to cope with adequately on their own, may benefit from various forms of assistance in the interest of their well-being.

If the separation from the family of origin is necessary, it can be initiated:

  • either at the request of the child (if the latter is capable of judgement) or of the person(s) with parental authority over the child, after action on the part of the National Office for Children (Office national de l'enfance – ONE);
  • or by way of a judicial ruling.

The purpose of a host family is to provide a home environment in which the child is incorporated in a family structure, but without severing links with the child's original family. The separation from the family of origin may be temporary or permanent, and during the daytime and/or at night.

Persons interested in becoming become a host family must satisfy a certain number of conditions to ensure they can adequately receive and cope with the child in difficulty.

Who is concerned

Each adult person can offer to be a host family provided they:

  • reside in Luxembourg; and
  • meet the conditions of good repute; and
  • have a stable income.

Prerequisites

Socio-educational foster care provided by a family consists in the non-occasional care of children:

  • on a permanent or temporary basis;
  • during day and night time;
  • at the request of:
    • either the child (if the latter is capable of judgement) or of the person(s) with parental authority over the child, after action on the part of the National Office for Children (Office national de l'enfance – ONE);
    • or by way of a judicial ruling.

To be accepted as a host family, candidates must satisfy the following conditions:

  • provide an appropriate living environment and appropriate care for the children they take in;
  • comply with the requirements in terms of number of children and reception conditions as set out in their authorisation (no more than 4 children at a time, unless otherwise specified);
  • be able to provide an infrastructure that meets the minimum criteria such as:
    • provided for by article 27 of Grand Ducal regulation of 17 August 2011 on accreditation of the managers of activities for children, young adults and families in distress; and
    • defined by the general terms and conditions (point 10 of the application file);
  • complete a process of 'selection, preparation and training' lasting no more than 30 hours with one of the hosting oversight bodies and earn the selection certificate;
  • attend the 54-hour basic training course for host families, organised under the supervision of the Minister responsible for Children and Youth;
  • devote at least 12 hours a year to attending continuing training and/or supervision sessions;
  • understand and speak at least one of Luxembourg's 3 official languages (Luxembourgish, German, French);
  • agree to be monitored regularly by one of the hosting oversight bodies;
  • not be prohibited from engaging in this type of activity or similar as the result of a criminal conviction.
Addresses of approved family placement services
Address Telephone and fax numbers

Placement familial ARCUS A.S.B.L.

Familljenhaus Zentrum:
29, rue de Mamer
L-8081 Bertrange

Familljenhaus Osten:
26, rue de Luxembourg
L-6750 Grevenmacher

Familljenhaus Suden:
23, rue du Nord
L-4260 Esch-sur-Alzette

Familljenhaus Norden:
16, Haaptstrooss
L-9764 Marnach
5, rue des Fleurs
L-9231 Dierkirch

Familljenhaus Westen:
13, Grand-Rue
L-8510 Redange
37, Avenue Grande-Duchesse Charlotte
L-7520 Mersch

Phone: 40 49 49 - 500
Fax: 40 49 49 - 401


Phone: 40 49 49 - 700
Fax: 40 49 49 - 401


Phone: 40 49 49 - 500
Fax : 40 49 49 - 401



Phone: 40 49 49 - 900
Fax: 40 49 49 - 401



Phone: 40 49 49 - 600
Fax: 40 49 49 - 401
Placement familial Croix-Rouge Luxembourgeoise
97, route d'Arlon
L-8009 Strassen
Phone: 27 55 64 00
Fax: 27 55 64 01

Antenne Familiale Lëtzebuerger Kannerduerf

In Esch-sur-Alzette:
1, rue Helen Buchholtz
L-4048 Esch-sur-Alzette

In Nocher:
8, Duerfstross
L-9674 Nocher



Reception in Esch-sur-Alzette:
Phone : 54 55 45
Fax: 54 16 84

Reception in Nocher:
Phone: 26 95 49
Fax: 26 95 49 50

How to proceed

Filing an application

Interested persons must complete the application file for socio-educational foster care in a host family or family placement:

  • either using the online procedure on MyGuichet.lu;
  • or by downloading the specific form and by sending it together with the required documents by post to:
Ministre de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse
Direction générale de l'aide à l'enfance et à la famille
33, Rives de Clausen
L-2165 Luxembourg

In the case of incomplete applications, the Service for Childhood Support at the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth:

  • will request the person concerned to submit the missing documents; and
  • guide said person to the hosting oversight bodies in the event where said person is not yet in contact with one of these bodies;

In the case of a complete application, the Service for Childhood Support at the ministry:

  • provides a receipt to the person concerned; and
  • guides said person to the hosting oversight bodies in the event where said person is not yet in contact with one of these bodies.
Note that requests for missing document and/or receipts are sent through the same channels as those used for the submission of the application. For instance, if an application was filed through MyGuichet.lu, all communications between the ministry and the applicant will be through that channel.

Selection procedure

Candidates must then contact the hosting oversight body of their choice to undergo the 30-hour 'selection, preparation and training' process, and then inform the ministry's Service for Childhood Support.

If the 'selection, preparation and training' process is successfully completed, the candidate will be awarded a selection certificate from the body in question.

Once the candidate has received the selection certificate and the evaluation report, the ministry's Service for Childhood Support has 3 months to assess the conditions in the host family. This inspection is based on:

  • a verification of the application file; and
  • a visit at the person's home.

If the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth has not responded within the set 3-month period, the application is deemed to have been approved.

Approval

Granting of the approval

Approvals may be granted in the following forms:

  • a conditional approval, which is provisional, with a duration of 2 years. It is granted to the person concerned if the condition of professional qualification is not met;
  • an unconditional approval which has permanent validity. It is granted to the person concerned if all the conditions have been met.
Note that the holder of conditional approval may, at any time, obtain unconditional approval, and conversely, unconditional approval may be changed to conditional approval at any time.

A certificate of recognition as a social support service for children is granted to the candidate by the Minister.

From that point on, the person may host one or more children, and receives fees and maintenance costs financed by the ONE.

Refusal of approval

Approvals may be refused in the following cases:

  • the conditions required have not been met; and
  • the hosting oversight body or bodies issued a negative opinion following the 'selection, preparation and training' procedure.

Appeals

Decisions on the granting, refusal or withdrawal of approvals may be appealed before the labour tribunal. Appeals must be filed (or else they will lapse):

  • by the applicant or the holder of approval, within 1 month of notification of the decision; or
  • by a third party, within 1 month of publication of the decision in the Official Journal.

Exemptions from the approval conditions

If the candidate wishes to host a child who is a 2nd- or 3rd-degree relative = siblings, grandchildren; 3rd degree relatives = great-grandchildren, nieces/nephews) in a situation of psycho-social distress, as confirmed by ONE or following a court decision, the host family can apply to the Ministry to be exempted from the conditions relating to training and approval. Nonetheless, the placement is still subject to oversight by a specialised service.

Any person who is fostering a young second- or third-degree relative can fill in the application form "Exemption in relation to the conditions for approval to carry out socio-educational foster care activities in a host family":

  • either using the online procedure on MyGuichet.lu;
  • or by downloading the specific form and by sending it together with the required documents by post to:
Ministre de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse
Direction générale de l'aide à l'enfance et à la famille
33, Rives de Clausen
L-2195 Luxembourg

Financing of host families

Socio-educational foster care during day- and/or night-time by a host family is financed by the National Office for Children (ONE) in the form of daily flat-rate fees, which are paid for the days the child or young adult actually spends with the host family.

The fees are meant to cover maintenance costs, where applicable, and the host's compensation, the amount of which is set by the amended Grand Ducal regulation of 17 August 2011 on the financing of child and family support measures.

Billing and payment is monthly.

Other forms of financial aid to which host families are entitled

A child who is with a host family both day and night must be declared to the commune's population office. As hosted children form part of the host's household, the host family is entitled to family benefits for the hosted child, and also to the tax allowance for children.

Any expenses incurred for the child's initial establishment in the household, and certain special expenses (medical bills, school costs, paramedical and extracurricular costs) for the child may also be covered by way of reimbursement by the oversight service.

Online services and forms

Note: view tips for using PDF forms.

Dossier de candidature pour l'activité d'accueil socio-éducatif en famille d'accueil ou placement familial

Other language(s)

Dossier de dispense pour l'activité d'accueil socio-éducatif en famille d'accueil ou placement familial

Dossier de candidature pour l'activité d'accueil socio-éducatif en famille d'accueil ou placement familial

Last update 18.10.2023

PDF138 Kb

Dispense en rapport avec les conditions de formation et d’agrément pour l’exercice de l’activité d’accueil socio-éducatif en famille d’accueil ou placement familial

Last update 18.10.2023

PDF119 Kb

Who to contact

National Office for Children

2 of 15 bodies shown

National Office for Children

2 of 15 bodies shown

General Directorate for Childhood and Family Support / General Directorate for the Youth Sector

General Directorate for Childhood and Family Support / General Directorate for the Youth Sector

  • Ministry of Education, Children and Youth General Directorate for Childhood and Family Support / General Directorate for the Youth Sector

    Address:
    33, rives de Clausen L-2165 Luxembourg Luxembourg
    L-2926 Luxembourg
    Phone:
    (+352) 247 85100
    Email address:
    info@men.lu
    Website:
    http://www.men.public.lu/fr/index.html
    Closed ⋅ Opens at 8.30
    Tuesday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Wednesday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Thursday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Friday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Saturday:
    Closed
    Sunday:
    Closed
    Monday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 11.30 and from 14.00 to 17.00

  • Ministry of Education, Children and Youth General Directorate for Childhood and Family Support / General Directorate for the Youth Sector

    Address:
    33, rives de Clausen L-2165 Luxembourg Luxembourg
    L-2926 Luxembourg
    Phone:
    (+352) 247 85100
    Email address:
    info@men.lu
    Website:
    http://www.men.public.lu/fr/index.html
    Closed ⋅ Opens at 8.30
    Tuesday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Wednesday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Thursday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Friday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Saturday:
    Closed
    Sunday:
    Closed
    Monday:
    8.30 to 11.30 , 14.00 to 17.00
    Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 11.30 and from 14.00 to 17.00

Related procedures and links

Procedures

Family allowance Declaring one's move to a new commune of residence Challenging administrative decisions

Links

Legal references

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