Federal MP Nahima Lanjri (CD&V) has submitted a bill for foster parents to have access to the same parental leave as biological parents.
In Flanders, around 11,000 children and young people live in foster families. Nearly 80% of these cases involve long-term foster care, averaging seven years.
Despite this, foster parents providing long-term care still don't have full rights to parental leave, even though foster care requires as much time and dedication as raising one's own child, explained Lanjri.
She is advocating for foster families to be entitled to up to four months of parental leave per parent. The proposal applies to long-term foster care, where it is clear from the outset that a child will stay with the same family for at least six months.
Both parents appointed through the juvenile court and recognised foster care or youth assistance services would be included in the scheme.
