Adoption and adoption leave
Have you just adopted a child? Congratulations! As a new adoptive parent, once your child is registered with Helan, you are of course entitled to adoption leave, allowances, reimbursed maternity care and discounts at the Helan Care Shop.
Adopted a child? Register your child and arrange adoption leave
You register your child in the municipal population register.
If the child does not yet have Belgian nationality, register them in the foreigners’ register instead.
Helan is automatically informed and registers your child as a dependent.
- If both of you are affiliated with Helan, you don’t need to do anything.
- If one of you is not affiliated with Helan, you must provide Helan with the document registration application adoptive child. You can upload this digitally.
After registration with Helan, you will receive:
- sticker labels after 10 days
- an ISI+ card via MyGov
You request adoption leave from your employer.
Do this at least 1 month in advance.
Request your adoption leave allowance via My Helan. Do this within 2 months after the registration of your child.
- Log in to My Helan
- Select the section Work incapacity and benefits
- Click on Incapacitated or child on the way
- Follow the step-by-step module
Fill in the application form.
- Employee: complete the application form together with your employer and collect the necessary supporting documents, such as proof of adoption.
- Self-employed: complete the application form for an adoption allowance and collect the necessary supporting documents, such as proof of adoption.
- Submit this form and the supporting documents digitally or by post to Helan Independent Health Insurance Fund, Boomsesteenweg 5 in 2610 Wilrijk, including a white adhesive label.
Fill in the information form (employees only)
- Complete your information sheet via My Helan. Do this immediately so we can process your file faster.
- As soon as your adoption leave starts, Helan will contact your employer to ask them to complete an 'information sheet for benefits'.
Once all documents have been received, we will process your file.
If your file is complete, you will receive a letter with the exact daily amount and we will start the payments. My Helan shows you the current status of your application at any time.
The adoption start amount (formerly the adoption bonus) can be requested from one of the 5 recognized payers of the Groeipakket. This can be done as soon as the procedure has started.
As soon as the child becomes part of your household and you have applied for the start amount, the Groeipakket will be paid automatically every month. The amount depends on your situation.
You are also entitled to maternity care and parental leave in case of adoption
Your maternity assistant supports you wherever you feel it is needed. This may be with caring for your baby, looking after your other children, or helping keep your household running. The choice is yours.
Per insured parent, you are entitled to a reimbursement of 5 euros per hour with a maximum of 150 euros per year. If both parents are affiliated with Helan, you are therefore entitled to 300 euros for maternity care.
If you need additional cleaning or ironing help, the team of Helan Household Help will gladly assist you.
Parental leave is a scheme that allows you, as a father or mother, to temporarily stop working, work part-time, 4/5, or 9/10, in order to spend more time with your child(ren).
Adoptive parents are also entitled to it. To learn how to apply and what the conditions are, read the page about parental leave.
Good to know
Start your adoption leave within 2 months after the registration of your child in the population register or foreigners' register. As soon as the domestic or international procedure has started, you can submit your application.
Duration of adoption leave
- You are entitled to 6 basic weeks per parent, and the leave can be extended by 3 additional weeks to be shared between both parents.
- The maximum duration of adoption leave is doubled to 12 or 14 weeks if the adopted child is affected by:
- a physical or mental disability of at least 66%
- a serious medical condition
Terms and conditions for adoption leave
The adopted child must:
- be registered at the address of the adoptive parents
- be a minor
To both be entitled to adoption leave, the (employed/self-employed) parents must meet one of the following conditions. Unemployed parents are excluded in any case.
- be married
- be legally cohabiting
- have been living together continuously for at least 3 years prior to the adoption at the address where the child has their main residence.
You can prove this with a marriage certificate, proof of legal cohabitation, or an extract from the population register showing the registration date at the child's address.
Do you meet the conditions? Then request your adoption leave from your employer. The allowance you receive during your adoption leave is paid via Helan.
Helan benefits for adoption
When you say Helan, you also say extra benefits and reimbursements for you and your child. A selection of our adoption-related offers can be found here:
Up to €300 for maternity care or a doula
Maternity care supports you from 1 month before up to 3 months after the birth. You receive a reimbursement of €5 per hour per affiliated parent, with a maximum of €150 per year.
Up to €300 adoption premium
Give your little one some extra care. Our adoption premium of €150 per affiliated parent gives you a financial boost.
50% discount on your baby essentials in the Care Shop
Helan offers you a good start with a 50% discount on the purchase of baby and children's items in the Helan Care Shop. This comes with a maximum discount of €150 per child.
Extra gift worth €30
If you purchase your baby essentials with the above 50% discount, you will also receive a choice between 1 of these 2 gifts: Naïf Newborn Essentials or the MOES PLAY Tower Blocks.
Frequently asked questions about adoption
You are not required to take your full adoption leave. However, you must take your leave continuously in full and consecutive weeks.
Adoption leave and parental leave may not be combined if you also adopt the child at the time of birth. Adoption leave takes priority over parental leave.
If you adopt the child at a later stage and have already taken parental leave, your adoption leave will be reduced by:
- 1 week if you have taken up to 5 days of parental leave
- 2 weeks if you have taken more than 5 days of parental leave
Unemployed and incapacitated people who are no longer bound by an employment contract are not entitled to adoption leave.
Yes, self-employed people are also entitled to adoption leave.
Yes, employees who adopt a child are also entitled to parental leave.
A copy of the official certificate from the competent authority confirming that:
- The child is currently in an adoption procedure.
- You, as the adoptive parent, have been entrusted with the child.
- A copy of the decision in which the foreign adoption is officially recognized by the International Adoption Service of the FPS Justice.
- Or an extract from the adoption certificate.
- Or, if you do not yet have either of these documents at the time the child is registered at your main residence: a certificate from the competent authority stating that the child is in an ongoing adoption procedure and has already been entrusted to you.
- Or, if you wish to start adoption leave before the child is registered: a document from the competent authority confirming that the child has been assigned to you within the framework of the adoption procedure (as specified in Article 361-3, 5° or Article 361-5, 4° of the Civil Code).
Everything about adoption
Congratulations, you've become a parent! Would you like to know what your rights and responsibilities are as an adoptive parent? We're happy to help.
Track and manage your benefit file on My Helan
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Helan Independent Health Insurance Fund is the insurance agent (n° CDZ 5006c) for ‘MLOZ Insurance’, the VMOB of Independent Health Insurance Funds, (Register of Legal Entities in Brussels, 422.189.629, recognised under no. CDZ 750/01 for branches 2 and 18). View the data sheet and the General Terms and Conditions. Belgian law applies to the insurance contract. The term of the contract is whole life. In the event of any complaint, contact the complaints department of Helan Health Insurance Fund or the insurance ombudsman. For more information about purchasing this/these product(s), please contact Helan Health Insurance Fund. Helan Onafhankelijk ziekenfonds, Boomsesteenweg 5, 2610 Wilrijk, 0411.696.011, RPR Antwerpen, www.helan.be.