Flemish guard services expand mission to outdoor activities

The Flemish Government has adopted a decree extending the missions of guard services (oppashulp, or services de garde) to include accompaniment during outdoor activities, a change published in the Moniteur Belge of 25 August 2026. The decree, dated 17 July 2026, amends the Woonzorgdecreet (Residential Care Decree) of 15 February 2019 and will enter into force on a date set by the Flemish Government, at the latest on 1 March 2027.

The measure was adopted by the Flemish Parliament and ratified by the Flemish Government, and is published under official reference C-2026/006264. It is a community matter, as Article 1 of the decree states, and it is designed to benefit dependent persons and their families by broadening the scope of the support that guard services can provide.

What changes

The core of the reform is a single textual amendment to Article 15 of the Woonzorgdecreet of 15 February 2019, which had already been modified by the decrees of 1 March 2024 and 19 December 2025. The words “in de thuiszorgsituatie door” (in the home-care situation by) are replaced by “door aan huis of buitenshuis” (by, at home or outdoors).

In practice, this means that guard services, which previously accompanied care recipients only within the home-care setting, may now also provide accompaniment during activities outside the home. The change extends the reach of these services to outdoor activities, giving dependent persons greater freedom of movement and participation.

Entry into force

Article 3 of the decree provides that it enters into force on a date to be fixed by the Flemish Government, and in any case no later than 1 March 2027. The decree was signed in Brussels on 17 July 2026 by the Minister-President of the Flemish Government.

The transitional arrangement gives the Flemish administration time to adapt the implementing rules and to inform the recognised guard services of their new missions before the reform takes full effect.

Who benefits

The reform is aimed at dependent persons and their families, who rely on guard services for support and relief. By allowing accompaniment outside the home, the decree responds to a demand for greater autonomy and social participation among care recipients.

• Guard services may now accompany care recipients during outdoor activities.
• The change applies to the home-care setting and beyond, at home or outdoors.
• The decree benefits dependent persons and their families.

The extension of the missions of the guard services reflects a broader policy direction in Flanders towards more flexible, person-centred care that supports social inclusion. For families caring for a dependent relative, the reform means that the support they receive can follow the person outside the home, easing the burden of care and opening up new possibilities for daily life.

Source: Moniteur Belge / Belgisch Staatsblad, N. 190, 25 August 2026, p. 46349–46350 (official reference: C-2026/006264).