A family association is a group of 2 people minimum is engaged in a non-profit-making activity, i.e. the purpose of which is not to generate profit.

Its essential mission is to defence the interests of families.

It can be member of a national family movement or remain independent.

A family association includes parents, children, grandparents or other family members such as uncles, aunts, cousins,... But they may also be close friends who have close family ties.

The main purpose of a family association is to defense of all material interests (access to housing, education, sports or cultural facilities, etc.) and morals (defense of educational values, life as a couple,...) families.

The term ‘family’ should be considered as relating to married couples, former couples, cohabiting, with or without children. But also persons who have legal responsibility for at least one child (parental authority by filiation or adoption, guardianship, curatorship, etc.).

The activities of the family associations are as follows:

• To advise the Government on family matters and propose measures which appear to be in the family's material and moral interests
• Officially represent all families before the public authorities. These may include representation on councils, assemblies or various bodies set up by the State, region, department or municipality. Such as, for example, the High Council for the Family, the Family Allowance Funds, the Communal Social Action Centers.
• Managing family services entrusted by public authorities, mainly legal protection services for adults
• Defend the material and moral interests of families, if they are involved, by bringing civil proceedings before the courts.

Family associations also manage, on their own initiative, many services for families (school support actions, consumer counseling services, public awareness of family issues, etc.).

The resources of a family association are as follows:

• Special fund to be financed each year by a payment from the Cnaf: titleContent and the MSA: titleContent in proportion to the amount of family benefits paid in the preceding year by each of them
• Contributions from member associations, federations and sections of family associations
• Public or private grants, donations, bequest
• Remuneration or allowances for administrative expenses which may be included in the various family services

The creation of a family association follows the same rules of creating only an association subject to the 1901 Act.

In order to join a family association, foreign families must meet the following 3 conditions:

• Reside in France for at least 1 year
• Have a residence permit valid for at least 3 years
• Have one or more members of their family in France and have a residence permit valid for at least 3 years

In each department, a departmental union of family associations (Udaf) may group the following structures, provided they are reported since at least 6 months :

• Federations of associations of the department
• Family associations having their head office in the department, not belonging to a federation
• Departmental or local sections of national associations

The Udaf are grouped within the National Union of Family Associations (Unaf).

Rules and regulations Each union shall draw up its statutes and a They must obtain the agreement:

• the departmental union for local unions,
• the national union for departmental unions,
• the minister responsible for the family for the national union.

Each union is administered by a board of directors whose members are 

• partly elected by members of families belonging to associations
• and partly designated by the member family federations or associations.

A union of family associations functions as a coordinating, representative and support body for local or departmental family associations, with the main objective of defending the interests of families before the public authorities and institutions.