The commission is involved in examining individual applications for authorisation and applications for approval to take on one or more children.
In each department, it is made up of:
1° A magistrate acting as a children’s judge and appointed by the first president of the court of appeal, who is the chairman;
2° The academic director of national education services acting on behalf of the education authority rector or his representative, or, in Paris, the director of the Paris education authority or his representative;
3° The departmental director responsible for employment, work and solidarity or his representative;
4° A doctor;
5° The Regional Director of Cultural Affairs or his/her representative, or, in Paris, a representative of the Minister of Culture, designated by order.