Reception in Belgium

Federal Agency for the reception of asylum seekers

Fanny François, Director Reception Network

Reception in Belgium

Fedasil: core business

Reception of asylum seekers

Unaccompanied minors

Voluntary return

Reception policy

Integration of the centres in their neighbourhood

European Refugee Fund

Reception in Belgium

Fedasil: key figures

Agency created in May 2002

1,200 workers

Expenditure in 2013= 320 Mi €

current number of reception places: 21,400

The reception crisis

The reception crisis

2008 - 2011 Increase of asylum applicants (mostly Balkan)

Occupancy rate exceeding 100%

Opening of emergency reception facilities

Reception in hotels (meant as short-term solution)

From May 2009 till December 2012

Around 1,000 people have been accommodated in hotels in Brussels

The reception / asylum crisis

Asylum applications: figures 2006 - today

11.587 11.11512.252

17.186

19.941

25.479

21.463

12.500

0

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000

30.000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

The reception crisis

10.000

12.000

14.000

16.000

18.000

20.000

22.000

24.000

26.000

3/0

1/2

00

5

3/0

4/2

00

5

3/0

7/2

00

5

3/1

0/2

00

5

3/0

1/2

00

6

3/0

4/2

00

6

3/0

7/2

00

6

3/1

0/2

00

6

3/0

1/2

00

7

3/0

4/2

00

7

3/0

7/2

00

7

3/1

0/2

00

7

3/0

1/2

00

8

3/0

4/2

00

8

3/0

7/2

00

8

3/1

0/2

00

8

3/0

1/2

00

9

3/0

4/2

00

9

3/0

7/2

00

9

3/1

0/2

00

9

3/0

1/2

01

0

3/0

4/2

01

0

3/0

7/2

01

0

3/1

0/2

01

0

3/0

1/2

01

1

3/0

4/2

01

1

3/0

7/2

01

1

3/1

0/2

01

1

3/0

1/2

01

2

3/0

4/2

01

2

3/0

7/2

01

2

3/1

0/2

01

2

3/0

1/2

01

3

3/0

4/2

01

3

3/0

7/2

01

3

Evolution de l'occupation du réseau d'accueil depuis début 2005

Occupation totale (y compris accueil d'urgence)

Occupation capacité structurelle

Seuil de saturation

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

15.936 25/09/2013

201320122011

14.963 14.963

12.900

MIN. 11.545 16/07/2007

16.281

18.164

20.824

23.145

21.382

MAX. 23.507 25/05/2012

The reception crisis

Consequences/ repercussions

More than 12,000 people without a reception place

Fedasil has been repeatedly condemned by the Labour court

Fedasil had to pay a fine to asylum seekers who were not taken care of

Out of the crisis

enlarging the reception capacity

15.875 16.094 15.809 16.06118.684

21.41224.026

21.543

0

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000

30.000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Out of the crisis

Integrated asylum and reception policy

1 State Secretary for Asylum, Migration and Social Integration (since December 2011)

Harmonisation of asylum + reception agencies

More staff :

to accelerate the handling of the asylum applications

to turn down asylum application backlog

Out of the crisis

Restricting the inflow into the reception network

Legal adaptations 2011

No (automatic) reception for multiple asylum applications

List of ‘safe countries’: accelerated asylum procedure

Dissuasive campaigns in countries of origin

Out of the crisis

Investing in a broader and better assistance for voluntary returnThird new step in the reception model: a 30 days stay in

a reception centre for voluntary return

Staff member for voluntary return in each reception centre

Voluntary return counter at dispatching service (from the beginning of their stay)

Out of the crisisVoluntary return: key figures

2.8112.593 2.669 2.659

2.9573.358

4.694

3.754

302

962

172

0

1.000

2.000

3.000

4.000

5.000

6.000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Voluntary return (via Fedasil) Voluntary return (by Immigration Office)

Out of the crisis

occupancy rate today: 71%

95,1%93,1%

91,0%89,1%

87,2%85,0%

83,5%80,9%

78,8%76,7%

74,7%72,8%

71,0%

50,0%

55,0%

60,0%

65,0%

70,0%

75,0%

80,0%

85,0%

90,0%

95,0%

100,0%

sept-12 oct-12 nov-12 déc-12 janv-13 févr-13 mars-13

avr-13 mai-13 juin-13 juil-13 août-13 sept-13

Reception in Belgium

Reception in three steps

First step: stay in collective reception centre (during 4 months)

Second step: stay in individual reception facilities

Third new step: stay in a reception centre for voluntary return (during 30 days)

Reception in Belgium

48 reception centres: locations in Belgium

Reception in Belgium

Reception centres (first step)

material aid: basic needs (food and shelter)

providing assistance

daily occupation / school

Reception in Belgium

Reception centres: providing assistance

Medical assistance

Psychological assistance

Legalassistance

Social assistance

Reception in Belgium

Individual housing (second step)

Furnished private lodging

Material aid

Providing assistance

Reception in Belgium

Reception facilities: a mixed population

* Citizens of Russia, Turkey and countries of Caucasus are included in 'Europe'

Reception centres population

Adults in family

Minors in family(accompanied)

Isolated women

Isolated men

Unaccompanied minors

Continental origin of the residents

Europe * 50%

Africa 28%

Asia 21%

Stateless and undetermined1%

Reception in Belgium

Top 5 nationalities:

Afghanistan (12,5%)

Guinea (10,5%)

Russia (9%)

Congo DR (7%)

Serbia (3,5%)

Specialized reception facilities

Reception model for UMA

A three-step reception

1. Observation and orientation

2. Collective reception facilities

3. Individual housing, supervised autonomy

Who?

Mainly asylum seekers

Mostly boys (nearly 80%)

Top 5 nationalities:– Afghanistan

– Guinea

– DR of Congo

– Iraq

– Somalia

Step 1 : OOC

Observation and Orientation centre: 2 x 50 places

‘Green’ Observation and Orientation centre :30 places

Step 1 : OOC

Open centre Reception for all UMA: – provides the 1st reception, – offers an adaptation period– permits to make a psychosocial analysis - orientation – permits the Guardianship Service to identify the

UMA and to assign a guardian.

Period of 15 days renewable only once (max 1 month)

Step 2 : collective reception

The UM Asylum seeker is accommodated in the Fedasil network

The UM non-Asylum seeker is accommodated by the Communities : specialized reception

Step 2 : collective reception

Open collective reception centre

Supervision of the UMA 24/7

Social and medical assistance,…

Individual follow-up

Schooling

Together with the minor and the help of his guardian a follow-up project and his autonomy are prepared.

Period : 4 months to 1 year

Specializations in collective centres

UMA mothers or pregnant girls (30 places)

Time Out (10 places)

Mental disorders (15 places)

Children from 8-9 years to 14 years old (15 places)

Step 3: individual reception

If the UMA is still entitled to benefit material assistance : local reception facilities with supervised autonomy

House, flat, separated roomsEasy access via public transport In the neighbourhood of collective reception centres

Step 3: individual reception

Offers more individual help and supervision

This stay is a transition period but offers the necessary tools to acquire full autonomy.

Currently, we are in need of individual housing for UMA

Number of facilities UMA 2003 - 2013

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

third step

second step

OOC

Challenges 2014 - 2018

• Downsizing reception facilities

• More specialized reception facilities (medical care, mental disorders,…) for persons with specific needs• Individual housing for UMA• Quality standards for all reception facilities• International /European platforms, studies, benchmark etc.•…

Thank you for your attention !