MPHASIS 8 May 2009

1. MPHASIS 8 May 2009 Review of evidence from Belgium and preliminary findings of the “SILC-CUT” pilot survey Prof Dr. Ides Nicaise & Sebastiano Cincinnato (HIVA-K.U.Leuven)

2. Introduction • Extent and profile • Flanders: SAW & Tellus • Brussels: La Strada • Wallonia: Associations des Maisons d’Accueil • SILC-CUT • General context & aim • Non-response in EU-SILC • Modifications questionnaire • Approach of target group • Experiences pilot-survey

3. Scope and profile • Belgium (FEANTSA): • 17.000 roofless and homeless in 2003

4. Scope and profile • Flanders - Extent (Resource Centre for General Social Work (SAW)): • 7.980 homeless people stayed in night shelters or reception centres • 2.335 received an ambulant form of assistance • 10.315 in total • Profile (Tellus customer registration system):

5. Scope and profile • Brussels Capital Region (La Strada): • 2.766 home- and roofless people in 2008 • Minimum estimation • Heterogeneous group (mothers, undocumented migrants, drugs addicts,…) • Interesting findings: • Importance of negotiated squatting • Importance of stations as whereabouts • Importance of unrecognized shelters

6. Scope and profile • Wallonia (Association of reception centres) • 18.000 people accomodated in 2006 • 55% adult men, 24% adult women, 19% children • Striking facts: • Increase number of children • Shortage of reception places (14.000 refusals) • Lengthening of the average duration of stay • Increased complexity (mental health problems)

7. SILC-CUT: general context • EU-SILC (Stats on Income and Living Conditions): • Yearly panel survey on EU-level (since 2004) • Different themes: housing, income, social security, health(care), education,… • Poverty rate (15.2% in 2007) • Non- or underrepresentation of certain populations: • Itinerant population • Home- and roofless people (ETHOS) • Permanent campingsite residents • Undocumented migrants • Asylum seekers and regularized people • People in institutions (e.g. prison, homes) • Non- or underrepresentation especially due to: • Sampling (i.e. national register) • Non-response (i.e. non-contact and refusal)

8. SILC-CUT: aim • Identification of non-represented populations • Estimation of the magnitude of those populations • Survey among specific groups: • Undocumented migrants • Home- and roofless • Non-response analysis of EU-SILC

9. Non-response in the EU-SILC • Attrition EU-SILC 2004-2005 • Non-response prob.: • Age: higher for 25-34 years lower for >64 years (ref= 45-64 years) • Education: higher among low educated (ref=high education) • Household type: lower for couples with kids lower for single parents (ref=couples no kids) • Region: higher in Brussels lower in Flanders (ref=Wallonia) • # incomes from work: larger for households with no income (ref=2 or more)

10. Modifications to EU-SILC questionnaire • Income: • Amount • Regularity • (subj.) adequacy • Source (work, social benefits, transfers, other) • Housing: • Reference address • Shelter or street • Access to sanitary • Modifications in housing situation

11. Modifications to EU-SILC questionnaire • Health and access to healthcare: • Physical and mental health • Healthcare history and access • Alcohol and drug abuse • Daily activities: • Employed or unemployed • Type of work • Wage • Duration unemployment • Obstacles

12. Reaching out to the target group • Three lines of approach: • Shelters • Reception centres (Inloopcentra) • Streetworkers

13. Pilot survey SILC-CUT • Evaluation of selection procedure • 11 through shelters, 4 through inloopcentra • 13 men, 2 women • 18-35 years= 3; 36-50 years= 9; 51-65 years= 3 • Cooperation with organisations: • Overall positive • Points of interest: • Democratic decision process • Compensation for organisations • Compensation • 30€ • Point of interest: • Agreement with organisation

14. Pilot survey SILC-CUT • Evaluation of questionnaire • Positive (participation and completion) • Points of interest: • Language • Sensitivity/threat • Income, housing