Data on Homelessness in Flanders

1
Data onHomelessnessin Flanders
Gerard Van Menxel, Koen Mendonck, Helen Blow -
Steunpunt Algemeen Welzijnswerk Feantsa Working
Group Statistics and Indicators, Brussels, 28
May 2004
2
Structure of presentation

• Introduction data on homeless
• Services for the homeless
• The need for data collecting
• A new registration system
• Concept and methodology
• Process of implementation and practices
• Results
• Profile of the homeless
• Some results from a survey study

3
1. Data on homelessnessin Flanders -
Introduction
Gerard Van Menxel, Steunpunt Algemeen
Welzijnswerk Feantsa Working Group Statistics
and Indicators, Brussels, 28 May 2004
4
IntroductionHomelessness in Flanders

• Services for homeless people in Flanders
• Quantitative data on homelessness
• The development of a new system of registration
• General principles for a new registration system

5
Services for homeless people in Flanders

• The care for the homeless is embedded in 27
  Centres for General Welfarework (CAW) operating
  in 20 regions of Flanders and the Dutch speaking
  part of Brussels.
• CAW are NGOs subsidised by the Flemish
  government for 50 mio. (2002). This represents
  2 of the total budget for welfare.
• A total of 1.755 full time equivalents of
  personnel from which 840 or 48 working in
  services for the homeless.

6
Services for homeless people in Flanders

• 27 CAW 307 services with a variety of activities
• 137 services for the homeless
• Type of services
• Reception centres for men, for women, for
  couples, for young adults, nightshelters,
• Supported accomodation general, for young
  adults, for older homeless persons
• Day centres and outreaching work

7
Services for homeless people in Flanders

• See details in Appendix 1  Services for the
  homeless 
• Capacity 2004
• Reception centres 1.437 (1.271 in 1990)
• Supported accomodation 1.150 (217 in 1990)
• Trends
• Capacity in residential centres is strongly
  diminishing since 1995, especially in reception
  centres for men
• In favour of a strong growth of supported
  accomodation
• Explanations 1) new legal framework, 2)
  reconversion

8
The need for data collecting Dark numbers

• No official census by the government
• No figures on people at risk for homelessness
  living in institutions (hospitals, psychiatry,
  prisons, centres for drugaddicts,...)
• No figures on homeless helped or housed by other
  services (e.g. Public Centres for Social Welfare)
  or charity
• No figures on people in inadequate accomodation
  or insecure housing (squat, campings, hotels,...)
• No observations in the public space from people
  with no fixed abode, roofless on the street or in
  public spaces

9
The need for data collectingAvailable data on
homelessness

• Registration by NGO SAW
• people staying in subsidized night shelters
• hostels for homeless youngsters
• reception centres for homeless men
• reception centres for homeless women and shelters
  for battered women
• people living in designated supported
  accommodation
• But a more appropriate system of registration was
  needed after a period of reorganisation

10
The need for data collectingWhy a new system of
registration?

• 1995-1999 the failure of an ambitious project
  developped by the Flemish Government
• Since 1997 a basic need for knowledge within a
  new institutional context
• Former registrations needed to be adapted
• Registration was required by the government
  (Decree of 1997)
• Since 2000 going our own way

11
The need for data collectingBasic principles

• Do it yourself
• Keep it simple
• Go fast
• In partnership
• Made to measure
• For the CAW
• For the SAW
• For the Flemish ministry