Funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020) Mapping of Existing Training for Family-Based Care Providers in Belgium Family-based care (FBC) for unaccompanied migrant children in Belgium: mapping report on existing training for FBC providers, inclusive of country-specific analysis of gaps and needs. Fostering Across Borders (FAB) Project November 2018
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Mapping of Existing Training for Family-Based Care ... · placement. In 2017, Pleegzorg Vlaanderen counted 331 FBC providers for UMC: 257 kinship placements and 74 foster families
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Funded by the European Union’s Rights,
Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020)
Mapping of Existing Training for
Family-Based Care Providers in Belgium
Family-based care (FBC) for unaccompanied migrant children in Belgium: mapping report on
existing training for FBC providers, inclusive of country-specific analysis of gaps and needs.
Fostering Across Borders (FAB) Project
November 2018
IOM United Kingdom Country Office 11 Belgrave Road – SW1V 1RB London
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the report do not imply expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of
its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries.
IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in the meeting of operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. The content of this report represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains. ______________________ This report was made possible through the partnership work between IOM Belgium, Mentor Escale and Minor Ndako under the terms of the Fostering Across Borders (FAB) project.
Annex One ............................................................................................................................................. 13
Annex Two ............................................................................................................................................. 15
In Belgium, the reception of Unaccompanied Migrant Children (UMC) is the responsibility of Fedasil,
the Federal Agency for the reception of Asylum Seekers, whereas the reception of children in family-
based care (FBC) falls under the mandate of the three separate Youth Welfare Offices of the
Communities: the Dutch-speaking Community (De Vlaamse Gemeenschap), the French-speaking
community (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles) and the German-speaking community
(Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft). Therefore, the reception of UMC in FBC falls under different
legislative frameworks, both national (the Reception law of 12 January 20072) and regional (laws
regulating the accommodation of children in FBC for each of the three communities3).
During the surge in arrivals of refugees and migrants to the European Union in 2015, more than
5,000 unaccompanied migrant children (UMC) were identified in Belgium. This acted as a booster
for the reception of UMC in family-based care in the country.
Frontline professionals noticed an increase in the number of UMC under the age of 15 and presenting
with higher vulnerability factors, for most of which accommodation in reception centres was not the
most suitable option. It was therefore necessary for Belgium to be able to offer family-based care
reception to these children as a structural alternative to collective reception. Fedasil, the responsible
agency for the reception of UMC in Belgium, replied to the requests of various associations working
in the migration field on this subject and contacted the Youth Welfare Offices of the Dutch-speaking
and the French-speaking communities – as a result of which a framework for the reception of UMC
in FBC was designed. As the provision of foster care for UMC is still a relatively new practice in
Belgium, guidance and procedures are still a work in progress.
Pleegzorg Vlaanderen, the family placement service of the Dutch-speaking community, and Minor-
Ndako, a NGO active in the field of reception and integration of UMC in the same geographical area,
are responsible for the reception of UMC in FBC in the Dutch-speaking community.
In both the French and German-speaking communities, it is the NGO Mentor-Escale, active in the
field of reception and integration of UMC in the French-speaking area, that holds this responsibility.
Additionally, the family placement service ‘Familles sur Mesure’, specialized in recruiting Muslim
foster families, is currently receiving funding by the local Youth Welfare Office to recruit ten foster
families for UMC. A close collaboration exists between Mentor-Escale and ‘Familles sur Mesure’.
FBC providers in Belgium include families that volunteer to foster children, including UMC, in their
home.4 Every year, Mentor-Escale, Pleegzorg Vlaanderen, Minor-Ndako, and all other family
placement services in Belgium, organize awareness raising and recruitment campaigns to find new
potential FBC providers. As soon as a family volunteers, an intensive screening phase starts (inclusive
of a screening of financial means, housing, family relationships, etc.). The screening phase can last
up to six months. If at the end of the process the family is selected, they are invited to attend a
training for FBC providers. Once the matching between a foster family and a child has taken place,
the fostering situation beings and with it the provision of guidance: this can be seen as a continuation
of the learning process started with the training, in that it answers questions related to the fostering
placement posed by either the child or the FBC provider(s).
2 Available at: https://www.fedasil.be/fr/asile-en-belgique/cadre-legal 3 French-speaking Community: http://www.aidealajeunesse.cfwb.be/index.php?id=8045 ; Dutch-speaking community: https://jongerenwelzijn.be/over-ons/regelgeving/; German-speaking community: http://www.ostbelgienlive.be/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-255/ 4 FBC provision in Belgium also includes kinship placements: these do not need recruitment, as they are family members of the child.
FBC providers receive a monthly subsistence grant that has to be used to cover the needs of the
child.
Dutch-speaking community
By the end of 2015, a considerable number of families had contacted Pleegzorg Vlaanderen
volunteering to host unaccompanied migrant children in their homes. In order to respond to this
demand with a more structured approach, the Government of the Dutch-speaking community
framed this initiative into a broader policy approach to the ‘refugee crisis’, which was formalized in
the ministerial circular of 2 October 2015 containing the relevant measures within the Welfare,
Public Health and Family policy domain, and decided to support it financially through project
subsidization5. This resulted in the creation of the ‘Geef de Wereld een thuis’6 project in 2016, which
brought together the five offices of Pleegzorg Vlaanderen7 and the NGOs Minor-Ndako, Kiosk and
De Oever. The first phase of the project aimed at reviewing and adapting the recruitment, screening,
matching process and training of the families that had voluntarily proposed to foster UMC. The
second phase of the project focused on kinship placements, due to a continued high-influx of UMC
to Belgium. The increased number of kinship placements allowed to focus more strongly on the
cultural aspects of care provision.
Minor-Ndako supported Pleegzorg Vlaanderen in all phases of the process: recruitment, screening,
matching, guidance and support of the UMC and foster family. All three NGOs were responsible for
informing UMC of the project, preparing them for the matching process and initiating the fostering
placement. In 2017, Pleegzorg Vlaanderen counted 331 FBC providers for UMC: 257 kinship
placements and 74 foster families across the five provinces of Flanders and Brussels. All foster
families were trained by Pleegzorg Vlaanderen using a mix of its own methodology and the
ALternative FAmily CAre (ALFACA)8 methodology, while kinship carers were given the option to
choose whether they wished to be supported by Pleegzorg Vlaanderen or not. Training sessions were
and continue to be held in the five provincial offices of Pleegzorg Vlaanderen and delivery is
dependent on the number of families available.
In the course of 2017, Pleegzorg Vlaanderen was also very active in recruiting foster families sharing
the same cultural background as the UMC by using the ALFACA methodology. The following ALFACA
topics were also fully integrated into the Pleegzorg Vlaanderen training programme: religion,
sexuality, migration, gender, honour-based violence and child abuse. Suitable communication and
information-sharing channels were also identified and communication materials developed.
At the beginning of 2017 Fedasil, Minor-Ndako and Pleegzorg Vlaanderen started implementing
‘fast-forward placements’. Fast-forward placements are dedicated to UMC that are younger than 13
years old: they are meant to provide them with a fostering placement as soon as possible after their
arrival in Belgium. Recruiting, screening, training (which can be fast-tracked if necessary), and
general support lasting throughout the fostering period, are provided by both Minor-Ndako and
Pleegzorg Vlaanderen: intensive support is carried out by Minor-Ndako until the placement is stable,
after which Pleegzorg Vlaanderen takes over. Foster families who apply for this type of fostering
provision are offered an extra training opportunity where relevant topicsare discussed, including
language barriers, human trafficking and modern slavery, medical needs, child custody and more.
5 Eindrapport 2016 ‘Geef de Wereld een thuis’ – Pleegzorg Vlaanderen 6 ‘Geef de Wereld een thuis’, which translated in English means ‘Give the world a home’ 7 Pleegzorg Vlaams-Brabant & Brussel, Pleegzorg Oost-Vlaanderen, Pleegzorg West-Vlaanderen, Pleegzorg Antwerpen and Pleegzorg Limburg 8 ALFACA stands for Alternative Family Care. The project was implemented from 2015 until 2017, leaded by Nidos and co-Funded by DG Justice (https://engi.eu/projects/alfaca/)
During the first three months of fostering, a 24/7 buffer placement in the Minor-Ndako reception
structure is kept open for fostered UMC would they and/or their foster family need a time-out
period. To date, Minor-Ndako has carried out ten fast forward placements for a total of eleven UMC.
Minor-Ndako uses a methodology inspired by the ALFACA methodology to train and support foster
families.
German and French-speaking communities
In March 2016, Mentor-Escale started the ‘Foster family’ project. The project is funded by the
Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) (for twenty FBC placements for UMC) and by the
French-speaking community Youth Welfare Office (AGAJ9) (for thirty FBC placements for UMC). The
information-provision, recruitment, training and support of foster families is based on the NGO’s
own methodology, on other family-based care methodologies, on its professional expertise working
with Youth Welfare Services and in the migration field, and on systemic psychology research.
Since the beginning of the project Mentor-Escale has successfully recruited fifty foster families10, of
which twenty-six are currently fostering an UMC and twenty received UMC training. Mentor-Escale’s
recruitment method generally targets families from all backgrounds; additionally, following a slightly
different methodology than that used for foster carers, the NGO provides support to kinship
placements too, provided it is requested by the family and/or the child’s legal guardian and approved
by the Youth Welfare Office.
9 Administration Générale de l’Aide à la Jeunesse 10 Two Muslim families were recruited within the scope of the aforementioned Famille Sur Mesure project, but as the matching process and the training were carried out by Mentor-Escale, the organisation now also supports these families, which have been counted against the total number of FBC providers recruited by Mentor-Escale. Mentor-Escale contributed to this project’s awareness raising and information work strain.
The systemic psychology approach looks at the individual and/or the family functionality within
their wider life context(s). This allows to work at different levels and to understand a situation in
all its complexity.
- In the reflection work carried out with the family before a placement begins, this approach
allows Mentor-Escale to look at the family’s functioning, its flexibility, its ability to cope with
stressful situations and to successfully integrate a new element into their family. Mentor-Escale’s
theoretical benchmarks are based on the work of Bowen, Minuchin and Neuburger. This
approach allows for the development and implementation of a project with the families: the
families become main characters within the project and are fully involved in it.
- This approach also takes into account all the actors who revolve around the young person (foster
family, the legal guardian, Mentor-Escale, the school, etc.). Mentor-Escale starts from the
premise that to pay attention to the functionality of an individual in his/her context and to what
actually makes them able to act and function within this context, makes it possible to best support
young people whose life journeys have been challenging. At theoretical level, the NGO relies on
Braunfenbrenner's approach (as well as on the multidirectional systemic approach).
Lastly, Mentor-Escale delivered four UMC training sessions across Wallonia and Brussels: two basic
training sessions and two advanced ones. A session lasts two to three hours and contains different
modules which covers different topics directly related to UMC:
• Immigration and asylum process, and juridical questions related to it;
• Psycho-social needs of UMC;
• Theory of attachment and resilience;
• Conflict of loyalty;
• Identity building (this last module/topic is still being developed).
Training is given through presentations and by sharing examples and experiences. Some related
literature is also shared with the foster families. As training sessions are organized when a certain
number of available families is reached, sometimes families that are already fostering an UMC are
brought together with families that are still at the beginning of that process.11 The experience of the
families already looking after UMC is invaluable in this context and informs the sessions, often
prompting the exchange of good practice examples and fruitful discussions of case studies.
It is important to note that within Mentor-Escale’s methodology participation in a training session is
not a mandatory step to be able to foster an UMC. Foster families are encouraged to attend training
but can decide not to - relevant information will still be provided to them during the screening,
matching and placement support/guidance processes.
Also notably, Mentor Escale is the only organisation mandated to deliver UMC training to FBC
providers in the Wallonia region: in this sense the organisation is the only provider of UMC training
in the German-speaking community, which is part of the Wallonia region and has no other provider
of such training.
Methodology
Data was identified and collected with the aid of an internal mapping framework of reference
developed by IOM an the FAB project partners. The framework provided an internal guideline on how
best to carry our preliminary desk research, identify target audiences and key stakeholders, and gather
relevant data.
Two surveys for FBC providers were developed, one for the French and German-speaking communities
and one for the Dutch-speaking community12. The questionnaires included open-ended questions, to
allow for the collection of qualitative data alongside quantitative data, the analysis of which will inform
the adaptation of relevant training materials.
In the French and German-speaking areas, the survey was shared in electronic version (Google form)
with recruited foster families. Unfortunately, in the Dutch-speaking community, Pleegzorg Vlaanderen
did not authorize contact with FBC providers for the purpose of completing the mentioned survey.
Nonetheless, a meeting with key stakeholders was held on 25 June 2018 in Brussels, which allowed
the collection of observational findings and opinions on the training needs of FBC providers.
Recommendations were also made based on Minor-Ndako’s expertise in the field and observational
findings.
11 Matching is sometimes carried out before the foster family has attend a training session. This is done in order to avoid a too long period between the recruitment and the matching phase, in order to avoid drop-out. It has been shown that a too long waiting period between the registration of interest and the start of the fostering situation strongly impacts on the family’s motivation to foster and might lead families to drop-out mid process. 12 See Annex One and Annex Two.
The survey was sent to 35 of the 50 foster families that were recruited and/or trained and supported
by Mentor-Escale. This was due to two main reasons: some families could not be reached (no
internet access, incorrect email address, etc.) and some were deemed too vulnerable (placement is
or was too sensitive and/or was not successful and it was too early to contact the family for
feedback). Twenty-one families provided a response.
Although aware of the limitations of this type of enquiries and having carefully interpreted all results,
the data collected enabled us to identify important gaps and needs regarding the trainings provided
to foster families by Mentor-Escale. The main findings are listed below:
• Six respondents found the information received13 pertinent but incomplete. The remaining
respondents consider the information pertinent and complete.
• Eleven respondents had participated in a training session or another activity organized by
Mentor-Escale (e.g.: InterVision group, “Fêtes des Familles”). The majority of them (9) agreed
that the information received was sufficient and appropriate to their expectations and needs,
and almost all (10) considered two training sessions per year as sufficient (one respondent
suggested that four training sessions per year would be preferable).
• Ten respondents had not participate in any training session and only two of them thought it
is necessary to be trained.
• Responders identified the following training content needs, namely stating that more
information is needed on:
1) what to do when the asylum procedure is concluded and what are the existing procedures
in Belgium for UMC to apply for a residence permit;
2) education, schooling and how to support the UMC;
3) how to deal with a young person’s trauma-induced or related crisis;
4) what happens when the UMC turns 18 years old;
5) what to do if the UMC does not want to take part in the family life;
6) country of origin information (including habits and manners);
7) supporting the integration of the young person in Belgium (e.g. learning the language, tips
to prepare the UMC for the asylum interview, etc.).
• Gaps identified by the foster families on the scope of the training: 1) more exchange opportunities between foster families on their experiences, case studies
discussions and good practices examples;
2) training is too “academic”;
3) more sessions to be organized outside Brussels.
Although it is too early to evaluate the impact of the training on the fostering process as the project
is quite new, some trends based on observational findings are emerging:
1) Foster families have expressed the needs to continue to be trained after having attended
the basic training session
2) The training allows the families to understand the complexity of the situation of UMC
13 The information the respondents are here referring to is not limited to the one received during training, but includes information received throughout the fostering process, mostly during the recruitment process and the ongoing fostering support.
I. Eindrapport 2016 ‘Geef de Wereld een Thuis’ – Pleegzorg Vlaanderen - 2016
II. Eindrapport 2017 ’Geef de Wereld een Thuis’ – Pleegzorg Vlaanderen - 2017
III. Alternative Family Care (ALFACA) - Manual for staff working with reception families and unaccompanied children living in reception families - Nidos, Danish Red Cross, Jugendhilfe Süd-Niedersachsen, Minor-Ndako, Organization for Aid to Refugees - August 2016
IV. Jaarverslag 2016, Opvang en begeleiding voor minderjarigen en hun context – Minor-Ndako – 2016
V. Jaarverslag 2017, Opvang en begeleiding voor minderjarigen en hun context – Minor-Ndako – 2017
Annex One Survey for FBC providers in the German and French-speaking communities of Belgium – Circulated.
Questionnaire à destination des familles
d'accueil Dans le cadre d'un projet international organisé avec l'Organisation International des Migrations et l'Union
Européenne, l'équipe Familles d'accueil de Mentor-Escale est dans un processus d'autoévaluation et
d'évaluation des besoins de ses partenaires. Pour ce faire, nous aimerions avoir vos avis et suggestions
concernant les formations et le suivi relatifs à notre projet. *Obligatoire
Question 1: veuillez cocher la case correspondante à la situation actuelle *
• Je n'accueille pas encore de MENA
• J'accueille un MENA depuis moins de 6 mois
• J'accueille un MENA depuis moins d'un an
• J'accueille un MENA depuis plus d'un an
• Je n'accueille plus de MENA actuellement
Question 2: comment avez-vous entendu parler du projet Familles d'accueil de Mentor-Escale?
Plusieurs réponses sont possibles *
• Via les médias (presse, radio, TV, etc.)
• Via les réseaux sociaux (Facebook, etc.)
• Via une famille d'accueil
• Via des amis
• Via l'Aide à la Jeunesse
• Via des tuteurs pour MENA
• Via la Plateforme citoyenne
• Autres:
Question 3a: dans le cadre de l'accueil en famille d'un MENA, à quelle étape du processus avez-
vous reçu des informations vous permettant de vous préparer au mieux à un accueil familial ?
Plusieurs réponses sont possibles. *
• Durant les sessions d’informations collectives
• Durant les entretiens de réflexion
• Durant le suivi de la situation d'accueil
• Durant une des demi-journées de formation
• Autre:
Question 3b: pensez-vous que ces informations étaient: *
• Complètes et pertinentes
• Incomplètes mais pertinentes
• Incomplètes et non pertinentes Question 4 : Y a-t-il des informations que vous souhaiteriez recevoir lors d’une prochaine formation ? Veuillez développer.
Questions spécifiques à la formation de Mentor-Escale
Question 5: en plus du processus d’élaboration du projet, Mentor-Escale organise ponctuellement des demi-journées de formation (Journée des Familles), des intervisions (Apéro Familles) et des fêtes des Familles. Avez-vous déjà participé à au moins une de ces activités ? Si oui, veuillez répondre aux questions 5a, 5b et 5c. Si non, veuillez passer à la question 5d.
• Oui
• Non Question 5a: suite à votre participation à une des activités, trouvez-vous que les informations reçues étaient:
• Suffisantes et appropriées à vos attentes et besoins
• Insuffisantes mais appropriées à vos attentes et besoins
• Insuffisantes et inappropriées à vos attentes et besoins Question 5b: actuellement, les formations des Journées des Familles se font deux fois par an. Souhaiteriez-vous qu'elles se déroulent à une fréquence plus élevée :
• Non, 2 fois c’est suffisant
• Oui, 3 fois par an est préférable
• Oui, 4 fois par an est préférable Question 5c: d'après vous, comment cette formation pourrait-elle être améliorée au niveau de sa forme (supports, nombre de formateur etc.) ? Réponse : Question 5d : Selon vous, comment cette formation pourrait-elle être améliorée au niveau de son contenu (thèmes à aborder, etc.) ? Réponse : Question 5e: étant donné que vous n'avez pas encore participé à une des formations organisées par Mentor-Escale, vous paraît-il nécessaire d’y être formé ?
Annex Two Survey for FBC providers in the Dutch-speaking community of Belgium – Not circulated.
Vragenlijst voor pleeggezinnen van NBMV In het kader van het Europees project Fostering Across Borders (FAB), gefinancierd door DG Justice, georganiseerd in samenwerking tussen de Internationale Organisatie voor Migratie (IOM) en Minor-Ndako wensen wij de ervaringen van de pleeggezinnen in het project ‘Pleegzorg voor Niet-Begeleide Minderjarigen’ (NBM) te evalueren. Hierbij willen we vragen naar uw medewerking door ons te informeren over de noden die jullie ondervinden in het kader van het project ‘Pleegzorg voor NBM’. Alvast dankjewel voor uw tijd en inzet! Gelieve aan te duiden wat voor u van toepassing is:
• Ik vang nog geen NBM op
• Ik heb in het verleden een NBM opgevangen
• Ik vang een NBM op, minder dan 6 maanden
• Ik vang een NBM op, minder dan 1 jaar
• Ik vang een NBM op, reeds langer dan 1 jaar
• Other: Hoe was u op de hoogte van het bestaan van het project 'pleegzorg voor NBM'?:
• via de media (tv, radio, geschreven pers,...)
• via de sociale media (facebook, ...)
• via vrienden, familie
• via opvangcentra voor NBM
• via voogden
• Other: Heeft u een vorming gevolgd als voorbereiding op de pleegplaatsing?:
• ja
• nee Indien u geen vorming heeft gevolgd, had u graag vorming gevolgd?:
• ja
• nee Indien u geen vorming heeft gevolgd, welke thema's zouden relevant geweest zijn?
• het juridsch aspect van de NBM (asielprocedure)
• het cultuuraspect van de NBM
• het toekomstperspectief van de NBM (gezinshereniging, terugkeer, illegaliteit, zelfstandig wonen,...)
• omgaan met afwezige ouders, aanwezige context
• het opvoedingsaspect van de NBM
• het welzijn van de NBM (psychisch, sociaal, hechting,...)
Indien u een vorming als voorbereiding heeft gevolgd, was deze:
• compleet en relevant
• niet compleet en relevant
• compleet en niet relevant
• niet compleet en niet relevant Indien u een vorming heeft gevolgd, hoe kan deze nog verbeterd worden?:
• thema's meer aanpassen aan de doelgroep
• organisatie van de vorming aanpassen (duur, locatie, vormingsmedewerker, aantal personen,...)
• Other: Heeft u nog ideeën of tips ter voorbereiding van pleegouders voor de opvang van NBM?: Bent u tevreden over de ondersteuning van de pleegzorgplaatsing?:
• ja
• nee verduidelijking: Heeft u nog ideeën, tips ter ondersteuning van de pleegzorgplaatsing? *