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

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)

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

Scope and profile

• Belgium (FEANTSA):

– 17.000 roofless and homeless in 2003

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):

Characteristic 1982 2007 Women 18% 33%

Young homeless (<30 years) 50% 52%

Homeless 30-50 years 31% 34%

Older Homeless (>50 years) 19% 14%

Non-Belgian origin 9% 27%

Single 66% 66%

Divorced 13% 19%

No education or only the primary level

44% 30%

Educated to lower secondary level only

30% 23%

Rate of employment 21% 12%

Main income from work 24% 13%

Unemployment benefit 19% 37%

Assistance (OCMW) 28% 18%

Debt 25% -

Source: Van Menxel et al. (2003), Verbinding Verbroken, Steunpunt Algemeen Welzijnswerk, Berchem; Vranken et al. (2008, p.376)

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

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)

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)

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

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)

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

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

Reaching out to the target group

• Three lines of approach:– Shelters– Reception centres (Inloopcentra)– Streetworkers

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

Pilot survey SILC-CUT

• Evaluation of questionnaire– Positive (participation and completion)– Points of interest:

• Language• Sensitivity/threat• Income, housing