Belgium’s government has laid out the terms for screening families applying to host refugees from Ukraine in a circular sent to mayors, the heads of services and other bodies, Belga News Agency reports.
The information was sent on Friday evening by Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden, Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne and the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Sammy Mahdi.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, over 11,000 families have offered to host people fleeing the conflict through the circuit organised by the Belgian authorities. Managing reception homes is the responsibility of the federated bodies – regions and provinces – while authorities at all levels cooperate to manage the situation in the safest way possible.
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To avoid abuse and exploitation, government bodies are building awareness through social media and online, and have appointed immigration officials at registration centres for families fleeing the conflict. In the case of unaccompanied foreign minors, the Guardianship Service steps in.
“Local authorities need to ask all adult members of families applying to be hosts for a police record.” Local authorities and federated bodies are also required to check the condition of host homes as well as their health and safety standards.
Anyone entrusted by a competent authority to provide shelter and assistance to the refugees must inform the police of anything that could present a risk to physical and emotional wellbeing. The police will then be charged with carrying out appropriate checks, the ministers said.
