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Child homelessness surges in Brussels as shelters turn families away

By The South Asia Times

BRUSSELS — Belgium’s capital is facing a deepening homelessness crisis, with growing numbers of children sleeping on the streets as emergency shelters run out of space.

Belgium’s Children’s Rights Commissioner and the Child Rights Delegate issued a joint warning on Thursday, describing the situation in Brussels as “deteriorating” and unacceptable, according to Anadolu.

“No child should have to sleep outside,” they said, stressing that the right to safe housing applies to every child, regardless of a family’s immigration or administrative status.

According to 2024 data compiled by Brussels-based support organizations including Bruss'help and Samusocial, nearly 9,800 people were homeless in the city, including more than 1,600 minors.

Shelter requests are rising sharply, while facilities are stretched beyond capacity. Aid groups report that families are being refused accommodation daily, with some days seeing up to 100 families turned away. Officials confirm that children are currently living on the streets.

Beyond visible homelessness, many families are sleeping in cars, garages or overcrowded temporary housing, conditions authorities warn are harmful to children’s health and development.

The crisis could worsen with the closure of winter shelters at the end of March, eliminating hundreds of family places. Rights advocates are calling for urgent, coordinated action and a “zero refusal” policy to ensure no child is left without shelter.