Research project
Whose best interests?
How are children’s rights and welfare protected in the Dutch 'gezinslocaties' (family reception centers)?
- Contact
- Elias Tissandier-Nasom
- Funding
-
LDE GMD Seed Fund
- Partners
- Erasmus University
- University of Amsterdam
Introduction
This research projects focuses on the situation of children and their families living in family reception centers in the Netherlands (gezinslocaties). These centers are aimed to house families who do not have a residence permit in the Netherlands and have received an order to leave but cannot, for various reasons, be returned to their country of origin yet. Families stay in these centers until they either return voluntarily or the Dutch government can enforce their return.
In the absence of a residence permit, parents are unable to work or integrate into Dutch society. However, children are entitled to the right to education and therefore are registered in school, learn Dutch and integrate.
This research aims to investigate the tension between this right of the child to welfare and restrictive migration law which materialises in the gezinslocaties. To do so, the research team carries out qualitative interviews with all actors involved including the policy-making and government bodies, support organisations and the residents themselves.
For this research project, the team has published multiple outputs based on the results of the qualitative field work.
- Tissandier-Nasom, E., Cleton, L., Jonitz, E., Hjeij, N.S., « Undocumented children in limbo”, Leiden Law Blog, 14 Jan. 2026. https://www.leidenlawblog.nl/articles/undocumented-children-in-limbo
- Cleton, L., Jonitz, E., “Ongedocumenteerde migrantengezinnen in voortdurende angst en onzekerheid”, Sociale Vraagstukken, 25 Nov. 2025. https://www.socialevraagstukken.nl/migratiesamenleving/ongedocumenteerde-migrantengezinnen-in-voortdurende-angst-en-onzekerheid/
This research received the Societal Impact Open and Responsible Science Award from Erasmus University in 2025.