Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Emergency Child Care in Voorschoten

In June 2022, the government decided to establish a national crisis response structure for asylum reception, because the registration center in Ter Apel was constantly overcrowded and the reception and support of asylum seekers were under strain. One of the measures the government has taken is to expedite the transfer of asylum seekers who have been granted refugee status—those with a residence permit—from their current asylum reception centers to another location. The State Secretary therefore asked all safety regions in the Netherlands in June 2022 to provide 225 places per safety region for emergency crisis shelter. In our safety region, we have distributed this across several municipalities. The municipal executive of Voorschoten has decided to cooperate with this request. In July, the municipality agreed with the COA that, from July 26, 2022, through January 26, 2023, 120 status holders and family reunification beneficiaries would be accommodated at Hotel Van der Valk De Gouden Leeuw.
Although our security region and many other security regions have met their initial target of creating 225 emergency crisis shelter spots, the COA was still facing a significant shortage of shelter spots in August 2022. The Association of Netherlands Municipalities, the Security Council, the Interprovincial Consultation, and the national government therefore reached several administrative agreements on August 26, 2022, regarding the flow of migrants. Part of these administrative agreements is that each security region—in addition to the previously agreed-upon emergency shelter spots—will create another 225 emergency shelter spots. The COA has requested that the municipality of Voorschoten provide 80 additional shelter spots for status holders and family reunification migrants at the current emergency shelter location, the Van der Valk Hotel De Gouden Leeuw. The municipality has decided to comply with this request until February 1, 2023. In December 2022, the COA indicated that the pressure on refugee reception remains unprecedentedly high, and that securing sufficient reception capacity is extremely complex. The closure of temporary shelter facilities, combined with an increased influx and delayed outflow of refugees, poses major challenges for the COA. The COA has indicated that the emergency shelter at the Van der Valk Hotel in Voorschoten is a crucial link in the reception process. For these reasons, the COA requested that the municipal executive extend the emergency shelter in Voorschoten under the same conditions. Following a positive meeting with local residents, the municipality has decided to extend the term of the emergency shelter until December 1, 2023.

Once an asylum seeker is recognized as a refugee and is allowed to remain in the Netherlands, that person is granted a temporary residence permit valid for a period of five years. A refugee with a residence permit is referred to as a “status holder” or “permit holder.”

Dependent family members are family members of the status holder or permit holder who are granted a provisional residence permit under special conditions. Family reunification is the process of bringing a family together.

Asylum status holders and family members joining them will be housed at Hotel Van der Valk until December 1, 2023.

No, the status holders and family members are assigned to a different municipality for permanent housing. As soon as another municipality has housing available, they will move there. When residents leave and spaces become available, the COA arranges for the arrival of new residents. The status holders and family members do not remain in Voorschoten permanently.

Asylum seekers, recognized refugees, and/or family members joining them are being accommodated in municipalities such as Alphen aan den Rijn, Leiden, Gouda, Oegstgeest, Nieuwkoop, and Katwijk, among others. In our safety region, we share this responsibility.

The COA strives to ensure a balanced composition of status holders and family members joining them in terms of origin, gender, age, and family situation. The influx of new arrivals is a key factor in this regard.

The COA guarantees 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week supervision, as well as the presence of security guards and emergency response personnel at the reception center. In the evening and at night, the COA’s on-call service is available in case of emergencies. The municipality and the COA hold regular consultations. In the event of serious disturbances, the mayor has the authority to impose a restraining order on the resident causing the disturbance, thereby barring that person from entering Voorschoten.

The COA is responsible for the costs of emergency shelter facilities.

Starting in July 2022, Hotel Van der Valk has made 60 double rooms available for emergency shelter, and starting in October 2022, 100 double rooms.

As soon as the COA needs volunteers, it notifies the municipality and community organizations such as Voorschoten voor Elkaar and VluchtelingenWerk. The COA may impose certain requirements on volunteers, such as providing a Certificate of Good Conduct. Residents who wish to volunteer can register withVrijwilligvoorschoten (external link) orVluchtelingenWerk (external link). When registering, please indicate that you wish to volunteer at the reception center in Voorschoten.
Residents can also sign up to be a language buddy through the Taalhuis at the library. To do so, call071-5615678, send an email totaal@obvw.nl, or fill out the online registration form on theTaalhuis website(external link).

If you experience any disturbances, you can report them to the COA by email or phone atFMMZVoorschotenNO@coa.nlor by calling06-21863192.

You can contact the municipality by email or phone atgemeente@voorschoten.nlor by calling14071.