Oostende is introducing new measures to stabilise the inflow of leefloners, aiming to reduce administrative burdens on social workers. As of 2025-06-16 21:20:00, the city is focusing on fair assistance and social integration through job activation, ensuring support aligns with legal standards and personal circumstances.
- Stabilize inflow of social welfare recipients
- Reduce administrative workload for social workers
- Implement fair aid through job activation
- Individually assess aid requests objectively
- Automate calculations with updated OCMW software
- Address 1,300 social welfare recipients in Oostende
The adjustments include automating the calculation process using updated OCMW software, which promises to ease the workload of social services. Currently, Oostende has around 1,300 leefloners, with last year seeing 1,371 leefloon allocations, though nearly 500 recipients later lost their benefits for not meeting criteria.
How will these changes impact both social workers and leefloners? Will clearer frameworks improve the quality and fairness of support? The answers lie in the city’s commitment to individual assessment within a structured system, paving the way for more effective help.
These reforms raise important questions about balancing efficiency with personalised care. By automating calculations, social workers can dedicate more time to meaningful interventions. Key points include:
- Clearer, objective frameworks for assessing leefloon eligibility
- Reduced administrative workload through software updates
- Focus on job activation to encourage societal integration
- Continued individual evaluation respecting personal circumstances
Looking ahead, Oostende’s approach could serve as a model for other municipalities aiming to improve social support systems. Residents and social workers alike should watch how these changes unfold and engage in ongoing dialogue to refine assistance programs.
