Between the 27th and 29th of June 2023, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organized a study visit for representatives of Polish local authorities and project partners to the Netherlands.
The study visit focused on best practices for identifying and effectively supporting vulnerable migrants during the reception, asylum and return procedures. Participants included key stakeholders from Polish institutions, relevant departments of the municipality of Warsaw, project partners and practitioners involved in the reception and providing legal and psychological support to vulnerable groups in Poland. One of the primary objectives of this study visit was to learn about the Netherlands' asylum system and the legal context of vulnerability in the asylum and temporary protection procedures.
During the study visit, participants gathered good practices in providing legal and psychological support to vulnerable groups in the Netherlands, especially concerning building a comprehensive psychological and psychiatric support system tailored to the specific needs of migrants and asylum seekers. An essential part of the visit was reviewing what solutions in this area could be implemented in Poland. A series of meetings with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders also revolved around addressing unaccompanied minors' needs and the Netherlands' guardianship system. The study visit led to a better understanding of the main challenges that both asylum seekers and temporary protection beneficiaries face in the Netherlands, reviewing rethinking possible approaches and solutions to identification and implementation in the local context.