Administrative accessibility in OCMWs

We study administrative processes in Public Social Welfare Centres (OCMWs). We examine how these processes affect the daily lives of beneficiaries and social workers. Our goal is to make OCMWs more administratively accessible, thereby improving access to social protection. This allows space to be reclaimed for the essence of social work: doing justice to every person’s human dignity. We analyse case files and take a participatory approach. We bring beneficiaries and social workers together to share their stories and engage in dialogue. We give broader support to their ideas. Together, we design prototypes for administrative accessibility and test them in practice.

Man met een stapel dossiers
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PWO, BELSPO Flash en POD MI

Public Social Welfare Centres (OCMWs) are under pressure. High workloads have led to increasing staff turnover among social workers and a rise in burnout cases. Additional responsibilities — such as managing the energy crisis — and growing administrative burdens are pulling OCMWs further away from their core tasks. At the same time, client cases are becoming more complex, making intensive, person-centred support essential (Caldarini, 2023; Miriam report, 2022). This research project focuses on the impact of administrative pressure within OCMWs and develops strategies to simplify administrative processes.

The project includes four objectives:

  1. Mapping the experience of administrative pressure
    We document the lived experience of administrative burden throughout the different phases of case handling, from the perspectives of both OCMW beneficiaries and social workers. This results in around twenty digital stories used as conversation starters in dialogue tables between both groups.
  2. Identifying bottlenecks in administrative processes
    We analyse approximately 100 case files to trace administrative steps and underlying processes that hinder quality care and service delivery. This analysis leads to an initial report with recommendations for administrative simplification, addressed to the Federal Public Planning Service for Social Integration (POD MI).
  3. Developing prototypes for administrative simplification
    In design teams composed of OCMW beneficiaries and staff, we co-create concrete solutions to reduce administrative burdens and improve service efficiency.
  4. Implementing and evaluating prototypes
    Following the design phase, each participating OCMW forms an implementation team consisting of beneficiaries, managers, social workers, and administrative staff. This team oversees the rollout of one or more prototypes and monitors their feasibility and impact. Solutions are tested in practice and thoroughly evaluated. Findings are fed back to the design teams, who then formulate proposals for structural and organisational improvements. In steps 3 and 4, the research acts as a form of mandated consultancy. The results will be incorporated into a consultancy offering and a second report with policy recommendations for both OCMWs and the POD MI.

Project Team

  • Promotor Odisee: Erik Claes, social work, cluster human and society, Campus Brussels
  • Co-supervisor KULeuven/Odisee Marjolijn De Wilde, cluster human and society, KU Leuven, Centre for Sociological Research;
  • Co-promotor Artevelde hogeschool. Katrien Van den Bosch, social work

Project partners

  • CFS asbl
  • Collectief Cartach
  • Collectief CAPS
  • Vlaams Netwerk tegen Armoede
  • OCMW Sint Gillis
  • OCMW Turnhout
  • OCMW Beringen
  • OCMW Brussel 

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