Table 1 Placement of refugee families in the Netherlands

Refugees applying for asylum in the Netherlands first report to an ‘application centre’ where they receive shelter, medical care, and guidance. During the first phase of the asylum procedure, they are accommodated in a ‘process reception centre’. Asylum-seeker families are then placed in an asylum centre that provides them with basic needs, such as food and a roof over their heads, until their asylum application is granted or rejected. Children under the age of 18 have the right to shelter when their asylum application has been rejected. If the application is rejected and the family does not leave the Netherlands within 28 days, families are placed in a ‘family facility’, where they are prepared for deportation. In these centres, families have access to a limited level of facilities [4]. When the children turn 18, their right to shelter ends. As a result of the circumstances in family facilities, including limited financial resources, freedom-restricting measures, and insecurity concerning deportation, an increased level of distress can be expected here [5, 6].