Research project AG/GG/106 (Research action AG)
One of the important tasks of the Programatory Public Service Social Integration (PPS SI) is paying out the intervention of the federal state in the costs, which the Public Social Welfare Centres (PSWCs) make in applying the law of 26 May 2002 concerning the right to social integration (the former law concerning the guaranteed minimum income) and in granting social aid, which is re-claimed from the federal state, on the basis of the law of 2 April 1965 concerning the bearing of the costs of the aid granted by the PSWCs.
The data, which the PSWCs transfer in the framework of their application for state intervention, concern their decisions for granting the ‘integration income’ or financial support (re-claimable from the federal state) and their employment measures or other measures for the promotion of the social-professional integration of beneficiaries of social integration or financial social aid.
These data are entered in a computer database (PRIMA), whereupon the computer program calculates the state allowance that is provided by the law, on a monthly basis.
The PRIMA computer database is not only used for calculating the state allowances, but also for statistic purposes.
At the moment, the statistics it provides are mainly intended for internal use: for drawing up budgetary estimates and for the evaluation of taken or planned policy measures. Regularly, certain scientific institutions also make use of the available statistic data, e.g. for research with regard to combating poverty.
In order to answer to a broad public’s request for statistics about beneficiaries of PSWC aid, the PPS SI wishes to develop a basic application: every three months, a number of fixed statistics will be published. Every year, a number of statistics will be compiled in an annual report about the functioning of the PPS SI.
The project’s objective is to compile an operating report with statistics and indicators, which will be updated on a regular basis. The data will mainly be extracted from the PRIMA database. A link with other existing databases will make it possible to complete the operating report.
The labour market research data warehouse of the Crossroads Bank for Social Security (CBSS) seems to be an excellent means for realising this.
More generally, the integration of the data about (a part of) the beneficiaries of PSWC aid in the data warehouse will not only allow to compile the operating report, but also to perform ad hoc more in-depth research about e.g. the profile, the integration path, the labour market mobility and the socio-geographical distribution (possibly even up to neighbourhood level) of the beneficiaries of PSWC aid.
The results of the operating report and the research will be used for publication purposes and for guiding the decision-making process (evaluation of the government policy, analysis of the profile of the persons concerned, evolution dynamics of the target groups concerned, labour market integration dynamics …).
