BRUSSELS

Brussels’ largest homeless organization, Samusocial, said Monday it is struggling to cope with a rising number of newborns and young children seeking emergency accommodation, as capacity shortages force it to turn families away.

The group has taken in 150 babies under one since the start of the year, according to data released with its new awareness campaign on conditions for children living on the streets or in temporary shelters, Belga news agency reported.

Samusocial said 28 of those babies were brought directly from maternity wards. Similar trends were reported in previous years, with 243 babies under one admitted between June 2024 and May 2025.

Minors currently occupy about one-quarter of Samusocial’s 1,100 beds.

Despite the surge in demand, Samusocial said it is facing severe capacity constraints. Since September, it has turned away 2,161 people, including 613 families, due to a chronic lack of space.

“In a welfare state, we simply cannot accept mothers with small children, and even babies, ending up on the streets,” Samusocial director Sarah de Liamchine said.