In a closed hotel in Arlöv outside Malmö, 140 people live, of which 30 are children.
– This is not a good place for children. I think you should close it, says Sara Vestering (M), municipal council in Burlöv municipality.
She herself came to Sweden as a war child from Bosnia in the 1990s.
– I’ve lived in such accommodation. You do not want your childhood in such a place, says Sara Vesteration.
Live at ten square meters
Elaf comes from Iraq and came to Sweden with her two sons seven years ago. One of them was born in Iraq and has Iraqi citizenship and the other was born in Turkey but lacks citizenship.
– I expect to stay here until my oldest son turns 18 and has to leave Sweden, says Elaf.
More who return
The government wants more people who have been denied their asylum application voluntarily to leave the country. The hope is that it will be easier if they live at a return center where they can get help with the practicality before the return journey.
– We have new ways of working with before. We can offer conversations on site and that facilitates, says Anders Karlsson, Head of Unit at the Migration Board.
But are more people returning now?
– Yes, it is, but we do not know if it is because we have a return center, says Anders Karlsson.
The children have the right to go to school
At present, there are eight returning centers from Boden in the north to Malmö in the south. The children who live there have the right to go to school.
– That’s a big impact in school. Some children are here for just a few weeks, others for up to a year, so it affects the entire school system in our municipality, says Sara Vesteration.