Foster Family Information Seminar

Within the scope of the Social Protection Project, which we carry out together with the World Academy of Local Government and Democracy (WALD), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and local governments, the "Foster Family Information Seminar" was held on January 26, 2023, together with the Gaziosmanpaşa Social Service Center (SHM) hosted by the Gaziosmanpaşa District Governor's Office.

In the meeting attended by refugees and foreign nationals; participants under temporary protection and citizenship were informed about the foster family model, current developments, practices, and innovations. At the meeting, the issues of healthy growth of unaccompanied children under protection in a safe family environment were discussed.

In his speech at the seminar, Deputy Director of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, Mustafa KÖK, stated that "One of the main points of child protection policies is to consider state protection as a last resort, and their main strategy is to increase the areas where children can grow up safely." Emphasizing that the foster family model is a useful and important study, KÖK stated that society can overcome difficulties thanks to these solutions.

In the next part of the meeting; a presentation on the subject was made by Ahmet Emin BAYSAL, Foster Family Unit Branch Manager. In the presentation, the definition of children under protection and the protection services provided for these children were explained. Self-family, relatives, state protection, foster family, Children's Homes, Children's Homes Site (ÇES), and Child Support Center (ÇODEM) detailed the services. Stating that the main reason for a family-oriented service policy is that the behavioral problems of children growing up in a family environment are lower than those of children in nursing homes, BAYSAL underlined that the foster family model is also important.