Minister of Family Labour and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk stated that the number of foster families within the scope of “foster care service” initiated for children under protection to be brought up in a warm family atmosphere rose to 6.481.

With "Volunteering Emissaries Project" put into effect under the auspices of H.E. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's spouse Emine Erdoğan in order to consolidate the notion of voluntariness and to raise awareness, to increase the number of volunteers to contribute to social development, the number of foster families is increasing nationwide day after day.   

Number of Our Children in Foster Families Reached 7.862 By The End of 2020

Minister of Family, Labour and Social Services Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk stated that efforts were furthered to increase the number of foster families and children under foster care with reference to the notion "Every child should have a family". Noting that as a consequence of these efforts social awareness about foster parenthood is on the rise day by day, Selçuk said, "While the number of children across Turkey provided with foster care was 6.465 by the end of 2018, this figure reached 7.862 by the end of 2020."  

Number of Foster Families Rose to 6.481 By The End of 2020

Noting that there is also an increase in the number of foster families, Selçuk stated; "The number of families applying for foster parenthood increased in the past couple of years. While the number of foster families was 5.288 by the end of 2018, this figure rose to 6.481 by the end of 2020."

We Formulated 4 New Training Modules 

Mentioning the endeavours made within the scope of foster care service in 2020, Minister Selçuk remarked, "We organized a workshop in Ankara entitled "Foster Family Based Children Protection System" with the participation of foster families, our young citizens brought up by foster parents, members of profession, representatives from public institutions, universities and non-governmental organisations and media. We conducted activities of revision to protective training modules. We formulated 4 new modules named Adolescence Module, Children with Special Needs Module, Healthy Transitions Module and Module on Empowerment and Tackling Stress. Within the scope of training modules devised, facilitative training was delivered for 27 and Foster Parenthood Training was delivered for 96 members of profession.  

We Provided Support for Our 1.052 Adolescents 

Selçuk noted that 1.052 adolescents for whom foster care was provided were supported through one-to-one interviews by psychologists assigned by provincial directorates. Pointing out that the practice of foster parenthood counselling was put into effect within the scope of activities conducted to promote and expand foster care service, Minister Selçuk stated, “Foster Parenthood Counselling system, aimed at dissemination of experience to our candidate and new foster families, has been put into place by our Provincial Directorates.”