A seminar titled “Difficult Cases, Difficult Questions: Being a Social Worker in Specialized Child Home Sites” was organized by the Social Work Department of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences. The seminar addressed social work practices with children involved in crime and experiencing substance abuse, evaluating the operation of specialized child home sites and on-site practices.
The seminar, held at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Çarşı Campus Emirnebi 1 Conference Hall, hosted Social Worker Servet Akşit, who works at the Ağaçlı Child Home Site affiliated with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services.
The opening speech of the seminar was delivered by Rector's Advisor and Head of the Social Work Department, Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış. Barış emphasized that specialization in child protection should not be limited to a mere name change, stating that the structure, management, and provided opportunities of the service are decisive.
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış: “The concept of specialization gains meaning through its content”
Referring to the legislation in the field of child protection, Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış drew attention to the importance of institutional definitions within the framework of Social Services Law No. 2828. Evaluating the practical implications of the concept of specialized child home sites, Barış stated; “A name change alone is not sufficient. If there is no transformation in the spirit, structure, and management of the service, it remains merely a conceptual change.”
Prof. Dr. Abdullah Karatay: “Every child's needs and intervention methods are different”
Prof. Dr. Abdullah Karatay, a faculty member of the Social Work Department who moderated the seminar, touched upon the historical development of child protection services and stated that the concepts of child welfare and child protection should be distinguished from each other. Karatay emphasized that “Every child's needs and intervention methods are different,” underscoring that child protection services are one of the core areas of the social work profession.
Servet Akşit: “It is of great importance to direct children to institutions appropriate for their profile”
Social Worker Servet Akşit, a guest speaker at the seminar, shared his field experiences regarding the work carried out in specialized child home sites with the students. Akşit stated that services for children involved in crime and experiencing substance abuse are provided in a limited number of institutions across Turkey, adding that the Ağaçlı Child Home Site undertakes an important role in this field.
Akşit explained the stages from children being taken into protective custody to their placement in institutions; “It is of great importance to direct children to institutions appropriate for their profile. We make placements considering age, background, risk status, and group compatibility.”
Correct intervention in moments of crisis…
Akşit, emphasizing the importance of field experience in the social work profession, stated that having long-standing experience among personnel working in specialized institutions directly affects intervention processes. Akşit, highlighting that working with children experiencing substance abuse involves high risk and responsibility, said that correct intervention in moments of crisis is vital.
“The child's opinion must be sought at every stage”
Answering questions regarding the child's consent and right to participation in the Q&A session, Akşit emphasized that, according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the child's opinion must be sought at every stage. Akşit stated, “While seeking the child's opinion does not always mean the decision will be implemented in that direction, it is essential for the child to be an active part of the process.”
The seminar concluded after students' questions were answered.
