In cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services Istanbul Provincial Directorate and the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Social Service Department, a "Foster Family and Adoption Service Model Introduction" meeting was held within the scope of "Family Year". At the meeting, the importance of foster family and adoption systems was emphasized, and the fundamental differences between the service models were explained in detail.
Ayten Yılmaz, Assistant Provincial Director of the Ministry of Family and Social Services Istanbul Provincial Directorate, Ahmet Emin Baysal, Branch Manager of the Foster Family Unit of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate, Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Rector's Advisor and Head of the Social Service Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, faculty members, and students attended the meeting held at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Çarşı Campus Emirnebi 1 Conference Hall.
Ayten Yılmaz: "The family-oriented service model is our first priority"
Ayten Yılmaz, Assistant Provincial Director of the Ministry of Family and Social Services Istanbul Provincial Directorate, delivered the opening speech of the meeting. Yılmaz emphasized that the family-oriented service model is their top priority for children under protection and care; “Touching a child's life, being their family, and giving them the opportunity to grow up in a warm home is truly invaluable. Some of you will enter this profession in the future. Perhaps you will become social workers, or perhaps you will work outside this field. Giving every child in life the opportunity to have a warm home, and working within such a structure, is very valuable, and perhaps you will also help us reach families who wish to become foster families. Perhaps through you, this issue will be conveyed to many people. The family-oriented service model for children under protection and care is our first priority,” she said.
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış: “Saving a child’s life is first and foremost saving Turkey’s life”
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Rector's Advisor and Head of the Social Service Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, drawing attention to the great value of foster parenting, said; “Saving a child’s life is first and foremost saving Turkey’s life. A foster family comes, lovingly takes a child, and the conditions are suitable. However, sometimes placements do not last. Despite all this, families who share the honor of raising a child alongside their own family truly deserve congratulations. In times and periods when people struggle to care for their own children, those who take in these children and raise them as their own truly are medal-worthy people. What kind of medal-worthy people are they, friends? It's so important, almost as if they could receive a veteran's medal. The work you do professionally is valuable, high-quality, and honorable,” he stated.
Ahmet Emin Baysal: “Foster care is the last chance for a child to grow up with a family”
Ahmet Emin Baysal, Branch Manager of the Foster Family Unit of the Ministry of Family and Social Services Istanbul Provincial Directorate, gave a comprehensive informative presentation on the ‘Foster Family and Adoption Service Model’.
Ahmet Emin Baysal, speaking about the importance of children feeling that they belong to a family, said; “Unfortunately, not every child gets the opportunity to grow up with their family. These children somehow sustain their lives under state care, proportionate to the economic structures of those states or within existing social service systems. These are predominantly children who are victims of neglect and abuse. Foster care is the last chance for a child to grow up with a family. In other words, if a child is not placed with a foster family, we can say they are destined to remain in institutional care. You clearly see that psychosomatic healing with the love provided by that family. The child feels they belong somewhere in the family. This is very important,” he stated.
The event organized within the scope of the Family Year concluded with a Q&A session.