An event titled “After a Notification: The Unseen Story of Social Work with Children in Need of Protection in Istanbul” was organized by Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Social Work. The event discussed social service processes for children in need of protection, concepts of neglect and abuse, and their practical applications in the field.
Neslihan Çapar, Deputy Provincial Director of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, was a guest at the event held in the Emirnebi Conference Hall at the Çarşı Campus.
The program was moderated by Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Advisor to the Rector and Head of the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Health Sciences. The opening speech of the program was delivered by Prof. Dr. Abdullah Karatay from the Department of Social Work.
Neslihan Çapar: “Both are detrimental to a child's development”
Neslihan Çapar, Deputy Provincial Director of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, drew attention to the difference between the concepts of neglect and abuse. Çapar stated, “Leaving a child alone at home, not providing necessary nutrition for their development, and not meeting their needs are considered neglect. Abuse, on the other hand, is the act of engaging in harmful behaviors towards a child by taking advantage of their being a child. Therefore, both are detrimental to a child's development. However, while awareness can be effective up to a certain point in stopping neglect, abuse is a situation that has already turned into a behavior. Abuse is one of the most significant reasons children are taken into protective custody.”
“We are struggling to facilitate adoptions”
Çapar, noting that the functioning of social service institutions has changed with the evolving societal structure, stated; “Today, most of the children in our institutions have living parents. The number of children without parents is quite low. For this reason, we are finding it difficult to facilitate adoptions,” drawing attention to the current situation in the field.
“The principle of the child's best interest must be considered”
Emphasizing the importance of the principle of the child's best interest, one of the fundamental concepts in social work, Çapar said; “You must make all your assessments according to the principle of the child's best interest. By leveraging the family's strengths, you should gather information from all stakeholders involved with the child, from doctors to teachers, in a manner appropriate to the child's needs, and approach the process with a multidisciplinary perspective. At this point, working collaboratively with the child and parents is of great importance.”
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış: “Improving a child's well-being brings joy”
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış, Advisor to the Rector and Head of the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Health Sciences, who moderated the event, offered professional advice to students approaching graduation. Barış stated, “After your graduation, you will work and experience the joys of the profession along with its challenges. Touching a life and improving a child's well-being truly brings joy.”
Prof. Dr. Abdullah Karatay: “We have also established ourselves through the process of child protection”
Prof. Dr. Abdullah Karatay, a faculty member of the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Health Sciences, drew attention to the ongoing need for child protection in every era. Karatay stated, “In societal life, the child is the entity identified as being in the most historical, the oldest need of protection. Other segments of society emerge later. Therefore, as a profession, we have established ourselves through the process of child protection, developed, matured later, evolved towards the protection of other areas, and are living the story of being a subject in the construction of a good society.”
The event concluded with the presentation of certificates after students' questions were answered.