'Protective family' system reaches 5,000 kids

Turkey's Family and Social Policies Ministry is promoting "protective family service" throughout the country in order to provide for the care of children in need of protection in a family environment. 

In 2002, the number of children in need of foster care was just 520, but the number is now close to 5,000.

Within the scope of the activities of the ministry, protective family services are being developed in order to improve children's health in an emotional and social way, with a sense of self-sufficiency and self-confidence.

As a result of promotional meetings, the number of families covered by the service increased.

The number of foster families within the scope of the service has reached 4,053, while the number of children with a family has reached 4,933.

Within the scope of the service, Istanbul took first place with 378 foster families. This figure was followed by İzmir at 300 in and Ankara at 229. The number of children with protective families was 406 in Istanbul, 336 in İzmir and 269 in Ankara.

This year, the number of foster family applications was 1,245, the number of foster families was 676, and the number of children with foster families was 840.

15,000 children adopted

The ministry also continued to give support to 86,500 children living with their families, while 11,200 children who stayed in the institutions were returned to their families in the last 12 years. Some 15,000 children were adopted as part of a family-oriented child policy. Some 92 percent of the children under institutional care went to home care.

While the protected children were placed near protective families, 14,917 children were adopted in line with legal guidelines.

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