SOCIAL SERVICES IN TURKEY

Social Services in Turkey

Social Services in Turkey

Introduction

The emergence of social services in Turkey as an organised and institutional profession follows a long period of continuous and stead development that goes back to 1960s. The children left orphan as a result of war contributed mainly to the development of social services in the country as an institutional practice. During that time, institutions like Child Protection Agency, established by founder of modern state of Turkey Ataturk, emerged on the national scene. In the following years the organisation has expanded across the country thereby extending in scope and reach until its end in 1983. Similarly, in the years following the war, the issues related to the provision of social assistance to the elderly and poor people of the country also attracted much attention and these issues were beginning to be considered on priority basis by the social sector as well as the government of Turkey (Turk & Altes, 2010, pp. 26-32).

This paper aims at introducing the nature and scope of social services in Turkey, while assessing how political, technological and economic factors are impacting the provision of social services vulnerable and disadvantaged groups such as people with physical disabilities, elderly, vulnerable families and community groups, children and women. The paper will also attempt to determine the role of government, non-governmental and international organisations in providing social services in country.

Discussion

Political Impact

In the Republic of Turkey devastated by war, social assistance and social services have started to be regarded as national duty and resultantly the establishment of the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance, which was founded in the year 1936, was entrusted with the task of providing social services to the disadvantaged citizens of the country. Later, major initiatives in this regarded had been influenced by political leadership of the country thereby resulting into the establishment of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Social Assistance Commission and enactment of the Law for Children In Need of Protection in 1957 are some of the examples that demonstrate the impact of political decisions on the social services sector (Aydin, 2006, pp. 463-501).

The research studies carried out by the international organisations and conducted to assess the living conditions and social problems of orphan children in the years following the Second World War are considered to be some of the most significant implementations of social services in which Turkey had also played an important ...