Protective Family

Protective family service is an alternative care model in which children who cannot be cared for by their biological families are placed, either temporarily or long-term, with families deemed suitable under state supervision. This service aims to support children’s development within a family environment and does not establish legal ties, unlike adoption.

The legal basis for protective family practices in Türkiye is established by the following regulations:

• Turkish Civil Code (Article 347): The judge’s authority to place a child with a protective family when the child cannot be protected by their own family.
• Law No. 2828 on Social Services and Child Protection Institution (Articles 22–23): Provision for children to be raised either in institutional or family settings following a protection decision.
• Protective Family Regulation (2006): Regulates implementation principles, family selection, service operation, and state payments.
• At the international level, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child serves as the primary reference (Articles 20, 25, 27).

The assessment of individuals or families applying to become protective families, the placement of the child, and subsequent monitoring are carried out through professional social work intervention. Applicants undergo a multidimensional evaluation that includes the family’s suitability for child care, motivation, physical conditions, and psychosocial competence. Prior to placement, interviews are conducted with both the family and the child. After placement, social work specialists conduct regular monitoring.

^{(Generated by artificial intelligence.)}

The concept of protective family care was first introduced in Türkiye’s 1926 Civil Code and implemented in 1949. The scope of implementation was expanded in 1952, and the institutional structure of the service was formalized with Law No. 2828 in 1983. The legal foundation was strengthened through amendments to the Civil Code in 2001, and current implementation principles were established with the 2006 Regulation.

Care provided by blood relatives other than legal guardians—such as aunts, uncles, grandparents—or by individuals closely known to the child, including caregivers or neighbors.

Short-term care, lasting up to one month, provided for children requiring emergency protection, those for whom a service plan has not yet been developed, those not yet placed in institutional care, or those unable to access their designated service model for various reasons.

Care provided by individuals or families to children who cannot be quickly reunited with their biological families or permanently placed in a family setting. This is the most commonly applied protective family model in practice.

Care provided by individuals or families who have completed professional training or hold academic qualifications enabling them to support children with special needs and complex challenges.

Who can become a protective family:

Any married or single individual who meets the following conditions may qualify as a protective mother, father, or family:

• You are a citizen of the Republic of Türkiye
• You reside permanently in Türkiye
• You are between 25 and 65 years of age
• You have at least completed primary school
• You have a stable income
• You are not the biological parent or legal guardian of the child

It has been reported that children raised in protective family environments exhibit more positive psychosocial development compared to those in institutional care, with healthier individual attention and attachment processes. In particular, early exposure to family-like care is recognized as decisive for a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Children growing up in protective families demonstrate significantly more favorable developmental outcomes than their peers in institutional care. The family environment provides a sensitive, warm, and secure context for interaction, facilitating the formation of secure attachment. Particularly in children placed in protective families at an early age, more healthy development of lifelong emotional regulation skills and self-esteem has been observed.

The protective family environment also directly influences cognitive development. Children who receive individual attention and live in homes with established routines become more open to learning. Language development and problem-solving skills are especially strengthened through interpersonal interactions within the home.

^{Trust develops in a child raised within a family. (Generated by artificial intelligence.)}

From a social development perspective, the protective family model supports the child’s sense of social belonging. Rather than experiencing identity confusion, loneliness, or exclusion often found in institutional settings, the child feels part of a whole through clearly defined roles and relationships within the family.

Moreover, children in protective families have greater opportunities to encounter role models. By participating in the family’s daily routines, the child learns responsibility, empathy, and conflict resolution through observation. This enables healthier development of both personal and social identity.

Protective family services are coordinated by provincial directorates under the Ministry of Family and Social Services. The service process involves social work specialists, psychologists, and, when necessary, experts in child mental health. Placement, monitoring, guidance, assessment, and reporting are carried out by these professionals.

June 30, mentioned merely as a “day” in the regulation, is in fact the result of increased civil awareness efforts in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, the Ministry of Family organized synchronized nationwide events through provincial directorates, supported by social media, public service announcements, and volunteer family dialogues. The aim was to position protective family care not merely as a social service but as a societal responsibility.

The presidential decree declaring 2025 as the “Year of the Family” has transformed protective family care into a symbolic vehicle for supportive policies. Throughout the year, protective family service has been redefined not only as a child protection system but also as a tool for strengthening the family institution. The campaign theme “Our Family in the Century of Türkiye” has linked the dedication of protective families to the national development vision.

The service model implemented by the Ministry has, in recent years, become more widespread and sustainable through collaboration with NGOs, local governments, and volunteer networks. Examples include the “Protective Family Dialogues” and “Awareness Walks” organized by the Eskişehir Provincial Directorate in 2024. Local media coverage has also highlighted families as exemplary models.

Socio-cultural factors influencing the development of protective family care are deeply intertwined with traditional attitudes toward child care in Türkiye. While some families struggle to form emotional bonds under the concept of “trustee child,” others accept it as a religious and moral duty. The Year of the Family campaign seeks to transform such perceptions and normalize protective family care across all segments of society.

 ^{(Generated by artificial intelligence.)}

Key challenges in implementation include:

Inadequate psychosocial training for families

Poor inter-institutional coordination

Insufficient monitoring systems

Feelings of burnout and isolation experienced by families

Improvement recommendations:

Continuous professional support and supervision

Expansion of psychological counseling services

Digitalization of monitoring and evaluation systems

Involvement of specialized crisis intervention teams in family crisis management

The principle of the child’s best interest is defined as the fundamental ethical foundation of the protective family system. However, conflicts may occasionally arise between the individual values of families and the developmental needs of children. Social work specialists must simultaneously fulfill the roles of mediator, guide, and supervisor in such situations, requiring the system to consistently generate ethical decisions.

^{(Generated by artificial intelligence.)}