An evaluation of the child protection system in Türkiye: challenges, solutions, and opportunities

Rukiye Karaveli and Gamze Erükçü Akbaş

Children and Youth Services Review, 2026, vol. 180, issue C

Abstract: This study employed a phenomenological design to explore the perspectives of social work academics (n = 14) and practitioners (n = 17) on the child protection system in Türkiye. Participants were recruited via purposive and snowball sampling, and data were gathered through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Two overarching themes guided the analysis: (1) perceived challenges in the Turkish child protection system and (2) recommendations for enhancing child protection practices and services. Findings indicated a lack of systemic integrity, insufficient implementation of rights-based approaches, and deficiencies in legislative enforcement and preventive services. Key issues included poor inter-agency coordination, an ambiguous definition of the social work officer role, the absence of case management and supervision mechanisms, inadequate service models, and disregard for merit-based recruitment. Recommendations included expanding school-based social work, assigning social workers to primary healthcare settings, enhancing family support services, and institutionalizing case management and supervision systems.

Keywords: Child protection system in Türkiye; Social work academics; Social workers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:180:y:2026:i:c:s0190740925005481

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108665

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