The Ministry of Family and Social Services has marked a significant milestone in its family-based child welfare policies as the 100th baby was placed with a temporary foster family under the Temporary Foster Family Service model implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The placement took place in Samsun, northern Türkiye, where an infant was welcomed into a foster household as part of ongoing efforts to prioritize family-oriented care over institutional solutions.
Launched within the framework of the Project for Strengthening the Foster Family System in Türkiye, the model provides children in need of protection with immediate access to a safe, stable and nurturing family environment during transitional periods.
According to official data, temporary foster placements have so far been carried out in 27 of the 30 pilot provinces identified under the project. The latest placement in Samsun officially brought the total number of beneficiaries to 100 infants nationwide.
The initiative aligns with the Decade of Family and Population vision announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which places family unity, child well-being and social resilience at the core of national social policy planning.
Unlike traditional institutional care, the temporary foster family model focuses on early emotional support, individualized attention, and secure attachment during the critical early stages of childhood development.
The approach is particularly aimed at children whose long-term care plans have not yet been finalized or whose return to their biological families is not immediately possible.
Officials emphasize that the model offers a protective buffer during periods of uncertainty, ensuring that children are raised in a compassionate home environment while legal, social, and family assessments continue.
By expanding family-based care services, the ministry seeks to establish a more human-centered and sustainable child protection system, reinforcing Türkiye’s commitment to safeguarding children’s rights through preventive and supportive social policies.
The continued rollout of the temporary foster family model is expected to play a strategic role in strengthening the national foster care ecosystem and promoting long-term social stability across the country.
