Evaluating Family Policies in Türkiye in Terms of Sustainable Development and Social Services
Selin Koçak, Büşra DemirSustainable development has become an issue that concerns the world with its economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Economic and social injustices, especially poverty, are increasing, and economic problems affect individuals negatively in many areas, such as education, health, housing, and psychosocial development. Families and their changing dynamics are at the forefront of the groups affected by this negative situation. Family policies and family-oriented services have an important place in ensuring the well-being of individuals and families. Social services for families are carried out in Türkiye by the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Education, and local governments. These services cover economic and social needs. Therefore, family policies and the economic and social goals of sustainable development are linked. This study discusses family services within the scope of the economic and social dimensions of sustainable development. The study concludes that family-oriented services are expressed more quantitatively and that services should be developed in the context of sustainable development.
Türkiye’de Aile Politikalarının Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma ve Sosyal Hizmetler Açısından Değerlendirilmesi
Selin Koçak, Büşra DemirSürdürülebilir kalkınma ekonomik, sosyal ve çevresel boyutları ile dünyayı ilgilendiren bir konu haline gelmiştir. Günümüzde başta yoksulluk olmak üzere ekonomik ve sosyal anlamda adaletsizlikler artmaktadır. Ekonomik sorunlar bireyleri eğitim, sağlık, barınma, psikososyal gelişim gibi pek çok alanda olumsuz etkilemektedir. Değişen dinamikleriyle aileler, bu olumsuz durumdan etkilenen grupların başında gelmektedir. Bireylerin ve ailelerin iyilik halini sağlamada aile politikaları ve aileye yönelik hizmetler önemli yer tutmaktadır. Ailelere yönelik sosyal hizmetler Aile ve Sosyal Hizmetler Bakanlığı başta olmak üzere Sağlık Bakanlığı, Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı ve yerel yönetimler tarafından yürütülmektedir. Bu hizmetler ekonomik ve sosyal ihtiyaçları kapsamaktadır. Bu nedenle aile politikaları ve sürdürülebilir kalkınmanın ekonomik ve sosyal amaçları bağlantılıdır. Aile politikaları farklı nüfus gruplarının sosyal ve ekonomik ihtiyaçlarını kapsaması açısından önemlidir. Çalışmanın amacı sürdürülebilir kalkınmanın ekonomik ve sosyal boyutları çerçevesinde Türkiye’de aileye yönelik sosyal politikaların ve hizmetlerin değerlendirilmesidir. Çalışmada aileye yönelik hizmetlerin daha çok niceliksel olarak ifade edildiği ve hizmetlerin sürdürülebilir kalkınma bağlamında geliştirilmesi gerektiği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.
Sustainable development in recent years has become a topic that is discussed globally. Increasing economic and social inequalities have made sustainable development the subject of study in economic and social fields. Sustainable development has three dimensions (i.e., economic, social, and environmental); however, this study will evaluate its social and economic dimensions in terms of family policies and social services. Economic sustainability involves the increase in production and capital. Meanwhile, the social dimension of sustainable development refers to meeting the basic needs of individuals and societies and providing access to services. When considering the changing population structure alongside economic and social inequalities, the provided services gain importance in terms of their effects on individuals and especially families for achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). Family policies are an important component of social policy and are considered to entail all services such as health, employment, income distribution regulation, women, children, foster family programs, housing policies, and family planning. Although changes have occurred in the family structure compared to previous years, factors such as migration and the presence of elderly and disabled individuals in the family are treated as situations that should be considered when planning for family services. Identifying and meeting the psychosocial and economic needs of families is important for achieving SDGs. In this context, public and local government services are an important tool in the provision of family-oriented services. Social services for families in Türkiye are handled by the Ministry of Family and Social Services, while services for work life and employment are carried out under the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Ministries such as the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of National Education also play an important role in providing complementary services to families.
Policies towards family in Türkiye are shaped alongside international and national legislation and development plans, with social services for families being carried out within the scope of the General Directorate of Family and Community Services, the General Directorate of Services for the Disabled and Elderly, the General Directorate of Social Assistance, the General Directorate of Child Services, and the General Directorate on the Status of Women. The social service centers established under the Ministry of Family and Social Services (ASHB) have an important place in providing education and counseling services for families. Social service centers are a community-based service that provide interventions suitable for the purposes of social work, especially for children, young people, women, and disabled and elderly people. Services are also found for children such as adoptions, foster families, education, and health benefits. In terms of ensuring economic and social sustainability, the issue of women’s participation in social and economic life maintains its importance. Poverty and the fact that women’s participation rates in work life are lower than men’s are important problem areas in services for women. The field of the elderly and disabled has been another issue that needs to be addressed in terms of sustainable development. The increasing rate of the elderly population in Türkiye and in the world has also become an important issue in terms of sustainable development. When examining the services that are provided for disabled people within the scope of family policies, the responsibility for the care of the disabled at home in Türkiye is seen to mostly fall on the family and the female family members. With globalization and the changes in social and economic life, the role and responsibilities of local governments and municipalities are increasing so as to meet individuals’ needs.
In summary, sustainable development has 17 sub-objectives, some of these being reducing poverty and hunger and increasing gender equality and solidarity. Increasing poverty and the related social and economic injustices around the world are closely related to social services, and the social and economic dimensions of sustainable development are interrelated. The negative impact of economic development also negatively affects social development. Individuals who live below the minimum living standard economically are at a disadvantage with regard to being able to meet their basic living needs. When evaluating family policies in Türkiye, studies should be conducted on the three functions of social work: protective-preventive, rehabilitative, and transformative-developing. The social services that are provided to families should be evaluated not only in terms of quantity but also in terms of quality, and family policies should be developed by ensuring the participation of those benefiting from social services.
