The Istanbul Foster Care Association (Istanbul Koruyucu Aile Derneği) is using our grant to address the educational needs of children aged 7-15 in foster care who have missed school due to the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes by providing essential cognitive support to bridge their educational gaps.
The project is supported by our Foster Family Fund, which was launched to support civil society organisations that promote adoption and foster family models in Türkiye.
Please read the following interview with the organisation for an insight into their work.
As the Istanbul Foster Family Association (İstanbul Koruyucu Aile Derneği – ISTKAD), you aim to raise awareness about foster care, increase the number of qualified foster families, and support existing ones. Can you share insights on the current state of your field of work?
We believe that every child under protection should grow up in a “foster family,” the only family-based care model, rather than in institutional care. However, societal awareness about foster care remains limited, and many people are still unsure what it means to be a foster family. There is a pressing need for qualified foster families to ensure children grow up in safe and supportive environments, but finding families that meet the specific needs of the children can be challenging. As a civil society organisation, our priority is to ensure that current and potential foster families are well-prepared and supported.
Our association addresses the challenges faced by foster families and the support they need. We conduct significant projects and activities, particularly in legislative matters, within our own goals and as a member of the Elele Federation.
For years, we have organised awareness campaigns about foster care through various media outlets, social media, and public activities. These efforts have encouraged many potential foster families to apply and join us. We inform individuals interested in becoming foster families about the process and guide them through their applications. We work diligently to ensure that applications are properly evaluated and that the most suitable families are selected to meet the children’s needs.
We believe that every child under protection should grow up in a “foster family,” the only family-based care model, rather than in institutional care.
Aware of the challenges faced by foster families, we support them through various programs, including psychological support, guidance services, and social activities. We also collaborate with the Ministry of Family and Social Services and other civil society organisations on joint projects to develop and expand foster care services. These collaborations help the system operate more effectively.
Through research on foster care services, we identify deficiencies in the current system and offer suggestions for improvement, contributing to a more effective and sustainable foster care system.
In conclusion, ISTKAD plays a crucial role in developing and expanding foster care services. Our work ensures that children grow up in safer and more loving environments and increases societal awareness of foster care.
Can you tell us about the activities and outcomes of the project you’re implementing with the grant support of our Foster Family Fund?
Our project is dedicated to enhancing children’s and young people’s cognitive skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, memory, attention, and creativity. We achieve this through a variety of educational programs, workshops, and digital platforms. Expert Psychologist Defne Aruoba designed cognitive skills development training modules, which were delivered to educators through a train-the-trainer program, equipping them with detailed methods and tools for cognitive skills development.
We regularly held individual training workshops for students of appropriate ages from foster families. These workshops supported the students’ cognitive skills using interactive and practical methods. Additionally, we’re preparing booklets for families and children on topics such as learning difficulties. In the future, we plan to develop online education platforms that provide 24/7 access to students and teachers. These platforms will make learning more fun and effective by offering game-based learning, short tests, and interactive content, ensuring the sustainability of these outputs in future projects.
There is a pressing need for qualified foster families to ensure children grow up in safe and supportive environments.
Significant improvements in cognitive skills were observed among students who received training. For those who did not show immediate improvement, repeat training sessions were planned, leading to substantial progress in problem-solving and critical thinking.
Through educational programs and face-to-face activities with children, expert educators have become more equipped to develop cognitive skills, paving the way for the implementation of more effective educational methods in the long term.
With the planned digital platforms and applications, families will become more aware of issues like attention deficit and learning difficulties, and children experiencing these issues will understand that they are not alone. This will allow the project to reach a broader audience and be sustainable.
The project has significantly raised awareness about the importance of developing cognitive skills in education. Educators and parents now place greater importance on children’s cognitive development. Additionally, the educational materials and platforms used in the project will serve as models for other educational initiatives and will be widely adopted.
In conclusion, the project has addressed a critical gap in the field of education and laid a strong foundation for children’s future success.
How has the work you’ve carried out in the earthquake-affected region differed from your previous activities?
While implementing our project in Hatay and Adana, cities impacted by earthquakes, we encountered several significant differences that required us to tailor our activities to the specific needs of these areas. Delays were inevitable due to scheduling conflicts with the experts involved in the training and challenges in bringing students to the educational centres. Although our initial plan was for trainers to begin application training for children immediately, the experts’ heavy workload prevented this. However, we established special monitoring mechanisms for each child, ensuring each one received at least 12 training sessions. The flexibility to conduct additional sessions if needed and having the same expert consistently work with each child was a positive aspect of the project.
Our project is dedicated to enhancing children’s and young people’s cognitive skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, memory, attention, and creativity.
Considering Hatay’s unique cultural structure and socio-economic characteristics, we will continue to provide training to foster families in Antakya, Iskenderun, and Dörtyol, including new students in the future. We believe that over time, students and teachers will better adapt to the project, ensuring its continuity.
Implementing this project in the earthquake-affected region taught us the importance of flexibility in project execution. This experience will guide us in developing adaptable strategies for future initiatives. Our work in these regions also highlighted the significance of tailoring projects to local needs and ensuring active local participation. This experience provided valuable lessons for making cognitive skills development projects more widespread and effective.
While supporting the cognitive development of children in foster care, we also identified other educational issues. Additionally, this project has led us to consider creating digital resources for families and students about attention deficit and learning difficulties.
What are your association’s future goals and projects? How has the project supported by our grant influenced them?
Our future goals include expanding foster care services, supporting foster families, and developing projects to address their challenges. We aim to create play therapy groups led by expert psychologists to support the adaptation process for new foster parents and children, helping families build healthy bonds.
The project supported by Turkey Mozaik Foundation and the Support Foundation for Civil Society significantly impacted our activities and goals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, your financial support enabled us to create psychological support groups for foster families and children. The insights gained from this period have shaped our future initiatives.
We developed video content and guidance services to address the specific challenges faced by foster families. Moving forward, we plan to develop resources accessible to foster children and families across Türkiye, ensuring they can benefit whenever needed.
Thanks to your invaluable support, we are creating safer, more loving family environments for children.
Is there a message you would like to share with our donors and supporters?
Thanks to your invaluable support, we are creating safer, more loving family environments for children. With the backing of Turkey Mozaik Foundation and the Support Foundation for Civil Society, our project not only helps new foster families adapt smoothly, but also addresses the challenges faced by existing ones.
Your contributions make our achievements and future goals possible. We are grateful for your support and committed to helping even more children can grow up happy, healthy, and safe. Thank you.
