On this page

1. Housing

2. Social services

3. Health care

4. Financial services

5. Quality assurance

Housing

The Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of Youth and Sports provide services addressing challenges that young people may face within the scope of social inclusion policies.

The Ministry of Family and Social Services provides protection and care services to children and young people in need of protection, children in conflict with the law / driven to crime, and victims of crime, in line with the legal framework (e.g. the Social Services Law No. 2828 and the Child Protection Law No. 5395). In addition, under Law No. 5378 on Persons with Disabilities, accommodation is provided in care and rehabilitation centres and home-type institutions (e.g. “hope homes” and disability-free living centres) within the framework of care services.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports – Credit and Dormitories General Directorate (KYGM) carries out dormitory services across the country. In the dormitory placement process, certain applicant groups are prioritised under the relevant rules and practices (see also the Ministry’s information for martyrs’ families and veterans regarding priority access to state dormitories: Ministry of Family and Social Services – Learning support (FAQ)).

Social services

The Ministry of Family and Social Services, local administrations and non-governmental organisations provide social services to young people in need of social protection within the scope of social inclusion policies.

In this field, there are services especially carried out by the Ministry of Family and Social Services. The General Directorate of Child Services is responsible for developing and coordinating child protection and support models and programmes (see the Directorate’s official pages: CHGM and examples of programmes such as Child Support Programme).

Health care

The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Social Security Institution (SGK) provide healthcare services to young people who are subject to, or at risk of, social exclusion within the scope of social inclusion policies.

Türkiye’s general health insurance system is regulated under Law No. 5510 (Social Insurances and General Health Insurance Law). For people without coverage, income assessment / “income test” procedures are implemented through the social assistance system (SGK information: What is the income test? and Ministry guidance: GSS income assessment FAQ).

In addition, the Directorate General of Social Assistance of the Ministry of Family and Social Services provides Conditional Health Assistance to eligible low-income households. This support is conditional on families taking children aged 0–6 to regular health check-ups and pregnant women attending health controls and giving birth in a hospital. 

As an example of practice in student dormitories, cooperation protocols between relevant public institutions may include health screening and awareness activities for students residing in Ministry of Youth and Sports dormitories.

Financial services

The Directorate General of Social Assistance of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of National Education, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports provide various forms of support such as grants/loans, education support, and in-kind assistance.

The low accessibility of educational opportunities for low-income households undermines equal opportunities in education and contributes to intergenerational poverty. In this context, the Directorate General of Social Assistance provides Conditional Education Assistance to families who face financial barriers, conditional on children’s school attendance.

For refugee children, the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE) programme (extended to refugee children in Türkiye under temporary/international protection) is implemented in partnership with public institutions and organisations including the Ministry responsible for social assistance, the Ministry of National Education, the Turkish Red Crescent and UNICEF (UNICEF overview: CCTE programme). Programme implementation rules include conditions related to regular attendance (e.g. “no more than four days of unexcused absence” in a given month is referenced in operational descriptions: Kızılaykart platform – CCTE). UNICEF reporting indicates that the programme has reached hundreds of thousands of refugee children (e.g., UNICEF situation reporting for 2021: UNICEF Turkey Humanitarian Situation Report No. 43).

Ministry of Youth and Sports also provides bursaries/loans to higher education students. The amounts are updated periodically, and Ministry announcements provide the current figures. 

Quality assurance

Policy Documents, Strategy Documents and Actions Plans including policies, targets, measures and activities regarding social inclusion for youth are designed in accordance with monitoring and evaluation system.