Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said that with the bill that includes regulations regarding children dragged into crime, they aim to minimize and eliminate the risks of children before they are dragged into crime.
Göktaş answered questions regarding the agenda and made statements on NTV live broadcast.
Göktaş, who evaluated the submission of the 18-item proposal to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, which includes the regulations for children driven to crime and the amendments to some laws, reminded that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Investigation Commission on Children Driven to Crime was established in this context.
Göktaş stated that the commission discussed how to strengthen protection mechanisms for children before they are dragged into crime, and said that they, as the Ministry, contributed to the activities of the commission.
Emphasizing that the mechanisms that protect children and prevent crime will be strengthened with the bill, Göktaş said, "Our aim is to minimize and eliminate the risks of the child before being dragged into crime, from the moment it occurs. We aim to create an effective coordination mechanism for children entering the judicial process, in close cooperation with the judiciary and all relevant institutions, from the very beginning of the process." he said.
"Our goal is not to punish the child further."
Minister Göktaş stated that the precautionary mechanisms for children will be gathered under one roof, and that the institutions regarding the child's entry into the judicial process will be informed simultaneously and protective measures will be implemented without delay.
Stating that relevant institutions will be integrated into the process under the coordination of the Ministry and that measures for children will be followed on a case-by-case basis through commissions to be established within the governorships at the local level, Göktaş continued as follows:
"We will create this monitoring system at the Ministry headquarters and monitor the effective implementation of the measures. Our goal is actually to minimize the risk. To detect the risk from the very beginning and to be directly involved in the process before this risk grows, reoccurs, and without introducing other elements. This was a very critical step. On the other hand, in fact, the role of each institution in this new process is determined very clearly and we put the child at the center."
Minister Göktaş stated that there is a "Guidatory measures" article in the legal legislation and said, "Here, too, we activate mechanisms that can rehabilitate the child. We make a social investigation report. In all the social investigation reports we process as the Ministry, we follow not only the child himself, but his entire environment, his family, his contact with the school, and this whole process together." He made a statement.
Pointing out that the risks are different today, Minister Göktaş said, "Individual radicalization is increasing, there are certain groups that know about the situation of children and unfortunately target children. Therefore, the main purpose of our law is to protect, prevent, rehabilitate if any, and then strengthen the child's well-being and ensure his/her reintegration into society by strengthening the support mechanisms." he said.
Minister Göktaş said, "Our aim is not to punish the child further. To intervene in the incident from its very foundation and to ensure that all institutions and stakeholders are effectively involved in this process, take responsibility, and consider the best interests of the child, to reintegrate him into society." He made a statement.
"A punishment of pressure ranging from 3 to 10 days is recommended for the parent."
Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş stated that the new regulation includes compulsory hospitalization of children under the age of 18 who pose a danger due to addiction and including them in the treatment process.
Minister Göktaş said that if the child needs to be treated, they are subjecting him to compulsory treatment without considering the consent of the family, and said:
"We may encounter families that ignore the child's condition or do not take responsibility. For example, as in the incident in Maraş. The family ignores a situation related to the child's health condition. For this reason, we implement coordination strongly with this new legal regulation. However, especially the parents who refuse to implement this precautionary decision are recommended a penalty of repression from 3 days to 10 days. Of course, we also impose criminal liability on parents who do not comply."
Minister Göktaş stated that the child can be reintegrated into society by detecting the risks at an early age and said, "Our Ministry has a very intense experience. It is about state protection, guidance, consultancy and precaution mechanisms. We have taken an important step towards strengthening our existing precaution mechanisms and taking into account the needs of this period, taking into account the needs of the field, taking into account the needs of the families and taking real measures against these new risks." he said.
"We will be able to follow the child from the very beginning"
Minister Göktaş stated that they have created a mechanism where the communication of all institutions can be seen and that they have designed a system where the well-being of the child is at the center of the mechanism.
Pointing out that the needs of the child will be seen clearly with the regulation, Minister Göktaş said, "As the Ministry, we will issue a regulation, especially together with these relevant institutions. Since we are aware of all these measures from the very beginning, we will be able to follow the child from the very beginning, not only himself but also his families. As the ministry, we had already started to closely follow the children who were dragged into crime or at risk with the social risk map a few months ago. In addition, we will have strengthened our precautionary mechanisms considerably." he said.
Minister Göktaş noted that there is a similar coordination mechanism in the fight against violence against women, that this mechanism carried out with relevant ministries operates effectively, and that the intervention capacity has been strengthened thanks to regular monitoring and evaluation processes.
The regulation on social media regulation will be issued in October
Reminding that they have implemented Türkiye-specific social media regulation for under-15s and separated content for children between the ages of 15-18, Göktaş said, "Our regulation will be published in October and will now begin to be effectively implemented in Türkiye." he said.
Stating that families have taken new steps to strengthen the balance between work and family life, Göktaş said that they have updated the legislation on the opening and operation of nurseries and implemented a regulation that determines the standards for municipalities and public institutions to open nurseries.
Stating that they will increase the number of child care homes in public institutions, Göktaş stated that they aim to reduce bureaucratic obstacles in this field.
Göktaş said, "There was a very intense demand from healthcare professionals. We are establishing a child care center for them in their own institutions, along with the 24/7 operating method. We are bringing this to a standard for the first time. Our aim is to provide safe environments for our children." he said.
290 thousand 213 applications to the Family and Youth Fund
Stating that there were 290 thousand 213 applications to the Family and Youth Fund throughout Turkey, Minister Göktaş stated that support was provided to those who had children, and in this context, 15 thousand 101 babies were born as of last night.