Page 110 - Syrians in Türkiye - Special Report

GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TÜRKİYE THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

be housed in a separate part of the temporary accommodation centers in cooperation
with AFAD under the control and responsibility of the Ministry of Family and Social
Policy.” In this context, services related to unaccompanied minors of Syrian nationality
who are in the group with special needs are carried out by MFSP’s Directorate General
of Child Services. Unaccompanied children, as defined in Article 3 of the Law on
Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458, are provided services under the
provisions of the Child Protection Law No. 5395 and Article 66 of the same law.

In addition, the procedures for identification and referral of unaccompanied children, the
acceptance and release works of these children which will be carried out in cooperation
with the related institutions and organisations, and the services to be carried out in
the centers are being carried out within the scope of the “Unaccompanied Children
Directive” enacted on 20/10/2015.

By the General Directorate of Child Services, it is primarily tried to support the Syrian
children in our country near their families who are found to be in need of protection
but in cases when it is not possible, it is tried to prevent any children from being put at
risk in the streets by applying protective support measures within the scope of Child
Protection Law No. 5395. Unaccompanied children who entered our country without
legal assistance or without an adult accompanying customarily and children separated
from their families are taken under the care and protection of the Children’s Services
General Directorate. Within this scope, 10 Children Support Centers have been
specialized to provide services to unaccompanied children who have been seperated
from their families during or after migration and studies on the follow-up and the
reunion of the families are beinng carried out. Information and records taken from
the children who are found alone by law enforcement officers outside the temporary
accommodation centers because of abandonment, lost or etc. are evaluated and searched
if these children have a family or close relatives in our country. If deemed appropriate,
children whose families are found are returned to their homes and unaccompanied
children are placed in institutions providing services to children under the Ministry.

In cooperation with MFSP and AFAD (Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency
Management Authority), Children Protection Units have been established in Adana
Sarıçam Temporary Accommodation Center and Şanlıurfa Harran Temporary
Accommodation Center to provide monitoring, follow-up and family unification of
unaccompanied children of Syrian nationality in the 13-18 age groups who are capable
of meeting basic life skills with developmental competence. As of 01 August 2017, 497
foreign nationals, 159 of which are Syrians, received service at the subsidiaries of the
General Directorate of Child Services.

110 SYRIANS IN TÜRKİYE SPECIAL REPORT