The recent suicide attempts of five girls on the same day in a child protection facility affiliated with the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Services in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district have raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of children under state care, the Cumhuriyet daily reported.
Aylin Nazlıaka of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) raised serious concerns about the safety and conditions in Turkey’s state-run child protection facilities after the girls attempted to end their lives by ingesting bleach on May 20 at a facility in Ümraniye.
The girls were of high school age and were immediately treated after starting to vomit in the evening hours. The girls said they drank the bleach to be taken to the hospital, from where they planned to flee and never go back to the facility.
Nazlıaka said the incident itself is a clear indicator of deep, systemic issues in institutions meant to protect vulnerable children. She said her investigations revealed that the girls were never asked why they wanted to flee the facility and that the incident was not thoroughly investigated.
“What kind of trauma could drive five girls to see suicide as their only escape? Have the staff been investigated? Was there any physical or psychological abuse involved?” she asked, calling for transparency and immediate action.
Child protection facilities, known as Child Homes, were established in 2000 and expanded significantly after 2008. Designed to offer care in smaller, family-like settings, Child Homes typically house six to eight children in apartment units or detached homes. The homes aim to meet children’s basic needs while promoting social integration and emotional development.
However, Nazlıaka argued that the model has failed in practice, falling short of its promise to provide a safe, nurturing environment. She pointed to alarming findings from the Turkish Human Rights and Equality Institution (TİHEK), which reported in 2021 that 21 children were missing from such facilities. Further investigations in recent years have revealed multiple deaths of children under state protection, including a teenage girl found dead at a construction site in a different city.
Nazlıaka directly addressed Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, urging a full investigation into both the suicide attempts and the overall conditions in Child Homes.
“This is a red alert. The fact that children are attempting suicide just to escape these institutions should be a wake-up call. Launch a full investigation. Do not evade responsibility — children must not pay for your negligence with their lives,” she said.
Child Homes have been involved in ongoing scandals, including allegations of sexual abuse and neglect. A 2018 report revealed that 28 children were subjected to torture and sexual abuse over several years in a state-run home in Uşak province.
More recently, Turhan Çömez, a deputy from the İYİ (Good) Party, alleged that a 9-year-old child died in 2024 due to a severe beating at a facility in Niğde. He claimed children in these institutions face systemic abuse, including physical violence and neglect, and are often left hungry.
