24.01.2026 18:24
The Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, spoke about the allegations of assault and abuse at the İBB nursery. Minister Göktaş stated that similar reports have been coming in recent days, saying, "Aren't you with the children? Since the incident happened, pursue it, be with the family and defend them. How can you cover up this incident? I felt ashamed while watching, I felt ashamed while listening. There are new reports. Where are you, why aren't you speaking up? Children are the children of all of us, children are our red line."
The Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, visited the family of a 3-year-old child who was allegedly subjected to abuse and mistreatment at a nursery affiliated with the İBB in Eyüpsultan.
GÖKTAŞ'S STRONG REACTION TO THE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND MISTREATMENT IN THE NURSERY
After the visit, Göktaş stated to reporters that they had provided counseling services to the family at the end of December, before the incident was reported in the media. Göktaş noted that during the visit, he learned that the family had been seeking justice since December 3, saying, "What I heard was truly unbelievable. The family thinks they left their child at a nursery. However, we saw that this place is not under the supervision of either the Ministry of National Education or the Ministry of Family and Social Services, and that it operates under the name of 'children's activity center,' thus being outside the oversight mechanism of our ministries."
Göktaş stated that they understood from the family's statements that there was no internal oversight mechanism at the center, continuing: "Of course, we expressed that we would provide both counseling and psychosocial support while respecting the child's best interests and the family's rights, and that we would also be legally involved in the process. We have such authority under the Child Protection Law No. 5395. Our governorate has assigned an inspector. We, as the Ministry, have also initiated our inspection regarding this process.
We will continue to be alongside our families and children. Our children are our future, and we will always continue to support them. We will also continue all kinds of efforts to maintain the well-being of our children. I truly believe that this needs to be addressed comprehensively, and that the entire process will be meticulously followed in all its details."
"I WAS ASHAMED WHILE LISTENING, THERE ARE NEW REPORTS"
Stating that the incident was not an isolated case and that other reports had come in recent days, Göktaş said, "Aren't you with the children? Since the incident happened, pursue it, be with the family and defend them. How can you cover up this incident? I was ashamed while watching, I was ashamed while listening. There are new reports. Where are you, why aren't you speaking up? Children are the children of all of us, children are our red line." he expressed.
Göktaş pointed out that the victimized family was left alone in the process and that there was an attempt to cover up the incident, saying, "Aren't you with the children? Since the incident happened, pursue it, be with the family and defend them. How can you cover up this incident? I was ashamed while watching, I was ashamed while listening. There are new reports. Where are you, why aren't you speaking up? Children are the children of all of us, children are our red line." he stated.
"THE FAMILY IS IDENTIFYING THE INCIDENT THEMSELVES"
Minister Göktaş conveyed that he learned that the center's officials had not contacted the family in any way after the incident, saying, "The family is identifying the incident themselves and going to the relevant authorities, both the municipality and the school, but they cannot make their voices heard in any way. They can only access the camera recordings 20 days later. Normally, according to the Ministry of National Education regulations, there should be cameras in certain places. They behaved that way, but according to what the family described, the incidents are happening in places where there are no cameras, either in the classroom, in the restrooms, or in the blind spots of the cameras. Therefore, we took the family's claim very seriously."
When asked about the statement made by the İBB after the incident, Göktaş said, "We would have expected the personnel to be suspended first. Any allegation is very important to us. However, we have not received any information regarding how the inspection processes are progressing. Normally, in such processes, personnel are suspended, an investigation is conducted, and the family is provided with the necessary support. However, unfortunately, we saw that such a process was not being carried out when we listened to the family. Of course, we will not leave our family alone." he stated.
Göktaş emphasized that such institutions should not remain unmonitored, adding that it is not legal for these centers to operate under different institutional names.