24.01.2026 09:10
The Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, reacted strongly to the demands for "selective children" in adoption. In her statement, Göktaş expressed her outrage by saying, "There are those who want children aged 0-3, girls, and even blue-eyed children. Adoption is not a preference list; it is about becoming a family in a child's life."
The Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, made evaluations regarding the adoption processes in her speech at the Parliamentary Commission for Research on Juvenile Delinquency. Göktaş stated that there has been no decrease in adoption numbers and expressed that the figures may vary from year to year.
"THIS IS NOT AN ORDER"
Stating that families tend to prefer children aged 0-3 and that there is a preference for girls, Göktaş emphasized that some requests complicate the process. Göktaş conveyed that in one request she received, a "blue-eyed child" was wanted, saying, "This is not an order. If you want to be a family to a child, do not make any distinction based on gender or age. Do not specify eye color at all." Minister Göktaş noted that adopted children are regularly monitored by the families they are placed with, and in necessary cases, children can be taken back.
REHABILITATION OF 346 CHILDREN COMPLETED
Göktaş stated that seven specialized child units actively serve juvenile delinquents and announced that the rehabilitation process of 346 children accepted into these units has been completed. Göktaş expressed that some children resorted to violence to leave the institutions, broke windows, started fires, or ran away, stating that these children do not feel a sense of belonging to the institution. Göktaş emphasized that special rehabilitation efforts should be conducted for children with different traumas, drug use, and histories of suicide attempts.
AI-SUPPORTED CAMERA SYSTEM FOR INSTITUTIONS
According to a report by Esma Altın from Türkiye newspaper; Minister Göktaş stated that 3,382 children taken into institutional care by court order or precautionary measures were accepted into Specialized Child Home Sites within 2025, and that 3,026 of these children were directed either to normal children's homes or back to their families after the rehabilitation process. Göktaş announced that an AI-supported "smart camera system" would be established in the institutions where children in care reside to prevent neglect and violence risks, stating that real-time monitoring would be conducted from the center and any negative incidents would be directly reported to the ministry center.
REGULATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE AGENDA OF THE PARLIAMENT
Göktaş announced that the legal regulation aimed at limiting access to social media for children under the age of 15 will be on the agenda of the Parliament next week, stating that the lack of age restrictions in digital platforms poses serious risks. Göktaş said, "We cannot leave our children in the dark corridors of social media."