The INGEV Social Research Center (TAM) is conducting research on behalf of UNICEF Turkiye on ‘Early Childhood Development and Responsive Parenting’. The UNICEF Turkiye 2021-2025 country program aims to identify factors that could negatively affect early childhood development and to reduce these factors. This program targets individual and societal behavior changes to improve children’s health and abilities and to provide a positive development environment.
Despite significant improvements in the status of Early Childhood Development in Turkiye in recent years, there are areas that still need further development. This research aims to support UNICEF’s Social Behavior Change program by conducting an in-depth analysis of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Turkish population, Syrian refugees, and service providers in this field.
Some key findings from the TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) research include:
- Between 2017 and 2020, there was an increase in the participation of children aged 3 to 5 in early childhood education. However, between 2020 and 2022, this rate dropped from approximately 40% to 20%.
- 40% of parents stated that their children did not want to go to school, and 24% cited economic factors as a barrier.
- It has been observed that many parents in Turkiye do not pay sufficient attention to health issues. Only 22% of children with health problems were reported to have received treatment in the last two weeks.
- As of 2022, the rate of children aged 0-17 years exposed to any form of violent discipline, including psychological assault or physical punishment, was 54.1%. This rate was even higher for children aged 3-4 and 5-9 years (approximately 59%).