Between 2008 and 2010 in Türkiye, the research project Understanding Child Well-Being: Conceptualization, Assessment, and Identification of Indicators’ (Project No: 108K235) research project, which was carried out within the scope of TUBITAK The Scientific and Technological Research Projects Support Program (Program Code 1001), was the first study in which the concept of “child well-being” was introduced in the Turkish context. Within the scope of this study, which aims to develop a new theoretical and methodological perspective, the English concept of “child well-being” was translated into Turkish as “çocuğun iyi olma hali”. Child well-being, also known as child welfare, is a conceptual framework that informs the development of social policies aimed at children. It takes a holistic approach to understanding the issues affecting children’s lives, considering both subjective and objective factors. This approach differs from the broader use of the concept outside the field of child studies.

The study, which was conducted under the leadership of the Ministry of Development and with the technical support of UNICEF, utilized the conceptual framework and indicators of the aforementioned study to investigate child poverty and child well-being. The findings of this research were published in the “Child Well-Being Document”.

Since 2015, Türkiye has participated in the International Child Well-Being Index (ISCIWeb) study, which has involved the participation of over 56,000 children in 21 countries. A comparative analysis was conducted using the data collected from Türkiye.

Another important study that contributes to the literature on the child well-being approach in Türkiye was conducted within the framework of the UNICEF Türkiye 2011-2015 Country Program. The aim of this study was to inform and support the work of the Child Well-Being Indicators Working Group, which consists of representatives from UNICEF, the Ministry of Development, the Turkish Statistical Institute, and the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, on developing Türkiye -Specific National Child Well-Being Indicators.

The study focused on how children from different age groups perceive the indicators that have already been developed in each domain, and whether they suggest new domains and/or indicators. The study included a survey with a total of 562 children from different age groups and 40 focus groups, with a special focus on some disadvantaged groups.

Within the scope of this study, the eight domains previously identified were addressed under five headings (Health, Material Conditions, Education, Risks, and Relationships) while preparing the indicator sets. Since the study focused on ‘subjective well-being’, this domain was included in a way that intersects all domains. ‘Home and environment’ was addressed under both ‘material conditions’ and ‘risks’, and ‘Participation’ was addressed under ‘relationships’ and ‘education’.

As a result of the study, an indicator matrix was proposed. This indicator matrix is presented in detail in the publication entitled “Defining and Evaluating the Domains and Indicators of Child Well-Being from the Perspective of Children in Türkiye “.

Another important development regarding the concept of “child well-being” in Türkiye is the preparation of the Child Special Expertise Committee Report in 2018, based on the theoretical framework of child well-being, within the scope of the 11th Five-Year Development Plan (2019-2023). This report has included the domains of child well-being in a significant national policy document for the first time in Türkiye.

The first study, conducted between 2008 and 2010, involved a survey with 963 children and parents representing the Istanbul sample. In-depth interviews were also conducted with a total of 60 children aged 8-18 in a selected neighborhood, 8 focus groups with different children’s groups, mothers and teachers, and a photo-voice study with 19 volunteer children from 4th and 7th grades.

Based on international literature, the study developed indicator sets in eight domains: Material Conditions, Education, Health, Risk and Safety, Home and Environment, Participation, Relationships, and Subjective Well-Being. These indicators were designed to facilitate a better understanding of the conditions affecting the lives of children in Türkiye.

At the end of the project, a book entitled “Childhood in an Unequal Society” was published. The book provides a detailed overview of the theoretical and methodological framework of the child well-being approach, as well as the findings and indicator sets of the research. The book is available as an open-access resource.

The child well-being framework has also been used in studies to understand different childhood experiences. Some examples include:

“Improvement of the Living Conditions of Seasonal Migrant Agricultural Workers’ Children in Adana from the Perspective of Child Well-Being” (2017): This study was conducted in Adana, Türkiye, and focused on the children of migrant agricultural workers.

“Working Children: A Pilot Study in Bağcılar and Küçükçekmece” (2017): This study was conducted in Istanbul, Türkiye, and focused on child labor in the city.

“Makeshift Lives: The State of Armenian-Citizen Migrants and Their Children Living in Istanbul” (2018): This study was conducted in Istanbul, Türkiye, and focused on the children of Armenian migrants.

These studies demonstrate the versatility of the child well-being framework in understanding the diverse experiences of children in different contexts. By using this framework, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence child well-being and develop more effective policies and programs to support children.

One of the most recent studies in the field of child well-being is an international comparative study conducted in 2021 with the participation of 19 countries outside of Türkiye, and qualitative research conducted in the summer of 2020, on the child’s well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

 

 

 

 

The qualitative research, conducted with 50 children from different socio-economic backgrounds aged 10-13, showed that although material constraints created significant inequalities during the pandemic, especially in terms of home conditions and distance education, all children participating in the research experienced anxiety, fear and worry.

The results of the research study, in which 804 children from Türkiye participated in remote and face-to-face interviews, showed that in all 20 countries included in the study, children’s subjective well-being decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period, and Türkiye ranked fourth in terms of children’s unhappiness.

The most recent study is a research conducted in 2023 with 800 children and their parents in 800 households in Istanbul. The research found that children from the lowest socioeconomic status are less happy, more anxious, more stressed, and more bored with their lives compared to other children.