Family life education in Turkey

Abstract

During recent decades, Turkey has been undergoing rapid social and economic changes, including demographic transition. These changes are highly likely to continue in the future. Thus, the needs of families change as well. Due to these changes, the development of new and effective family life education programs is needed, ones that will acknowledge the evolution of families in Turkey and ones that will reach all segments of the society easily. Today in Turkey, the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, as well as municipalities and the Ministry of National Education, provides family life education to individuals, couples, and families, on such issues as family communication and premarital education. Local authorities, academic units, and nongovernmental organizations also organize different activities (i.e., seminars, panels, conferences, etc.) within the scope of family life education. In recent years, many family-oriented applications have been conducted, within the framework of social state policy. In general, programs that have been implemented have proved effective on topics such as developing self-confidence in children and establishing good relationships between children and their parents. Participating in family life education programming helps children look positively toward school and success at school.