Proceedings of the 15th International Academic Conference, Rome

HOMELESS PEOPLE IN TURKEY AND SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTIONS

VEDAT ISIKHAN

Abstract:

“Homelessness” has been a serious social problem in developed countries especially since the 1980s. It has been provoked by the increase in poverty, inadequate incomes, unemployment, lack of care for mentally retarded people, unemployment and the increase in the number of individuals and families who live below the normal standard of living. In Turkey, the low number of homeless people means that homelessness is not accepted as a social problem. The fact that homelessness is not accepted as a social problem causes some problems, including a lack of services, the inadequacy of the existing services, and the lack of social policy concerning homelessness. Today, in Turkey the homeless population is much more diverse than in the past, and includes more women (both with and without children), families, young persons, working poor, socially excluded peoples and those with diagnoses of mental illness. Services to the homeless in Turkey are given by ASPB [Ministry of Family and Social Policies] in Behice Eren Children’s and Youth Center and in some municipality. In this study the interventions of social workers to the homeless people in our country is discussed.

Keywords: Homelessness, social work, social exclusion

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2015.015.076

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