مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - The Role of Local Governments in the Social Policy for the Disabled: The Case of Keçiören Municipali

Abstract :

Nowadays, in many countries, it is seen that the issue of disability and people with disabilities are not addressed only from the point of view of medical model and approached in a more inclusive manner in the context of social barriers and human rights, differently than in the past. However, it is known that many factors like the development level and the welfare systems of the countries and point of view of society for the disabled effect the scope and the quality of social policies aiming at the people with disabilities. It is seen that the progress of social policies for the disability issue, which has an important reflection on medical, economic, social and administrative dimensions, has come to a later date in Turkey when compared to developed countries. In this case, it has been decisive that the disability issue is addressed for a long time in the context of medical model and the family has the main role in the care and protection of the disabled. The legal regulation in 2005 played an important role in the policy agenda of inclusive social policies regarding the disabled in Turkey. In social policy implementations, the functions of local governments have increased over time as well as the central government. As a matter of fact, significant duties and responsibilities in the scope of social policy were given to local governments, especially to municipalities by the legal regulations regarding local government units by 2000s. In this study, local social policy implementations for disabled people was examined in the example of Keçiören Municipality. This analysis was carried out in accordance with the information obtained from the Municipality’s activity reports and Disability Unit affiliated to the Keçiören Municipality Directorate of Social Assistance Affairs.