Non-governmental organizations in social policy applications for children living/working on street: Example of Hayat Foundation

The issue of children living/working on street is a problem that has been going on since early times and it is completely contrary to the nature of childhood that the relationship between the child and his/her living and working condition on street when the child is the determining factor in the construction of the future of societies. Because of the delicate situation of this issue and the condition of being one of the most important problems of today, for understanding and solving the problem it is necessary to make different kinds of economic and social studies. The extent of the study consists of the effectiveness of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in social policy applications and the example of Hayat Foundation. Furthermore, the examples and applications of non-governmental organizations including also local and public administration's activities, which are working about this problem from Turkey and all over the world, were investigated. The main problem of the study is how social policies for children will be with the participation of NGOs. The basic assumption of study within the context of the problem is that the condition of NGOs in social policies for children will be arise as contributing and nurturing to existing governmental social policies and this is suggested by the NGOs such as Hayat Foundation in particular. Qualitative research method based on a "case study" was used to address the related problem and written documents were examined and interviews were conducted with foundation officials in this extent. As a result, it is determined that the contributions of the activities of NGOs and in particular the Hayat Foundation to public works and the benefits provided to the field are very important in social policies for children living/working on the street. Key Words: Childreen working/living on street, civil society, Non-govenrmental organizations, Hayat Foundation, social policy.