Home care services in Turkey as a social policy application: An evaluation on Bartın province

Needing of care is a disadvantageous situation that can appear through out life with risks such as illness, accident, death, natural disaster etc., which all people may face. Individuals exposed to such social risks may need the help/supervision or care of another individual permanently or temporarily in order to continue their life or to maintain their life The primary goal of home care service is to make the individual get home care service near their family without separating them from their social environment and support the family economically and socially within the scope of this service. When viewed in this context, the need for care concerns the social security system and requires the intervention of the social state approach. This study examined home care services as a social policy practice in our country in Bartın province. Focusing only on the Bartın region is a limitation of this study. The purpose of this field research which is planned in two stages, is within the scope of social policy theory, the social change in social life and the problems arising in-home care services as social policy are addressed on-site within the framework of public administration by revealing the problems related to home care services and presenting suggestions regarding this policy. In the study, within the scope of the qualitative research method, face-to-face inter views were held with fifty family members (caregivers) who benefit from homecare services for the disabled through the Bartın Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services. On the other hand, interviews were held with ten social workers (servants who work in government) who provide home care services through applications and house hold visits. The study showed that the cash aid given was insufficient to meet the needs of disabled individuals. There was a need to develop a policy in line with care insurance for caregivers, alternative services for disabled individuals and their families should be increased, inter-institutional coordination in the services provided, and the disorganization of legislation in this fieldshould be eliminated. It has been concluded into two findings. Firstly,the thoughts and suggestions of individuals and practitioners providing the service are parallel. Secondly, the practice should be re-evaluated by the developments of the time.