Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Faculty of Education, Elementary Education Department organized a conference titled “Child-Friendly Protection Environments: Abuse and Children Interview Rooms” on the occasion of 20 November, World Children’s Day. The event which was held on the 6th of December, 2021 hosted Specialist Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist Eşmen Tatlıcalı as a guest speaker whom provided detailed information on interviewing rooms which have recently started providing service for children and their families within the scope of Social Services Department.

Tatlıcalı addressed the Students’ Questions

Stating that the new interview rooms has started providing services in Nicosia and Kyrenia, Tatlıcalı mentioned that actions plans to increase the number of the interview rooms are in the agenda. Tatlıcalı emphasized that the rooms have equipment that can be used both for children who come to the Social Services Department with suspicion of abuse, and for family child investigations. Moreover, Tatlıcalı underlined that these rooms are very important to respond to the age, development and needs of children while interviewing children at risk, and answered the questions posed by the students of the Elementary Education Department at the end of the conference. The students who attended the conference stated that the conference was very beneficial and that their participation in such activities while preparing for the teaching profession contributed to their development.

“We will continue to work for Children”

Contributing the organizing process of the conference, Elementary Education Department academic staff member Assist. Prof. Dr. Nihan Koran made a statement regarding the matter and said: “Through the medium of this conference, we, as EMU Education Faculty, Elementary Education Department academic staff members declare that, in addition to creating child-friendly environments, we will contribute to the future studies on Children's Rights and continue to work for children together with children”. EMU Education Faculty, Elementary Education Department Head Prof. Dr. Ayşe Işık Gürşimşek stated that it is the common goal of all faculty members in the department to raise teacher candidates with an understanding that will consider “the best interests of children” during the preparation process for the profession, and said that similar activities is to continue.