With the 10-week “Supporting the Sexual Development of Children for Mothers and Fathers Program” conducted in cooperation with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Ministry Drug Enforcement Commission and the Near East University Atatürk Faculty of Education, families will now act more consciously on this issue.
The “Supporting the Sexual Development of Children for Mothers and Fathers Program” conducted in cooperation with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Ministry Drug Enforcement Commission and the Near East University Atatürk Faculty of Education has been successfully completed. The project, which was initiated within the scope of the protocol signed last year, was carried out with the aim of increasing parents’ awareness of sexual education, better understanding their children’s developmental processes and ensuring that they establish healthy communication.
Within the scope of the project; parents with children aged 48-72 months were included in the program. In the pre-tests conducted before starting the education process, it was determined that the parents’ knowledge level on sexual education was low. At the end of the 10-week program, a significant improvement was observed in the parents’ attitudes towards sexual education. It was also determined that their communication skills with their children on this issue were strengthened.
The study conducted by Hulin Sıddık, a doctoral student from the Department of Basic Education at the Atatürk Faculty of Education of Near East University, was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Umut Akçıl, Dean of the Faculty of Education of Near East University, and Prof. Dr. Filiz Erbay, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at KTO Karatay University. The researchers emphasized that this program provided an important gain in preventing problems that the child may encounter during the sexual development process.
Teyfide Tecel Hatipoğlu: “Families have a great responsibility.”
Expressing her satisfaction with the positive results achieved with the training program, Teyfide Tecel Hatipoğlu, the Head of the TRNC Prime Ministry Drug Enforcement Commission, said, “Having a healthy childhood in every respect plays a critical role in fighting against substance use.” At this point, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness in families, Teyfide Tecel Hatipoğlu stated that it is critical for parents to receive training so that they can early detect problems that their children may encounter during their development and make the necessary interventions.
Prof. Dr. Umut Akçıl: “This program not only provided information to mothers and fathers, but also encouraged them to establish healthier and more conscious communication with their children.”
Emphasizing that healthy communication in child development makes a big difference in terms of their future psychosocial health, Near East University Atatürk Faculty of Education Dean Prof. Dr. Umut Akçıl said, “Sensitive issues such as sexual development in particular should be addressed by parents with correct information and in an open manner. This program not only provided information to mothers and fathers, but also encouraged them to establish healthier and more conscious communication with their children.”
Saying “We believe that the gains in the education process will play an important role in reducing the risks that children may face in later ages.” Prof. Dr. Akçıl also added, “This project will not only contribute to the development of individuals, but will also support development by contributing to a healthy social structure.”