Court grants visitation rights to former foster parents citing emotional bond

Oya Armutçu – ISTANBUL

In a landmark ruling, a Turkish court has allowed a former foster family to maintain contact with a child they raised for eight years — despite losing their legal status after the child was reclaimed by her biological mother — recognizing their emotional bond.

The child, placed under state care at one month old, was entrusted to foster parents only identified as G.K. and Ü.K., who raised her as their own. The couple initiated adoption proceedings, but the biological mother’s withdrawal of consent halted the process. At age 8, the mother reappeared and took the child to another city, severing all ties with the foster family.

In April 2021, the couple filed a rare lawsuit demanding the right to maintain a “personal relationship” with the child. The local family court ruled in May 2024 that, based on the child’s best interests and emotional well-being, the former foster parents allowed supervised visits twice a month.

The decision was upheld by the appellate court in November and finalized by the Court of Cassation in February 2025.

The ruling emphasized that the absence of a biological link does not invalidate the deep emotional bond formed during the child’s formative years. The court found no compelling reason to deny the couple contact, recognizing the psychological impact of sudden seperation from parental figures.

Attorney Ayşe Uyanık, who voluntarily represented the family, hailed the case as a legal precedent that may reshape the rights of foster families in Türkiye. She stressed the importance of valuing emotional ties alongside biological ones, especially for the well-being of children who are caught between systems.