Early Childhood Intervention for Children with Disabilities and Syrian Refugee Children in Türkiye: Practices, Policies, and Recommendations

Early childhood intervention and education play a central role in promoting equity, developmental outcomes, and long-term well-being for all children, particularly those experiencing those with disabilities or refugee status. In Türkiye, children at this intersection face compounded barriers to inclusive early childhood education (ECE). This paper examines how disability, and forced migration intersect to shape access to early childhood services in Türkiye, analyzing legal frameworks, programs, implementation gaps, and contextual factors. A review of policy documents, research, and program evaluations, reveals that while Türkiye has established foundational policies and achieved progress, structural barriers and governance fragmentation limit equitable service provision. The study adopts an intersectional framework and Guralnick’s Developmental Systems Model to identify leverage points for reform. The findings underscore the critical need for integrated service systems, strengthened cross-sectoral coordination, and targeted support mechanisms for families experiencing intersecting vulnerabilities in Türkiye, a country that ranks among the top five hosts of the world’s largest refugee populations.