Child Well-Being Indicators Through the Eyes of Children in Turkey: A Happy Child Would be One WhoaEuro¦

Abstract

Based on the research that was conducted to evaluate child well-being indicators from the perspectives of children in order to advance the nation-wide monitoring of their well-being in Turkey, the aim of this article is to demonstrate what children prioritize for each domain for a happy child. To this end, 562 children from different age groups -including some specific focus on certain disadvantaged groups-completed questionnaires. 40 focus groups approximately with 10 children were held afterwards with the aim of evaluating the questionnaire and giving them the opportunity to add what they saw as the missing dimensions with respect to domains and indicators. Health; Material well-being; Education; Risk and the Relationship are the discussed domains. The research focuses on how, in each, stated domains and indicators are evaluated by the children. By sharing the findings of the Turkish case, the article aims to contribute to the current literature by demonstrating how children describe a(n) un/happy child and also to discuss the findings with respect to gender, socio-economic background, and age.