Beside You at Every Step of Your Child's Development
Çocukla Akademi is a development support centre for children in Beykent, Büyükçekmece (Istanbul). We bring speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and DIR/Floortime together under one roof. All therapies are available in English, we offer bilingual Turkish-English sessions, and every session takes place in person at our centre.
Our Story
Çocukla Akademi was founded by Alev Akıncı Yıldız, Specialist Audiologist (MSc) and DIR Floortime therapist. Her aim was to offer evaluation, therapy and guidance to children, teenagers and adults with special needs.
From day one, we have treated the areas of development as one connected process, not as separate pieces. This is still the core principle behind everything we do.
Some of the methods we use require international certification. To stay current, we work with the relevant institutes, academies and trainers. We believe professional learning never stops, so we keep up to date through regular courses and workshops.
What We Believe
Every child has their own pace of development and their own needs. So we do not build programmes from a standard template. We shape each one around the child's individual evaluation.
A child who needs several kinds of support should not have to visit several addresses. One coordinated team should provide that support, under one roof.
Therapy in English, and Bilingual Sessions
Many of the families we work with live in Istanbul and speak English at home. Some are expats or international families. Others are mixed-nationality families whose children are growing up with Turkish and English. Our English service is built for them.
- All therapies in English: speech and language therapy, occupational therapy (including sensory integration), DIR/Floortime, special support programmes for autism, ADHD and learning difficulties, parent guidance and home programme consultancy.
- Bilingual Turkish-English sessions for children who use both languages, planned around your child's language profile.
- Family meetings and progress updates in English, so you can follow every step.
- 40-minute individual sessions, always in person at our centre in Beykent, Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 18:00.
Not sure which language suits your child best? We talk it through with you before therapy starts. We look at the language or languages spoken at home, the language of school or nursery, and how your child uses each one. Our bilingual children page explains more.
Therapy takes place face to face at our centre in Istanbul. That makes it a good fit for families who live here or who are settling here.
Inside Our Centre
Real photos from our centre in Beykent, Büyükçekmece.
Our Approach
The DIR Floortime model sits at the heart of our centre. We start from your child's interests and natural play. From there, we build social interaction and emotional connection.
Why do we run speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and Floortime under one roof? Because a child's areas of development are not separate. They are closely linked. Our specialists meet regularly to review each child's progress together.
What We Offer
Speech and Language Therapy
For speech delay, articulation difficulties, stuttering and expressive language difficulties. Available in English or as bilingual Turkish-English sessions. Read more about speech and language therapy.
Occupational Therapy
For sensory processing and for fine and gross motor development, with sessions available in English. Read more about occupational therapy.
DIR/Floortime
To build social interaction and emotional connection through play, with sessions available in English. Read more about Floortime.
Special Support Programmes
For autism, ADHD and learning difficulties, with sessions available in English. Read more about our special support programmes.
Alev Akıncı Yıldız
Alev founded Çocukla Akademi to offer evaluation, therapy and guidance to children, teenagers and adults with special needs. Today the centre she founded offers all of its therapies in English, as well as bilingual Turkish-English sessions.
- 2019: Graduated in Audiology, Istanbul Gelisim University
- 2023: Completed specialist training (MSc), Istanbul Gelisim University
- DIR 101: Floortime therapy course
- DIR 201: Floortime therapy course and supervision training
Places where she has gained experience include:
Koc University Hospital · Bakirkoy Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital · two private special education and rehabilitation centres
Why Families Choose Çocukla Akademi
A Joined-Up Approach
We run speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and Floortime together, in a coordinated way, under one roof.
Individual Programmes
Each child's programme is set separately, based on their own individual evaluation.
Continuous Learning
Our specialists keep their skills current through regular courses and supervision training.
Our centre is in Beykent, Büyükçekmece, right on the Beylikdüzü border. We also welcome families from Beylikdüzü, Bahçeşehir, Avcılar, Esenyurt, Silivri and Çatalca. For travel information for your district, see our Service Areas page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Çocukla Akademi?
Our centre was founded by Alev Akıncı Yıldız, Specialist Audiologist (MSc) and DIR Floortime therapist.
Can my child have sessions in English?
Yes. All our therapies are available in English: speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, DIR/Floortime and our special support programmes. Parent guidance, home programme consultancy, family meetings and progress updates are in English too.
Do you offer bilingual Turkish-English sessions?
Yes. For children growing up with Turkish and English, we offer bilingual sessions. We plan them around your child's language profile, including the languages used at home and at school.
What is DIR Floortime?
DIR Floortime is an approach that starts from the child's interests. It builds social interaction and emotional connection through natural play. See our Floortime page for details.
Which age groups do you work with?
We offer evaluation, therapy and guidance for children, teenagers and adults. Contact us to find out which programme suits your child's age.
Where are you located?
Our centre is in Beykent, Büyükçekmece (Istanbul), right on the Beylikdüzü border. Families come to us from Büyükçekmece, Beylikdüzü, Bahçeşehir, Avcılar, Silivri, Esenyurt and Çatalca. All sessions take place in person at the centre. See our Contact page for the address and directions.
How do I book an appointment?
Message us on WhatsApp or give us a call to book a first evaluation. See our Book an Appointment page for details.
Do I need a doctor's referral for an evaluation?
Usually not. You can book an evaluation directly. If you have concerns, we recommend getting in touch without waiting.