In Turkey, Evlatliks are unpaid workers within the home, who are brought into the household as children. The practice is often seen as archaic, yet experience in many different global contexts suggests that similar practices are widespread. Evlatliks are neither officially recognised by policy-makers for the vital work they do, nor recognised as true family members in the households where they work. What can development workers learn from their experiences, and can we draw out insights to help us address the powerlessness of child and domestic labourers around the world?