Songpa-gu Selected as a Focus Support District for Our Neighborhood Care Centers

7200 Million KRW Invested... 10 Additional Locations to Open This Year... "Pursuing Quality Improvement Through Specialized Services Alongside Quantitative Growth"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) announced on the 29th that Songpa-gu has been selected as a concentrated support district for Seoul's Our Neighborhood Care Centers in 2020.

It is the only one in the southeastern area.

Seoul City operates Our Neighborhood Care Centers in collaboration with autonomous districts to provide after-school care for children aged 6 to 12. The centers aim to offer a safe play space for elementary school students after school, providing care services that allow parents facing difficulties such as dual-income households to entrust their children with peace of mind.

In particular, this month, to establish a leading model for elementary care, concentrated support districts were selected by evaluating the willingness to expand Our Neighborhood Care Centers based on criteria such as △policy promotion will △appropriateness of support △feasibility △spread of outcomes.

In this regard, Songpa-gu explained that Mayor Park Seong-su has shown strong determination for elementary care by steadily promoting related projects through the establishment of a dedicated team, enactment of related ordinances, and formation of a local care council as part of the 7th term election pledge to strengthen after-school care.

With this selection, Songpa-gu will invest approximately 7.2 billion KRW in Our Neighborhood Care Centers.

Accordingly, two centers will open sequentially in April and eight more in the second half of the year in Songpa-gu. As of March 2020, a total of four Our Neighborhood Care Centers are operating in Songpa-gu. In the long term, the plan is to open 32 centers by 2022.

Songpa-gu explained that it aims not only for quantitative growth but also qualitative improvement. It plans to provide specialized care services distinct from other districts by linking with Songpa's own education model, ‘Songpa SSEM (Songpa Smart Education Model).’

Additionally, it added that it intends to attract hub-type Our Neighborhood Care Centers that will serve as regional representative elementary care facilities by offering cultural and artistic experience opportunities.

With large-scale apartment complexes such as Wirye New Town and Helio City being developed, Songpa-gu has seen an influx of young populations, increasing the number of dual-income families and elementary school students.

However, since care facilities for elementary students are very insufficient compared to infant care facilities, Songpa-gu has focused on expanding Our Neighborhood Care Centers. Moreover, with the postponement of school openings due to COVID-19, the need for elementary care is greater than ever.

Mayor Park Seong-su of Songpa-gu stated, “We will strive to provide care services at a level similar to that of a home, close to where anyone needs them,” and added, “We will work hard to make Songpa a city good for raising children.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.