Gyeonggi-do Conducts 'Well-being Survey' for Children Aged 3 to 6... 54,470 Participants

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will conduct a full-scale welfare check through home visits by January next year targeting all 54,470 home-protected children (children under care) aged 3 to 6 who do not use childcare facilities.

In addition, a second joint inspection with related agencies will be conducted by November 30 for high-risk children, including those who have been separately managed due to previous abuse.

This full-scale survey aims to alleviate residents' anxiety following the release of child offenders such as Jo Doo-soon.

The province expanded the survey scope from the existing Ministry of Health and Welfare's 'e-Child Happiness Support Project' target group of 3-year-olds (11,559 children) to children up to 6 years old.

The 'e-Child Happiness Support Project' is a program where public officials in towns, townships, and neighborhoods visit the homes of children under 18 predicted to be at risk based on big data each quarter to check their safety and provide welfare services. The fourth quarter of this year targets 3-year-olds for inspection.

During the survey, a checklist will be used to confirm the whereabouts and safety of the children and to assess the need for linking welfare services to improve the caregiving environment.

For children deemed to need support based on the survey results, welfare services such as psychological therapy and parent education will be provided in cooperation with related organizations like Dream Start.

Children suspected of abuse will be reported to the police and connected to child protection agencies for protective measures.

The province will also conduct a second joint inspection alongside the first one carried out in June through the 'Gyeonggi Province Child Protection Task Force,' which consists of the police, education office, and child protection agencies.

The target group includes children under 10 years old protected in their original homes, children with disabilities, and those reported for re-abuse two or more times among previously abused children.

This year, the province conducted the first joint inspection as a pilot project, checking 1,373 high-risk children, of whom 1,187 had their safety confirmed on-site, 20 were linked to welfare services, and 14 abused children were connected to child protection agencies for follow-up measures.

The province, police, education office, and child protection agencies will continue the 'Gyeonggi Province Child Protection Task Force' cooperation project and plan to regularize biannual joint inspections of high-risk children starting next year.

Park Geun-gyun, head of the Child Care Division of the province, said, "The number of home-protected children is increasing due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic," and urged, "Please actively cooperate as this is a full-scale survey to confirm the safety of children."

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