Gwangju City Significantly Expands Support for Childcare Services

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 21st that it will significantly expand support and enhance stability and convenience starting this year to strengthen the use of the "Childcare Service," a government policy project implemented to reduce the childcare burden on children from dual-income families and others.

From this year, the support hours will be expanded from the existing 720 hours per year to 840 hours, and low-income single-parent families, families with disabled parents, and families with disabled children will receive increased support for usage fees from the existing 85% to 90%.

In addition, user convenience has been improved so that the "Temporary Connection Service" can be used through the childcare mobile app when childcare services are needed during nighttime, weekends, or emergency situations.

Qualifications, management, and supervision of childcare providers have also been strengthened to prevent child abuse.

The qualification suspension period for ineligible childcare providers has been extended from a maximum of one year to three years, and if requested by users, the head of the service provider institution can provide the history of qualification suspension and cancellation of childcare providers.

The Childcare Service is a system where professionally trained childcare providers from city-designated institutions visit homes to safely care for children one-on-one in families experiencing childcare gaps due to dual-income or other reasons.

Currently, about 900 childcare providers are active in Gwangju, recruited and trained by childcare service provider institutions in five autonomous districts, linked and managed by region, and their activities are monitored.

Families with children from 3 months old to under 12 years old can use the service, and they can use it for the desired amount of time at the desired hours, safely entrusting their children during nighttime, weekend work, or emergency situations.

The basic service usage fee is 10,040 KRW per hour, with support of up to 90% depending on income level.

Families that exceed the support hour limit (840 hours per year), have an income level above 150% of the median income, or are not dual-income families, thus falling outside the support target, must bear the full cost of the usage fee themselves but can still use the service.

Gwangju City plans to provide additional support through special measures for families experiencing childcare gaps due to closures, school breaks, or remote classes caused by COVID-19 starting from March, when the new semester begins, as the COVID-19 situation continues.

During this special application period, support will be expanded up to 90%, including 40% support for usage fees for families not eligible for support, as was the case last year, and the annual support hour limit (840 hours) will be exempted.

Families wishing to use the Childcare Service can inquire for detailed information through the Childcare Service website, the consultation hotline, or the childcare service provider institutions in the five districts.

Gwak Hyun-mi, Director of the Women's and Family Bureau of the city, said, "Having experienced raising children while working dual jobs, I deeply feel how necessary and good the 'Childcare Service' system is," and added, "Since it is a trustworthy system that dispatches and manages childcare providers selected through thorough background checks, health examinations, personality tests, and professional training, I hope more families will use it."

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