Dongjak-gu Strengthens Child Safety Network and Intensifies Child Abuse Prevention Efforts

Promotion of Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Projects Including Child Abuse Prevention Education for All Residents... Establishment of a Safety Belt for At-Risk Children Among Related Organizations Such as Dongjak Childcare Support Center and Dongjak·Gwanak Office of Education

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Chang-woo Lee) has established a 'Comprehensive Plan for Child Abuse Prevention and Strengthening the Child Safety Network' to create a healthy Dongjak where children can enjoy happiness.

Last year, the number of suspected child abuse reports in the district was 45, the second lowest among the 25 autonomous districts in Seoul. However, due to recent consecutive child abuse incidents, the district has incorporated community concerns and thoughts into the comprehensive plan and decided to proactively focus administrative efforts on strengthening the child safety network.

As a follow-up measure to the 'Child Abuse Response System Reform' in October last year, which transferred child abuse investigation duties from the private sector to local governments, Dongjak-gu enacted the Ordinance on Child Abuse Prevention and Protection in Seoul Metropolitan City (Nov. 2020), establishing administrative and financial grounds for child abuse-related work.

To strengthen the public nature of child abuse prevention and child protection, since October last year, two dedicated child abuse officers and three child protection specialists have been assigned.

An emergency child abuse report hotline has been established, and a child abuse response information linkage council composed of the Child Protection Agency, Education Support Office, Police Station, and district officials has been formed. Through regular monthly meetings, they share information on abused and at-risk children and discuss various cooperation measures for protection and support.

Additionally, memorandums of understanding (MOUs) have been signed with related organizations such as the Dongjak Childcare Comprehensive Support Center, Dongjak Health and Family Support Center, and Dongjak-Gwanak Education Support Office to build a safety belt system for at-risk children.

Through these MOUs, continuous communication and cooperation between the public and private sectors will promote various child-friendly policies, including information sharing and cooperation on at-risk children and projects to enhance sensitivity to children's rights targeting childcare institutions, families, school staff, students, and parents.

This year, the district will make every effort to implement resident-centered child abuse prevention projects by educating all residents on types of child abuse and response methods through various online platforms such as YouTube channels, enabling all residents to act as child protectors and reporters of child abuse.

Various child abuse prevention projects reflecting voices from the field through communication with local residents will also be promoted.

These include the facility-resident children's human rights protection project ‘Haemil’, operation of neighborhood-level citizen safety volunteer groups (Mo-Gwan-Si) performing child safety guardian activities, hosting child abuse prevention agenda discovery forums, and events for Child Abuse Prevention Day (Nov. 19).

Mo (Everything about child abuse prevention) Gwan (starts from our interest) Si (and begins).

Furthermore, information sharing and promotion of child abuse prevention will be strengthened online and offline through media such as SNS, newsletters, and the Kids Note notification app used in local daycare centers, as well as by utilizing the ‘Dongjak-Gwanak Parents’ Band to promote public discussion on child abuse prevention.

Joo-il Park, Head of the Child and Youth Division, stated, “We will make every effort to thoroughly implement this comprehensive plan to strengthen the child safety network to protect children safely and fulfill our public responsibility for child abuse prevention.” He added, “We ask for the community’s continued interest so that children’s rights are protected and they can be safe from abuse.”

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