Beyond Recovery Support to Prevention... Home Visit Program to Prevent Abuse for Families with Children Aged 0-2 Implemented

On May 5, in front of the Seoul Southern District Court in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, where the first trial sentencing hearing for the adoptive parents accused of abusing and causing the death of 16-month-old adopted child Jeong In took place, citizens held placards demanding severe punishment for the adoptive parents.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The home visitation program for families with infants aged 0 to 2, aimed at detecting early signs of child abuse risk, will be expanded nationwide in 2024. Additionally, public officials will directly verify the status of children aged 0 to 6 who have not undergone health checkups or received essential vaccinations. Furthermore, the number of public officials dedicated to child abuse cases and police officers specializing in abuse prevention will be increased.

On the 19th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced these measures as part of the "Child Abuse Response System Improvement Plan" at the 131st National Policy Issue Inspection and Coordination Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum.

Earlier in January, the government strengthened its response to child abuse through measures such as the introduction of an immediate separation system, additional deployment of public officials dedicated to child abuse cases, establishment of joint work guidelines between police and dedicated officials, and proposals to strengthen sentencing standards for abusers. This new plan includes further institutional improvements covering the entire process of child abuse prevention and response, such as detecting and resolving crisis signs before reports, recovery support, and raising awareness about the prohibition of corporal punishment.

First, the government will promote measures to more closely monitor the health and caregiving conditions of infants and toddlers in their early life stages. For infants aged 0 to 2, specialized personnel such as nurses will visit homes to check the child's health status through the "Early Life Health Management Pilot Project," which will be expanded from the current 29 public health centers to 258 centers nationwide in 2024. Additionally, direct verification of children aged 0 to 6 who have not received health checkups or essential vaccinations will be strengthened.

By September, responsible public officials plan to confirm the safety of 21,000 children aged 0 to 2, followed by a full visitation survey of 3-year-old children in the fourth quarter from October to December.

The government will also enhance the response system from the perspective of the child, respecting the child's wishes during separation and protection stages. To maximize the educational rights of abused children, support for attending nearby schools will be provided, and if necessary, transfers without guardian consent will be allowed upon local government request. Currently, one guardian's consent is required for the transfer of abused children.

The support target for psychological treatment of abused children will also be expanded. From 2,000 children this year, support will increase to about 4,800 children next year. To prevent re-abuse, starting next year, a "home visitation family recovery program" will be operated for 1,000 families where abused children reside.

Personnel and facilities will be significantly expanded. The number of local government public officials dedicated to child abuse cases will increase from 524 this year to over 700 next year, and 260 additional Abuse Prevention Officers (APOs) will be hired by 2023. Nationwide, 120 Child Protection Agencies and 240 shelters for abused children (at least two shelters per Child Protection Agency jurisdiction) will be evenly established by 2025.

Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol stated, "Child abuse is a social issue that requires the combined efforts of multiple government ministries, local governments, the private sector, and indeed all citizens. We will do our utmost to implement these measures through close cooperation to provide practical help in protecting the lives and safety of children."

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