Seoul City Expands 'Dahamtge Childcare Centers' to 150 Locations... Applied to Seoul-Style Shared Childcare Centers

Following last year's pilot project at 30 locations, expanded to 150 locations this year with integrated operation of 'Seoul-style Shared Daycare Centers'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 13th that it will expand the participatory childcare program "Dahamtgae Daycare," which creates a high-quality care environment by uniting caregivers, daycare centers, and the local community into one childcare community, from 30 centers last year to 150 centers this year.

"Dahamtgae Daycare" is a Seoul-style childcare model that builds trust through continuous and voluntary participation between caregivers and daycare centers, and enhances the quality of childcare by linking various physical and human resources in the local community such as children's forests, parks, and schools. Last year, Seoul selected 30 daycare centers in 25 autonomous districts to pilot the "Dahamtgae Daycare" program.

In particular, starting this year, all "Dahamtgae Daycare" centers will be integrated and operated under the "Seoul-style Shared Daycare." The city aims to expand this program throughout Seoul and develop it into a representative childcare brand of the city. The childcare program of "Dahamtgae Daycare" will be applied to 150 "Seoul-style Shared Daycare" centers (40 communities) selected this month and starting operation in March, which is expected to further upgrade the quality of childcare.

Previously, since August last year, Seoul has implemented caregiver capacity building, childcare teacher activity support, activation of operation committees, and community participation through the pilot operation of 30 "Dahamtgae Daycare" centers. Despite the short operation period of six months, the satisfaction level of participants including caregivers, childcare teachers, and directors was high. It is evaluated that by having caregivers, daycare centers, and the local community participate together in various activities to enhance childcare capacity, it provided an opportunity to increase mutual trust as co-caregivers of children.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family published the "2021 Seoul 'Dahamtgae Daycare' Pilot Project Casebook." It contains the program contents practiced at 30 "Dahamtgae Daycare" centers and the participation impressions of members such as caregivers, childcare teachers, operation committee members, and directors. Additionally, a village care map called "Dahamtgae Nolja" was created, introducing over 270 local institutions where caregivers and childcare teachers can play with children together.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women and Family Policy Office, said, "Dahamtgae Daycare is significant as a participatory childcare project where caregivers, daycare centers, and the local community form one childcare community," adding, "This year, by integrating with the 'Seoul-style Shared Daycare,' we will strengthen the program’s substance and do our best to ensure that all participants involved in childcare and caregiving can be happy."

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