'O Sehun's Mom and Dad Happiness Project' to be Fully Launched This Year

28 Projects in 4 Major Sectors on the Right Track

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The bold commitment that once a child is born, Seoul City will raise them together, aims to alleviate the realistic childcare burdens of mothers and fathers and create a social atmosphere where raising children is respected. The 'Mom and Dad Happiness Project,' which started with this goal, is entering its full-fledged phase this year.

Seoul City announced on the 17th that since Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced the promotion plan for the 'Mom and Dad Happiness Project,' consisting of 28 projects in four major areas last August, it has completed preparatory work such as consultations on establishing social security systems and ordinance revisions, and all projects are now being fully implemented.

To promote four projects including childcare leave incentives, domestic helpers, and Seoul Mom and Dad Taxi, the city completed consultations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare on establishing social security systems and revised four ordinances including the Childbirth and Childcare Support Ordinance to establish a system foundation.

Last year, the city focused primarily on creating safe play spaces where children can play with peace of mind and childcare-friendly spaces that make outings and dining out with children more comfortable.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Five 'Seoul-style Kids Cafes' were established in Jongno, Jungnang, Dongjak, Yangcheon, and Seongdong districts, and the 'Seoul Mom and Dad VIP Zones' were created at Art Bookgo (No. 1) inside Gocheok Sky Dome and at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts (No. 2). A total of 348 restaurants and cafes across Seoul were designated as 'Seoul Kids OK Zones,' and the Seongbuk Hub-type Childcare Center was the first to establish a 'Sick Child Care Space.'

This year, 100 'Seoul-style Kids Cafes' will be created, with 50 locations opening including Gwangjin. The 'Seoul Mom and Dad VIP Zones' will be additionally established at 15 locations such as Space Salim. 'Family restrooms' equipped with child toilets and diaper changing tables will be created at 49 locations, mainly in places frequently visited by families with infants and toddlers, such as Hangang Park, making outings with children more convenient.

In February, the city will launch the 'Childcare Support Coordinator' service, which provides essential information to first-time parents. In March, 100 '0-year-old dedicated classes' will be newly established in daycare centers, and cooking staff support will begin at 100 daycare centers to provide dinner for children who leave early (at 6 p.m.).

In April, the 'Seoul Child Development Support Center' will open, offering one-stop support from free initial consultations to developmental assessments and treatment connections for families concerned about their infants' and toddlers' developmental status. Starting in May, the 'Seoul Mom and Dad Taxi,' which supports a dedicated voucher (100,000 KRW annually) for taxis equipped with car seats, will operate. In June, the 'Seoul-style Domestic Helper' service will begin, providing cleaning, laundry, and other household help for pregnant women, dual-income families, and families with multiple children.

In July, the city will start providing 'Job Search Activity Support Funds' to women in their 30s and 40s who had to leave the workforce due to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare. In August, the 'Seoul-style Childcare Support Project' will begin, providing 300,000 KRW monthly to families who entrust their children to close relatives within four degrees of kinship such as grandparents or use private childcare services. The Seoul childbirth and childcare platform 'Mannung Key,' which allows users to check all childbirth and childcare information at once and make reservations, will also open. In September, Seoul will become the first in the nation to start supporting the 'Mom and Dad Childcare Leave Incentive.'

Seoul City stated that it will actively promote the 28 projects in four areas (Safe Care, Comfortable Outings, Health Healing, Work-Life Balance) of the 'Mom and Dad Happiness Project' this year to create a child-friendly Seoul. This year, 200.2 billion KRW will be invested, and including existing projects, a total of 14.7 trillion KRW will be invested over five years (2022?2026).

Meanwhile, starting in August, the Seoul childbirth and childcare platform 'Mannung Key,' which will open the door to solutions for questions and difficulties related to childbirth and childcare, will begin pilot service.

'Mannung Key' gathers childbirth and childcare information scattered across various places into one location, provides customized content tailored to the individual characteristics of caregivers and children such as age and region, and acts as a 'childcare personal assistant' for Seoul moms and dads by offering pre-alert services for various support information. Additionally, users can access 1:1 consultations for any overwhelming or curious questions about childbirth and childcare.

The platform is expected to become Seoul's representative childbirth and childcare platform by thoroughly reflecting the existing childbirth and childcare platform usage experiences of actual caregivers during its development process.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul City Women and Family Policy Office, said, “To make Seoul a city where raising children is good, we will carry out all projects of the Mom and Dad Happiness Project without fail, alleviating the childcare difficulties of moms and dads even a little and leading the spread of a culture where moms and dads raising children are respected.”

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