Number of "Infant-Only Daycare Centers" in Gyeonggi Province Increases to 365 in 29 Cities and Counties

The number of "infant-only daycare centers" in Gyeonggi Province has increased from 350 last year to 365 this year. Gyeonggi Province plans to expand the number of infant-only daycare centers to 370 by next year.

According to Gyeonggi Provincial Government on June 12, the province designated 21 additional infant-only daycare centers in 14 regions, including Suwon and Yongin, in May. As a result, as of this month, there are now 365 infant-only daycare centers in 29 cities and counties within the province.

First introduced nationwide by Gyeonggi Province in 2008, infant-only daycare centers operate with a reduced teacher-to-infant ratio of "1 to 2" (for infants under 12 months) or "1 to 3" (for 1-year-olds), providing customized and close-contact childcare services tailored to the unique needs of infants.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

According to a user satisfaction survey conducted by Gyeonggi Provincial Government in October last year, the overall satisfaction with the childcare environment and play activities at infant-only daycare centers averaged 4.8 out of 5 points.

Infant-only daycare centers accept children up to 18 months after birth, and enrolled children can use the centers until they reach the 1-year-old class. As of 2025, children eligible for the 1-year-old class are those born between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.

Information on the current status and usage of infant-only daycare centers in the province can be found on the websites of the Gyeonggi Childcare Comprehensive Support Center and the Gyeonggi Northern Childcare Comprehensive Support Center.

Ko Hyunsook, Director of Childcare Policy at Gyeonggi Provincial Government, stated, "Infant-only daycare centers are meaningful in that they provide close-contact childcare services that reflect the unique needs of infants," adding, "We will continue to improve the quality of childcare through stable operation and expansion."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province will conduct competency enhancement training for daycare teachers in August to improve the professionalism of teachers at infant-only daycare centers.

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