보건복지부 영문홈페이지

 

 

A better childcare environment; parents will be more relieved, teachers will feel more rewarded and children will be happier   ❖ The use of childcare service by actual users such as double income parents shall be aided. ❖ Choice by parents between childcare at home and childcare at nursery facilities will be supported. ❖ Public childcare centers will be increased by 30% of the children in care and early implementation of childcare facility at work will be done. ❖ Eradication of inappropriate practices at child care facilities such as child abuse, embezzlement of aid and illegal transaction, etc ❖ Re-review of the qualification of nursery teachers and improvement of their treatment

 

Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister Rim, Chae Min) announced the “action plan for improvement of childcare service” by preparing it along with other related ministries.  

 

This action plan is prepared to improve problems raised so far; difficulty in using nursery homes by dual income families, quality of childcare service, and insufficient consideration of choice by parents in between childcare at facility and at home.  

 

Problems and requests raised by parents and childcare teachers so far have been collected and improvement measures by experts have been reviewed. 

 

Opinions and comments have been collected through site discussions held so far this year including those held by Prime Minister (17 Feb.), Minister of Health and Welfare (16 Jan., 17 Feb., and 14 Mar.), Vice Minister of Health and Welfare (14 Mar.) and Chief of Policy Office for the Low-birth Rate and Aging Population Society (9 Mar.).

 

Ministry of Health and Welfare presented core policy tasks of the action plan for the improvement of childcare service as below.

 

 

The childcare service aid is an investment in nurturing human resources for the future of Korea and one of the core financial policies to resolve the low-birth rate by women’s supporting economic activities. 

 

In this regard, the government is establishing the framework for the childcare aid where the nation takes responsibility in phases, with a policy principle that “childcare is an investment for the future.”

 

For infants (0-2 years old) whom parents should raise up by emotionally communing with them through eye contact, nurturing at home is supported.  

 

If parents participate in economic activities such dual income families and prevention of disconnection of their career, their choice of using childcare service at facilities will be supported. 

 

For children (3-5 years old), to help them find their specialties and aptitudes through physical education and art activities and learn basic social behaviors in their daily lives by getting along and playing with their peers at nursery or kindergarten, mandatory education such as “Nuri Course” will be employed and focus will be on creating quality childcare and education environments.

 

Significance and progress of the expansion of the childcare for those aged 0 to 2

 

In the case of Korea, M-curve phenomenon (career disconnection among women) in which the participation in economic activities by women during childbirth and nurturing dramatically drops continuously happens. 

 

Measures to effectively support the participation in economic activities by women who return to work after delivery are needed.  

 

In this regard, it has been decided that the childcare aid will be provided for every 0-2 year old child that uses a nursery from Mar. 2012. 

 

However, the provision of the childcare aid for those aged 0-2 for all classes was not specifically determined at the budget deliberation process at the National Assembly last year, causing difficulty in using a nursery by the actual users and the financial burden on the government and local governments.   

 

From then on, the government announced the early introduction of the Nuri course for children aged 3-4 in 2013 and the plan for the expansion of the childcare allowances (from the second highest class to the bottom 70% of the income level) on 18 Jan. for the strengthening of the education investment for children and the expansion of the aid for childcare at home for infants as a follow-on action for the president’s new year’s remark (2 Jan. 2012).

 

Also, it has prepared the plan and is executing it for the expansion of the capacity of nurseries and the number of nursery teachers in order to meet the growing demand for the use of nurseries by children aged 0-2 since Feb.

 

Local governments are asked to provide control and supervision over private nurseries so that they will apply the standards for priority acceptance into nurseries by dual income families (administrative guidance) and complementary measures have been prepared to ensure stronger effects of that action.

 

Complementary measures

 

First of all, the adherence to the standards for priority acceptance into nurseries (administrative guidance) that is applied to private nurseries will be linked with various financial aids.

 

Basic childcare expenses for infants, selection of public nurseries, the expenses for improvement of the treatment of directors, and the evaluation verification index.

 

The standards for priority acceptance into nurseries which are an administrative guidance now will be enacted by revising the Act on Infant Care within the first half of the year. 

 

The suspension of operation of a nursery if it is in violation of the concerned provision (or the penalty of 30 million or less) by revising the subordinate decree of Article 24 (Standards for the operation of nurseries, etc) and Article 28 (Priority Provision of Childcare) of the Act on Infant Care    

 

Through the revision, the low income class, dual income families and families with multiple children (with two or more infants and children), who are the actual users of childcare service will be given priority access when they are in need of child care facility service.

 

In the meantime, information on locations of facilities and instructions for their use, etc that provide temporary childcare service that can be used when parents visit hospital or there are major family occasions, etc will be surveyed and known to parents through childcare portal service and application service via smart phone so that parents can get such help when in need.

 

In addition, the provision of temporary childcare service will be facilitated through the support of education materials and programs at temporary childcare centers (infant/child plaza, and nurseries at department store, culture center, and religious facilities, etc).

 

Also, the effectiveness of the expansion of childcare support will be secured through the strengthening of the status survey and monitoring on the progress on the field such as the observance of the standards for priority acceptance into nurseries, the possibility of illegitimate receipt of childcare aid, etc.

 

 

Voice from the field

 

① Mothers of infants aged 2 using nurseries (at a site discussion with Prime Minister on 17 Feb.)   ▸ It is desirable to nurture infants at home but as the childcare aid for those aged 0-2 is expanded to all classes, parents who have been nurturing their children at are trying to send their children to nurseries.   ② Mothers of infants aged 2 using part time childcare facilities (at a site discussion with Minister on 16 Jan.)   ▸ Mother works as freelancer. Her household was subject to the childcare aid last year as well( 70% of the bottom group of income level) but she doesn’t send her child to a nursery but uses an infant/baby plaza (part time childcare facility) when needed.

 

Improvement plan

 

(Basic principle of the childcare aid) childcare at home is desirable for infants aged 0-2 that need emotional communion with parents.

 

The actual user class such as dual income parents will be provided with the childcare support as the government takes responsibility.

 

For those aged 3-5 that are subject to the nurturing and education, all classes will be provided with the support through the de-facto mandatory education called “Nuri course.”

 

OECD (2005, Start strong II): It is recommended that infants be nurtured at home and the use of facilities by children will be increased to more than 90%.  

 

(Childcare allowances) Childcare allowances and the aid scheme will be realigned to allow parents to make a choice between childcare at home and facility childcare depending on their situation.

 

Specific measures will be prepared by the government through the collection of opinions from parents and experts from various areas and be incorporated into the budget plan for 2013.

 

(Temporary childcare aid) The service system will be established to meet the demand for non-regular childcare service by housewives and freelancers, etc.

 

By preparing the legal ground for the comprehensive childcare support center, a sort of temporary childcare center,(in accordance with the Act on Infant Care and the Act on Social Welfare Business), local governments will set up such centers actively in order to increase access to such facilities.

 

The quality of temporary childcare service through the support of education material and programs to part time childcare centers (infant/child plaza, etc) around the nation will be enhanced.

 

󰊴 Control of supply and demand of childcare facilities and improvement of quality of childcare service

 

Voice from the field

 

① Parents using a nursery and nursery teachers (on 19 Dec. 2011 at a site discussion at public nursery in Daejeon)   ▸ They want that nurseries that are trustworthy with low childcare cost and good childcare environment will increase whether it is a public/government nursery or a private nursery.   ② Director of a nursery at apartment complex (at a site discussion at a nursery in Yongin on 17 Feb. 2012)   ▸ As the operation contract is made on a yearly basis, it is difficult to focus on nurturing.   ③ Childcare expert  (at an expert-discussion on 8 Feb. 2012)   ▸ Facilities on lease set up upon debt will affect the quality of meals provided at a nursery and salaries of nursery teachers, thus possibly causing a drop in service quality.   * One individual builds and runs up to 23 household nurseries.

 

Improvement plan

 

(Public-type nursery) The number of public-type nurseries (selected among excellent private nurseries as subjects for the support) will be increased to support 30% of total children in need of childcare (including public/government nurseries) by 2016.  

 

(Apartment complex nursery) The capacity of apartment complex nurseries that possess good accessibility and facility environment will be increased and the reliable operation duration will be ensured.

 

(Nursery at work) Companies under the obligation of implementing childcare service at work will be encouraged to set up a nursery as early as possible by first carrying out a status survey on actual demand for child care at companies that didn’t meet that obligation.

 

The deadline for the employment insurance fund support for the set-up of a nursery at work will be set as “until the end of 2013” and companies that have submitted the plan for the setup of a nursery by end of 2012 will be provided with finance for its establishment of a nursery. 

 

Afterwards, companies will be asked to set up a nursery at work at the expenses of theirs and the list of companies that fail to carry out the obligation will be disclosed from Dec. this year.

 

(Control of supply and demand of facilities) The quality of childcare service is sought to be improved by oppressing the establishment of poor and small facilities through the strengthening of the conditions for the set up and permission of a private nursery and preparing the supply system to address the reduction of demand for children in a mid- and long-term. 

 

To this end, one individual equipped with basic qualifications for nurturing will be allowed to set up only one nursery so that he/she faithfully carries out his/her job (one nursery per one person) and the ratio of debt will be limited.  

 

The management of total volume of supply such as limitation in accreditation will be executed by setting up a plan for supply/demand for nurseries by each local government.

 

 

 

󰊵 Strengthening of the character molding and social education through the introduction of “Nuri course.”

 

Voice from the field

 

○Mothers of child aged 5 (16 Jan. at Infant/Child Plaza)   ▸ As a parent, one would like to teach his/her child by teaching them the contents of the Nuri course, which is a preliminary elementary school course designed for children aged 5, along with a teacher.

 

Improvement plan

 

“A group of parents to experience the nuri course designed for children aged 5” will be made up and operated from Apr. so that problems that may arise from the trial run of the nuri course may be identified and complemented from parents’ point of view.

 

Also, thorough preparation will be made for the expanded implementation of the nuri education course designed for those aged 3-4 that is scheduled for next Mar.

 

The nuri course helps children aged 3-5 obtain healthy character and sociability in their daily lives such as consideration for others, cooperation, respect for others and resolution of conflicts, etc and it provides e-books with which parents can learn about what is in the nuri course.

 

 

󰊶 Operation of childcare hours that harmonizes the demand and responsibility of parents

 

Voice from the field and reality

 

① Opinion of a nursery teacher   ▸Teacher A (at a discussion at a nursery in Yongin, Gyeongido on 17 Feb. 2012) :  poor working conditions need to be improved such as long work hours, work on Saturdays, etc   ▸ Teacher B (at a site discussion at a nursery in Ahnyang, Gyeonggido): always work at nighttime as well due to the preparation for the next day’s class   ② Opinion of an expert (at an expert discussion on 8 Feb. 2012)   ▸ Availability for dual income families shall be supported by maintaining the operation hours of a nursery (12 hours) and the rationalization of childcare hours is needed for parents, children and nursery teachers alike.

 

Improvement plan

 

(Childcare at weekdays) The operation hours of a nursery shall be maintained to provide for the demand for childcare by dual income families. (from 07:30 to 17:30).

 

In the meantime, by rationalizing the basic childcare hours in a mid- and long- term, working conditions for teachers should be improved, quality of childcare should be enhanced and responsibility of parents’ childcare should be increased.

 

(Childcare at evening) The childcare hours eligible for the aid for the extended time (currently, 60 hours a month) should be reasonably adjusted and by introducing the advance application system for the use of a nursery for extended hours, parent’s responsibility for the use of a nursery at evening and efficiency of the operation of service will be improved.

 

(Childcare on Saturdays) The five day work week system will be applied to the operation of nurseries from next Mar. phase by phase.

 

Demand for childcare service on Saturdays will be met by nurseries designated and run by local governments by each area and a way to provide childcare service in connection with the baby sitting service should be considered.

 

 

 

󰊷 Creation of a safe nursery environment for children

 

Voice from the field and the reality

 

① Parents (30 Nov. ’11, at a discussion with Minister at a nursery in Ahnsan, Gyeonggido)   ▸ Request for the preparation of the prevention plan for the safety of children at nurseries   ② A four year old kid was suffocated as he was locked in a nursery school bus for 7 and a half hours in Hamyang, Gyeongnam in Aug. 2011.

 

Improvement plan

 

By looking at ways to expand the subjects for the loan support for the purpose of the reinforcement of facilities at timeworn private and social welfare nurseries and the size of the loan available for them, 

 

the support will be provided so that shock absorption systems, food sanitation facilities and devices, etc may be reinforced..

 

Korea’s cutting-edge IT technology (RFID system and SMS service for parents) will be utilized so that nurseries and parents can be assured of safety travel by children between a nursery and home.

 

The system of the designated doctor for a nursery (an agreement linking one hospital and one nursery) will be run from the second half of the year so that medical experts may visit nurseries in a local area can check the physical conditions of a child on a regular basis, thus being able to link any issue that may be found to an early treatment. 

 

 

󰊸 Enhancement of transparency in operation of a nursery and reinforcement of its responsibility

 

Voice from the field

 

① Participation by parents   ▸ Parents (’17 Feb. 12) : The participation by parents in nursery through volunteering , etc but there is not enough of it in Korea. Although it may cause inconvenience among teachers, the participation by parents in the operation of a nursery needs to be expanded.   ▸ Director of a nursery (at a discussion in a nursery in Ahnyang, Gyeonggi on 25 Oct. ‘11) : Food service is open for anyone to see its process and this helps parents trust in food service provided by a nursery.   ② Disclosure of data of a nursery (an opinion posted by a parent on the internet on 4 Nov. ‘11.)   ▸ Data of all nurseries in the nation should be disclosed for all parents to see if any of them has a history of being punished by breaking related laws. This will be the first step for the prevention of reoccurrence of a child abuse accident.   ③ Evaluation accreditation (8 Feb. ‘12, at an expert discussion)   ▸ The aid provided should be differentiated between nurseries that have obtained the evaluation accreditation and nurseries that have not and also be different even among those that have received the accreditation according to results. This will ensure the competitiveness of nursery service quality.   ④ Premium transaction   ▸ Director of a nursery (at a discussion with nursery directors in the metropolitan area on 11 Nov. 2011): From the experience, it is difficult to run a nursery if there is a lot of loan and monthly rent to pay.     ⑤ Request for control and supervision   ▸ Director of a nursery (2 Mar. 2012: in a letter sent to Ministry of Health and Welfare after the cancellation of closing nurseries in a group): Request for strict control and supervision of the actual status of use of special activity budget at general nurseries and etc.   ▸ At an expert discussion (on 7 Feb.’12)  There is a need to introduce the system of retrieving the amount illegitimately received and used 10 to 30 times greater in order to establish the accountability by a nursery owner.

 

Improvement plan

 

(Participation by parents) The right of parents to participate in childcare management and food service at nursery should be legislated.

 

Also, by institutionalizing various channels for participation such as a local community parents’ monitoring group, parents and a local community should be encouraged to join the operation of nurseries.

 

Open operation of nurseries will be promoted by offering wide incentives* to nurseries that show a good level of participation by parents, etc.

 

The extension of the expiration of the evaluation accreditation (3->4 years), the granting of honor such as commendation and the support for the promotion to parents’ internet cafes, etc 

 

(Transparency in information and finances) The list of nurseries should be disclosed including the details of spending such as special activity budget, a history of child abuse, and a record of administrative punishment due to problems with food service should be disclosed within the first half of the year, supporting parents’ right to know. 

 

The record of law violations by nursery owners and teachers and their list will be announced after some legal ground is prepared by revising the Act on Infant Care.  

 

The clean card and standard accounting management system designed to link efficiency of operation and quality improvement by ensuring transparency in income and expenditure of nurseries will be established and provided within next year. 

 

In addition, systems will be improved to boost efficiency by streamlining the details and standards of financial and accounting rules according to the size or conditions of a nursery.

 

(Evaluation accreditation) By introducing the parent evaluation system that requires parents’ participation in the process of nursery evaluation accreditation, quality of nursery service will be checked by eyes of parents and the inspection for confirmation during the period of accreditation (3 years) will be adopted from this year so that quality may be maintained even after the evaluation accreditation is done.  

 

There will be limitation for a nursery that doesn’t have sufficient emergency/disaster preparedness facilities or have a record of law violations such as child abuse, etc to apply for the participation in the evaluation accreditation.

 

In a mid- and long-term, the aid for nurseries with good performance and service will be increased by differentiating financial support (basic childcare cost and Child Love card) according to results of the evaluation accreditation (whether the nursery has obtained it or not and if so, which level/grade it is in) instead of uniformly offering the support to nurseries regardless of service quality. 

 

(Control and supervision) Financial leakage will be prevented by strengthening the inspection of the actual status concerning improper operation cases such as the embezzlement of the aid by forming a monitoring T/F in Ministry of Health and Welfare and local government bodies within the first half of year.  

 

Also, the system improvement will be considered such as the increase of reward for the reporting of law violation cases such as child abuse, etc.

 

The local childcare policy committee that deliberates the cancellation of a license of a nursery director in local communities will reinforce fairness in operation by minimizing the participation by the interested parties and increasing the participation by parents, as well as adjusting the functions overall. 

 

(Eradication of improper operation cases) The system should be improved radically to ensure accountability required for the aid (financial support).

 

(Eradication of premium transaction) When having the authorization for a nursery re-issued as it has been traded, it will be considered a completely new authorization and the authorization limit will be applied given the demand for childcare by region, thus minimizing the expected benefits.  

 

*The expected benefit itself will be removed through the suspension (or minimization) of financial aid when the evaluation accreditation is cancelled which is scheduled to be introduced after 2013, along with the current system of cancelling the evaluation accreditation when traded.  

 

The criminal penalty, the suspension of labor expense support, the cancellation of the accreditation for a nursery and the suspension of the approval of establishment of a corporation that are available according to the current institutions will be strictly applied to social welfare corporation nurseries in case of illegal trade. 

 

(One strike- out) By introducing the system of one strike and out to deal with nursery teachers that have serious moral problems such as child abuse, food service issue, aid embezzlement, etc, such people will be banned from working in the childcare field. 

 

(Official announcement of the list) The list of nurseries that have received an administrative penalty for receiving the aid unfairly or excessively or due to child abuse will be officially announced within the first half of the year and the announcement of their records and personal data will be carried out by revising the Act on Infant Care later on.

 

(Punitive penalty) The punitive penalty system of retrieving the unjustly received aid by 10 times will be introduced by revising the Ac on Infant Care.

 

󰊹 Improvement of the treatment of nursery teachers and enhancement of their qualification

 

Voice from the field

 

① A parent member for the nursery operation committee (on 25 Oct. ‘11, at a site discussion at a nursery in Anyang, Gyeongi)   ▸ It is problematic that anyone can obtain the qualification for a nursery teacher without going through actual practice but only through the internet such as cyber university, academic credit bank, etc.   ② Mother of a three year old child (at a site discussion at Infant/Child Plaza in Gangseogu Seoul on 16 Jan. 12)   ▸ Need to make an investment in improving the treatment of nursery teachers first   ③  Teacher at a nursery(on 26 Dec. 11., Bulletin Board at Ministry of Health and Welfare)   ▸ Kindergarten pays teachers 2-300 thousand won more per month, prompting good junior teachers to leave a nursery for kindergarten.

 

Improvement plan

 

(Qualification enhancement) By running the field practice before giving the license as a nursery teacher (160 hours for four weeks), nursery teachers who have a good understanding of characteristics of infants/babies and an experience in the field can work at nurseries.

 

Nurseries that carry out “on the job training” should have more than 20 children and the practice hours should be from 09:00 to 19:00. The proportion of the number of guide teachers to the trainees should be 1:3

 

All-time training course will be provided for currently working nursery teachers so that they may learn the childcare programs such as the nuri course, the child development, and interactions in the classroom, etc at any time possible. 

 

The internet course (Cyber University and the academic credit bank system) as a route of nursery teacher license obtainment will be re-examined in a mid- and long- term through social debate and discussion, etc.

 

The opportunity for those with high school degree to acquire the license of a nursery teacher (3^rd grade) and be promoted will be maintained as it is today.

 

(Treatment improvement) The allowance of 300 thousand won per month that is offered to teachers in charge of the nuri course designed for five year old children that will be implemented from this Mar. will be extended to teachers in charge of children aged three to four. 

 

The guideline for the labor cost of private nursery teachers will be prepared for teachers in charge of children aged 0-2, linking the revenue of a nursery with the wage of a nursery teacher and this will be extended to teachers for children aged 3 to 5.    

 

The guideline will be prepared as an administrative guidance and incorporated into evaluation accreditation, securing the effectiveness. It will be legislated later on through revision of the Act on Infant Care.

 

** 197,000 won for three year olds; 177,000 won for four year olds; 200,000 won for five year olds (2012) -> 220 thousand won (2013)-> 270,000 won (2015) -> 300 thousand won (2016) 

 

And by setting high the guideline for the average pay increase rate for the next five years, discrepancy in pay amount between nursery teachers and kindergarten teachers will be relieved in stages.

 

Future plan

 

(Implementation plan) The government will wrap up the revision of laws and administrative guidance, etc required for the implementation of detailed tasks included in this action plan as much as possible within this year.

 

The tasks requiring the budget will be incorporated into the 2013 budget plan through discussion with financial authorities.  

 

For mid- and long-term tasks, detailed implementation plans will be established through the execution of research, the cooperation among related ministries and the collection of comments from the public and experts.

 

(Sustainable system improvement) Given that the financial burden upon local government will increase along with the expanded implementation of childcare business, discussion with related ministries (Ministry of Finances and Ministry of Public Administration and Security, etc) will be carried out regarding the measures for financial aid.

 

By creating and operating the discussion body of the private sector and the government that collects various opinions from the field such as ones raised from the notice of the closure of private nurseries in group, system improvement measures will be prepared and transparency and accountability in operation of nurseries will be enhanced.

 

Also, cases of improper operation known through media will be improved effectively through the field inspection.

(Communication on the site) Minister of Health and Welfare will have a site discussion with young parents every month and communicate with parents through SNS;

through which, the intent and method of the expansion of the participation by parents in the operation of a nursery and of reinforcing parents’ responsibility for child care will be actively explained to parents and their comments and opinions will be continuously collected.

 

In addition, companies will be highly and actively encouraged to set up a nursery at work as early as possible.

 

	< Progress of the expansion of the current government’s childcare aid>
□ (Policy framework) The government will expand the childcare and nurturing aid in phases as an investment into the future under the principle that the government will take responsibility for childcare.   < Progress of expansion of subjects for the aid by year > Category   Class subject to support   ‘08 ⇨ ‘09˜’11 ⇨ ‘12 ⇨ ‘13                       Child care aid (children aged 0-5)   All classes                   Bottom 70% of the income level group       (11)   (Children aged 3-4))       Bottom 50% of the income level group   Partial cost support   (‘09)           Second highest class                                       Nurturing aid (children aged 0-2)   All classes                   Bottom 70% of the income level group                   Second highest class                   □ (Budget expansion) The budget for childcare and nurturing support has been increased by 2.5 times than at the time of launch of the government   (Unit: 100 million won) Category 2008 (a) 2012 *(b) Increase(b/a) Government expenditure 10,626 24,939 2.35 times Local government expenditure 11,692 25,606 2.19 times Financial grants for local education - 5,997 - Sum 22,318 56,542 2.53 times ** The budget for the child education expense support for 2012 is separate (1 trillion and 35. 5 billion won)