The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 24th that it will operate the 'Seoul-type part-time specialized childcare centers' in all 25 autonomous districts starting this September.
Seoul-type part-time specialized childcare centers provide part-time childcare services that anyone can use by the hour (up to 60 hours per month) for children aged 6 months to 7 years who need care by utilizing the unused space of existing childcare centers. Previously, it was operated in 18 autonomous districts within Seoul.
The seven new centers that will be operated from September are ▲ Jongno District Chodong Childcare Center ▲ Seongdong District Wangsimni Hana Childcare Center ▲ Dongdaemun District Maekot Childcare Center ▲ Jungnang District Dream Childcare Center ▲ Mapo District Samsung Aimaru Childcare Center ▲ Yeongdeungpo District Ato Childcare Center ▲ Seocho District Seocho St. Mary's Childcare Center.
The newly operated childcare centers will be available for use starting September 1. Reservations for use can be made from the 25th of this month on the Seoul City Childcare Portal (https://iseoul.seoul.go.kr).
The usage fee is 2,000 won per hour, and the operating hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays. It will not operate on weekends and holidays.
The Seoul-type part-time specialized childcare centers provided 2,875 cases and 12,419 hours of childcare services from January to July this year. Compared to the usage record during the pilot operation period from June to December last year (2,079 cases and 7,821 hours), both the number of cases (1.4 times) and hours (1.6 times) increased.
Ma Chae-sook, head of the Women and Family Policy Office in Seoul, said, "We will continue to prepare policies that have a high sense of impact so that parents can raise their children happily without worry."