The Seoul Metropolitan Government will invest a total of 1.8796 trillion won by 2030 to ease the expense and caregiving burden on families raising children. It will provide care for children during school vacations for dual-income couples and expand eligibility for care allowances for grandparents who look after grandchildren. It will also expand a gap-time care service available from 7 a.m. during weekday morning commute hours and until midnight after work.
Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, on the morning of the 16th announced at City Hall the "Seoul Child Companion UP Project" with these details.
The project is intended to support dual-income households so they do not have to quit their jobs due to the burden of child-rearing. It is also aimed at helping them maintain work-life balance. The city said the project name reflects the meaning of "companionship," that child-rearing and care are not solely the parents' responsibility but something Seoul raises together, and the will to prioritize children's happiness.
To this end, the city will pour a total of 1.8796 trillion won over five years from this year to 2030. The funds will be used across four areas: ▲ child companion UP near home ▲ gap-time and close-contact child companion UP ▲ learning-plus child companion UP ▲ body and mind health child companion UP.
◇ Operate 1,258 after-school child care centers by 2030
First, the city will increase to 1,258 by 2030 the number of community child centers, Kiwoom centers, and Seoul-type kids cafés, which play a major role in community child care. It plans to expand in stages from a total of 911 as of this year to 1,182 next year.
Community child centers provide comprehensive child welfare services for elementary and middle school students, including education and play, and connections between guardians and the community. The city will expand from 419 now to 450 by 2030. It will prioritize support for areas without centers so that all 427 administrative neighborhoods in Seoul can have one installed and operated.
The Our Neighborhood Kiwoom Center, which any elementary school student needing after-school care can use, will increase from 276 this year to 404 by 2030. To expedite expansion, the city will prioritize the use of idle space in public facilities in cooperation with district offices and actively pursue contributed acceptance linked to development projects.
Seoul-type kids cafés will operate 404 locations by the end of next year, about double the current number. This will support them in serving as hubs that go beyond play spaces to take responsibility for care.
◇ New vacation lunch camps; expanded morning, night, weekend and emergency care
Gap-time care will also be expanded to close blind spots where care gaps easily arise, such as during vacations, morning commute hours, nighttime, and weekends.
The city will newly operate a tentative "vacation lunch camp" that provides lunch for elementary school children during vacations. In addition to lunch, this integrated care program offers care, play, and learning programs such as nutrition education, health exercises, reading, and board games. Starting this summer vacation, it will run pilots for 4,000 children at 200 community child centers and Kiwoom centers, then expand in stages to 12,000 by 2030.
To help parents balance work and family, the city will also strengthen gap-time care in the morning, nighttime, and on weekends. It will care for children from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and, if needed, operate until midnight. Facilities where parents can drop off children on their way to work will total 650 by 2030, and nighttime care facilities will expand to 235. "Saturday care," which offers services on weekends, will operate at 320 locations. Facilities for emergency and temporary care, available when care is suddenly needed, will also increase to 523.
Benefits to support child-rearing will also increase. The city will expand eligibility for the "Seoul-type grandchild care allowance," which gives grandparents 300,000 won per month when they look after grandchildren. Eligibility will be expanded in stages from 2-year-old infants (24 to 36 months) to 1st–2nd graders in elementary school (24 to 84 months). To resolve the mismatch that makes it hard to use child care workers during the critical after-school pickup hours when care is needed, the city will increase the number of "after-school pickup–specialized dedicated child care workers" from 250 this year to 1,000 by 2030.
◇ Expanded early childhood education welfare; launch of growth support programs
Policies that can build children's capabilities and creativity will also be expanded. The city plans to implement "Seoul Learn," Seoul's flagship education welfare policy, for children at all community child centers in the city. Seoul Learn provides vulnerable youth with online learning content and one-on-one mentoring as well as on- and offline programs. This helps youth narrow learning gaps and prepare for advancement and careers without relying on private education. The city will implement it for a total of 12,000 children at all community child centers going forward.
Policies to support healthy physical and mental growth for children will also be launched. The city will raise the meal cost per child at community child centers and Kiwoom centers to 10,000 won, an increase of 500 to 1,000 won from current levels. It will also produce a nutritionally upgraded, standardized "healthy diet manual" and distribute it to all facilities.
To prevent obesity caused by insufficient physical activity and to build fitness, the city will expand to 650 by 2030 the number of centers that support physical activity by using sports facilities or creating play spaces. The "care for sick children" service, which accompanies children to hospitals, will expand sharply from six locations this year to 245 by 2030. The city will also newly operate a "visiting digital detox program" for children struggling with problems such as short-form addiction, poor concentration, and lack of sleep due to smartphone use.
Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, said, "The Seoul Child Companion UP Project is the most valuable 'cheer' and a sure 'investment' for our children's future," adding, "We will comprehensively upgrade child care so children are happy and parents can feel at ease, and we will keep a parent's eye on the field until children's laughter echoes across Seoul."