• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.27-42
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the changes of childcare expenses and private education expenses caused by target expanding the childcare subsidy policy and its relationship to household income. Methods: The study analyzed data of the Korean Welfare Panel Study from 2009, before the universal childcare policy was enforced, to 2013, when the universal childcare policy was enforced. Results and Conclusion: The results of analysis were as follows. First, while childcare expenses, private education expenses, and their ratios to household income showed a tendency of gradual decline, the graphs of childcare and private education expenses were symmetric. Second, there were differences in childcare and private education expenses among income classes. Third, in 2009, before the universal childcare policy was enforced, household income affected childcare and private expenses. Lastly, in 2013, after the universal childcare policy was implemented, household income had a greater effect on private education expenses, while the effect of household income on childcare expenses became insignificant.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.175-191
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• 2005

Sweden has one of the world's most progressive and comprehensive childcare systems; synonymous with quality, it is the envy of many other countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate background factors important to the development of the Swedish childcare system and the current childcare policy and system. This study found that underpinning the Swedish childcare system is not only the expectation that men and women will participate equally in the workforce, child rearing, and domestic life but also an awareness of the right of children to development and education. Implementation of the Swedish childcare policy has provided for easy access and affordable childcare centers following principles of childcare universalism. This provides practical suggestions for the Korean childcare policy and system.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2016

This paper examines the effects of a universal childcare subsidy on childcare decisions and mothers' employment by using Korea's policy reform of 2012, which provided a full childcare subsidy to all children aged 0 to 2. I find that the introduction of a universal childcare subsidy increased the use of childcare centers by children aged 0-2, which led to less maternal care compared to that provided to children aged 3-4. However, the expanded subsidy had little effect on mothers' labor supply. Moreover, the policy effects vary by individual and household characteristics. The effects of the expanded subsidy are mainly found in low-income households and less educated mothers. Highly educated mothers and high-income households are likely to focus more on the quality of childcare service. These results imply that a simple reduction in childcare costs would bring only limited effects on mothers' time allocation behavior; thus, more attention should be paid to improving the quality of childcare services.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.21-41
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• 2017

Objective: This study purposed to provide implications in regards to the Moon Jae-in Administration that launched in May 2017. Three sectors of childcare polices on administration of childcare centers were reviewed in terms of supporting the healthy development of young children. Methods: Medium and long-term childcare plans and the main policies of previous administrations since 2004 when the Childcare Act was completely reformed, as well as the 'Five-year policy for the Moon Jae-in administration of state affairs' that was announced on July, 2017, were reviewed in terms of publicness of childcare, regulations on operation of childcare services, and customized childcare programs for diverse needs. Results: It was proposed that the concept of publicness of childcare should be conservative when focusing on public childcare centers. The regulations on operating childcare services should focus on improving structural dimensions of childcare quality to keep the well-being of children a top priority. Furthermore, diverse programs should be designed and implemented to satisfy changes in childcare surroundings and the various needs of children and their families. Conclusion/Implications: The Moon Jae-in administration is expected to outline childcare policies and carry out tasks under the new paradigm. The healthy development of young children should be embodied as the final goal that forms the vision of childcare policies based on publicness, rationality, and diversity.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.285-307
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• 2011

This study aims to criticize the recent reform of childcare policy since 2008, which goes for marketization, individualization, and familialization, and to search for its alternative. First, this study analyzes the problems of the above three options based on the context of 'free choice', while examining how welfare regimes have dealt with the changes in childcare policy. Second, the study reviews several controversies in the process of policy formation for childcare service, including coverage of service recipient, policy direction, outcome, efficiency, and priority. Third, it proposes an alternative for accomplishing universal childcare service delivery system. Finally, the paper is to point out that the reform of childcare policy of MB government carries fundamental problems of reinforcing class stratification and gender stratification, and thus dose not attain the ultimate goal of childcare policy.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.123-137
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to forecast demand of childcare teachers based ion four different scenarios. In order to, the demand for childcare teachers from 2015 to 2024 were forecasted using time series techniques with data on the number of childcare teachers from 2003 to 2014. Results were as followings. Firstly, the demand for childcare teachers was expected to increase until 2019, but after 2020 steadily decreased in terms of scenario 1(child teacher ratio regulation). According to scenario 2(child teacher ratio based on 17 cities and provinces), the demand for childcare teachers was expected to need 440 teachers more until 2016. Then, according to scenario 3(two teachers each class), Scenario 4-1(one teacher and one staff each 2 toddler class and 3 older class) and scenario 4-2(one teacher and one staff each class), the demand of childcare teachers and staffs were estimated. These results implicated that childcare teachers and staffs supply policy would be established according to forecast demand.

• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.59-69
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• 2020

Recognizing the importance of early childhood education, the government is preparing measures at the national level, including expanding the scope of free education for infants, linking early childhood education to elementary schools, unifying the system in charge of early childhood education, printing the cost of operating a full-time system for double-income couples, and policies for low-income infants. In Korea's childcare policy, the need for childcare has increased due to the increase of free double-income couples, the increase of nuclear families, and the increase of divorce rates. Despite the overall increase in the child care budget, Korea's child care policy shows many problems in its efficiency due to the burden of childcare facilities and childcare fees for caregivers. After looking into the theoretical contents of the free childcare policy and the corresponding child care support policy, we would like to consider ways to improve the free childcare policy.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.21-34
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• 2008

The purpose of present study was to analyze a tendency in childcare studies published in Korea. Specifically, this study investigated the amount of childcare studies and analyzed the main topic of childcare studies. Total 1,406 studies which include the term 'bo-yook' and/or 'tak-ah' as their keywords were gathered from internet database, and finally 973 studies were analyzed. First, the results from this study showed that childcare studies had gradually increased since 1990 and approximately one hundred studies had been published per year after 2004. The growing tendency of childcare studies might reflect social and political concern about childcare in contemporary Korean society. Second, childcare studies were mainly conducted within the topic of childcare policy, childcare worker, actual condition in childcare service, and childcare quality. Lastly, special types of childcare such as infant childcare, handicapped childcare, extended-time childcare, and after-school childcare were rarely studied. From these results, several future direction for childcare studies were suggested.

• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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• no.57
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• pp.183-215
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• 2017

This study analyzes Korean childcare policy from a caring democracy perspective by using the normative policy analysis method. In the midst of emergent new social risks engendered by low fertility and aging population, feminist scholars proposed a transformative paradigm shift from economic growth to caring oriented development on a macro scale but researches on how this grand principle can be reflected into each policy have hardly been discussed. Thus, this study intends to contribute to such policy-driven discussion by analysing childcare policy on the basis of three normative values of freedom, equality and justice re-interpreted by caring democracy theory. Following are key findings. First, childcare policy does not guarantee public value and social solidarity due to the limitations of free choice from the perspective of freedom. Secondly, gender and class stratification has been worsened in a multiple and more complicated way by adding generational and racial dimensions to the existing gender inequality and vicious circulation of private care is observed from equality perspective. Thirdly, structural inequality aggravated injustice previously accumulated in the past rather than providing flat ground by adjustment.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.219-237
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• 2020

Objective: The research aimed to help understand the lives of those living in today's Korean society by analyzing the positionality of experienced childcare teachers, and to obtain relevant policy implications. Methods: The participants were 111 childcare teachers with more than seven years of job experience. The metaphors expressing themselves were collected and implemented the metaphor analysis in terms of positionality. Results: First, the participants who recognized themselves as experts were positioned as teachers who cared for and taught children, as co-learners with children, and as leaders of junior teachers. Second, the participants who recognized themselves as minorities were positioned as non-subjects, and as oppressed persons who had to obey in the lower levels of the organizational system of childcare centers. Third, the participants who recognized themselves as marginal persons were positioned as problem solvers, and as border-crossers who conflict and adjust in complex relationships. Conclusion/Implications: Based on the results, the following policy suggestions were made. First, policies must be expressed in public language that respect childcare teachers as a key worker in society; second, the job policies must be shifted toward employment security of childcare teachers. Third, substantial support for labor costs for childcare teachers should be expanded.