• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.1-27
• /
• 2021

Objective: Covid-19 is changing many aspects of child care programs. The objective of this study was to explore how the pandemic and mitigation efforts affected the experiences and practices at child care centers in the summer of 2020. Methods: Focus group interviews and mobile surveys were conducted with principals and teachers of child care centers in August and September 2020. Descriptive statistics including frequency distributions, means and standard deviations and mean differences were used to analyze the survey data with SPSS 22.0. Results: It was found that each sector of child care settings experienced different difficulties and had various needs. Young children's lack of energy, child care teachers' workload and stress, and principles' efforts to interrupt transmission of the infectious disease based on insufficient government guideline and supports were revealed as the main experiences. Conclusion/Implications: The Covid-19 pandemic has had a tandem of influences on daily life at child care centers. As policy makers consider additional guidelines or supports measures to prevent the infection and spread of Covid-19 at child care centers, long-term as well as short-term plans at various levels should be considered to meet the unique needs of child care programs.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.63-82
• /
• 2014

This research surveyed parents' perception on the accreditation system of public type child care centers with 202 parents of 7 public type child care centers in K-province. The results were as follows. First, concerning the necessity of the accreditation system of public type child care centers, high necessity was shown. Second, concerning the influence of the accreditation system on child care center selection, positive responses were shown. Third, the concerning level of perception on the accreditation system of public type child care centers, parents had focused on only the tuition of child care centers. The conclusion was that publicity activities are necessary for parents to understand the goal and role of public type child care centers and to have social concern on it through the various media. The parents' opinion of public type child care centers should be surveyed and is reflected on the accreditation system of public type child care centers for increasing the choices on the public type child care centers.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.23 no.1 s.73
• /
• pp.139-149
• /
• 2005

This study is to compare the quality of child care centers in Sweden and Korea and the mothers' satisfaction of each center. In this study, the quality of 27 preschools in Sweden and 24 child care centers was evaluated by external evaluator using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS). A total of 436 Korean mothers and 197 Swedish mothers responded to the questionnaire regarding their satisfaction of their child's attending child care centers. The results show that the quality of Swedish preschool was significantly higher than Korean child care centers. The quality of Swedish preschools tended to be good whereas the quality of Korean child care centers was somewhat minimal. Specifically, the category of 'Furnishings and display for children' was the highest score in Swedish preschool, however, the category of 'Adult needs' was the highest score in Korean child care centers. The mothers' satisfaction of the centers was significantly different between two countries. The Swedish mothers were highly satisfied with the close location of preschool but Korean mothers were highly satisfied with the teachers of child care centers. However, both mothers in two countries were less likely satisfied with the facility equipments. The results were discussed in terms of cultural and child care program differences further.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.229-239
• /
• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate foodservice management practices of 100 child care centers nationwide, and to provide background information for developing foodservice management policies at child care centers. Approximately 20% of the child care centers had a separate dining room; most of the centers were vulnerable to sanitation or safety problems. The percentage of the centers that planned menus was about 60% and 10% established standardized recipes. Fourteen percent of the centers kept records for distribution and menu evaluation and 33% kept sanitation management records. Since only 7% of the centers employed a dietitian, foodservice in most centers were not managed by professionals. The results of menu assessment revealed that 56.5% of the national/public child care centers received 19 points or higher out of 21 points, whereas 5.6% of the private child care centers received the same scores. Proper usage and storage of raw food, sanitary management of equipment and facilities, waste management/leftover food treatment, and basic facility of cooking zones were performed well by many centers. The overall scores of foodservice performance were only 31.2 out of 60 points, representing relatively poor safety management, food procurement management, and facilities and equipment management. These results indicate that the foodservice management of the child care centers are in a relatively poor state. Since nutrition management of the most centers was performed by non-professionals, it may not be possible to provide proper nutrition for health and normal growth of preschool children and to perform efficient nutrition education programs. The following suggestions are strongly recommended in order to improve foodservice performance at child care centers. First, foodservice administration should be performed by a dietitian, and second, efforts should be focused on strengthening nutrition and sanitation management.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.863-874
• /
• 2012

This study examined the factors affecting the number of hours spent in child care centers by children of dual-working families. Data for this study was collected by way of a survey that involved a total of 33 child care centers. A total of 465 families took part in the study. Child factors, parental factors, household factors, and child care center factors were included in the hierarchical regression model on which this study was based. The results of this study identified eight primary factors related to the number of hours spent in child care centers by children of dual working families, which were as follows: (1) children's engagement in extracurricular activities, (2) maternal working hours, (3) parents' preference for child care center as a non-parental care provider, (4) the number of children attending the child care center in the household, (5) the presence of adults other than parents in the household, (6) accessibility to the child care center, (7) the satisfaction with child care services, and (8) the primary purpose of child care center use.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.295-304
• /
• 2008

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the status of health management and to evaluate the need for health professionals in day care centers in the South Korea. Method: Data were obtained from 360 child care providers in 16 provinces from May to August, 2007. Data was analyzed using SPSS WIN 14.0. Results: Safety education (traffic. 83.8% general safety. 71.6%) was provided more often than the other topic of education. All health related education was provided by child care providers. When minor health problems occurred, the most common management strategy was to send the child home (36.1%). During emergency conditions, majority of child care providers preferred taking the children to medical centers without giving any emergency care and 19.4% reported sending the child home without any immediate care. Child care providers recognized the need for health care professionals. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest the need for services of health professionals in day care centers to satisfy the needs and expectations for health management in these centers. As health professionals, public health nurses or pediatric nurse practitioners may play an important role in health management of children in day care centers.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.217-231
• /
• 2002

The present study investigated quality of school-age child care in 142 centers (42 child care centers, 54 social welfare centers, 35 local child center, and 11 elementary schools) located in Seoul. Overall, the quality of school-age child care was not up to standards : 7% were very well managed, 44.4% were well managed and 48.6% were poorly managed. Financial support from the government was the most important factor affecting the quality of school-age child care. The child care centers receiving financial support from the government showed high quality care.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.95-109
• /
• 2011

This study was intended to analyze whether there would be difference in awareness of the Evaluative Accreditation System(the administrative procedures of Evaluative Accreditation, the effect of Evaluative Accreditation, and the preferred public support types for encouraging participation in Evaluative Accreditation) between child-care directors and teachers, and among the types of child-care centers. The questionnaires were administrated to 168 child-care directors and 423 child-care teachers in Gyeonggido. Data analyses were conducted by descriptive statistics, the chi-test and the t-test. The main results were as follows. First, there was significant difference in awareness of the administrative procedures of Evaluative Accreditation among the types of child-care centers. Second, there was difference in awareness of the effect of Evaluative Accreditation on child-care service areas between child-care center directors and teachers, and among the types of child-care centers in terms of child-care services. Third, in terms of the preferred public support for the encouragement of participation in Evaluative Accreditation, there was difference between child-care center directors and teachers, and among the types of child-care centers.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.49 no.9
• /
• pp.121-130
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore potential correlation between the amount of time children spent in child care centers and their daily stress levels. The subjects of this study were 165 children (aged 2~5) who attended a child care center in Seoul. Children were interviewed individually, and tested using 23 picture cards which describe a range of stressful situations. The results of this study were as follows: the children's age led to significant differences in their stress level. The age at which the children first entered the child care center had no significant impact on their stress level. However, the times spent in child care centers showed a significant correlation with stress. The longer time the child spent in the center, the higher the degree of stress they encountered.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.447-460
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of early childhood teachers' communication ability, teacher efficacy, and organizational effectiveness of child care centers. The subjects of this study were 397 teachers working at child care centers. The results of this study were as follows. First, differences in the organization effectiveness of child care centers were detected according to teachers' age, career, type of child care center where they were affiliated, and marriage status. Second, the relative effects of the teachers' communication ability and teacher efficacy on the organizational effectiveness of early-childhood educational institutions differed significantly according to each sub-factor; teachers' communication ability's sub-factors - response, analysis, and evaluation - and teacher efficacy's sub-factors - general efficacy and personal efficacy - had partial effects on the organizational effectiveness of child care centers. Of these, personal efficacy had the greatest effects on all sub-factors of organizational effectiveness. This study is significant since it identifies the variables that could affect the organizational effectiveness of child care centers.