• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.1-22
• /
• 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 Child Studies
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.27-42
• /
• 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.

• Journal of Family Relations
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.99-117
• /
• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is investigate the influences of childhood abuse experience, discipline styles and social support on childcare efficacy according to socio-demographic backgrounds of childcare teachers. Method: For this study's purpose, 200 childcare teachers working at children's schools in J city were surveyed and analyzed for child abuse experience, discipline styles, social support and childcare efficacy. Frequency analysis, t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were used as study methods. Results: The results of this study are as follows. First, there were statistically significant differences in childhood abuse experiences according to the general characteristics of childcare teachers in the sub-domain of occupational position and marriage status. Second, childcare efficacy and social support were positively correlated, and discipline styles and childcare efficacy were negatively correlated, but there was no correlation between social support and abuse experience. Third, general teaching efficacy regarding childcare efficacy showed a statistical influence of physical abuse, which is a sub-variable of childhood abuse experience. The general efficacy of teaching showed a statistically significant influence on logical discipline and coercive discipline, which are sub-variables of discipline methods. The general teaching efficacy in terms of childcare efficacy showed a statistically significant influence in the family variable which is a sub-variable of social support. The personal teaching efficacy within childcare efficacy showed a statistically significant influence in the logical discipline, a sub-variable of physical abuse, and disciple styles, a sub-variable of childhood abuse experience. Conclusion: From these findings, childcare teachers' childhood abuse experience was a factor affecting childcare efficacy in discipline, social support, and sub-variables. Therefore, it is necessary to remedy the effects of childhood abuse experience, encourage appropriate discipline styles, and to encourage social support in order to improve the childcare efficacy among childcare teachers.

• Human Ecology Research
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.527-535
• /
• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate whether childcare teachers' job satisfaction plays a mediating role between their intention to change jobs and directors' emotional leadership. The participants of this study were 282 childcare teachers in Seoul. The instruments for this study were Director's Emotional Leadership Scale (2 factors with 18 items), Childcare Teacher's Job Satisfaction Scale (K-CTJSS, 6 factors with 40 items), and Childcare Teacher's Intention to Change Jobs Scale (1 factor with 7 items). These instruments were verified by Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ as a reliability and factor analysis as a validity. The data were analysed by Pearson's productive correlation, stepwise multiple regression and path analysis by the SPSS ver. 20.0 and AMOS ver. 20.0. The results were as follows: First, there were significant negative correlations between directors' emotional leadership and childcare teachers' intention to change jobs, and between childcare teachers' job satisfaction and their intention to change jobs, whereas there were significant positive correlations between directors' emotional leadership and childcare teachers' job satisfaction. Second, the directors' emotional leadership was explained by 22% and the childcare teachers' job satisfaction was explained by 9% of their intention to change jobs. Last, the childcare teachers' job satisfaction mediated between the directors' emotional leadership and childcare teachers' intention to change jobs.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.141-160
• /
• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate structural relationships among variables related to pre-service childcare teachers' teaching efficacy. Methods: The participants in this study were 408 students in the department of child studies. The students completed questionnaires assessing pre-service childcare teachers' teaching efficacy, social support, self-esteem, and satisfaction level for childcare practicum. Statistical methods for the data analysis were the SPSS 19.0 and AMOS 20.0. And the Maximum likelihood estimation method was used to model fit. Goodness of fit was evaluated using the SRMR, RMSEA and its 90% confidence interval, CFI, and TLI. Results: First, pre-service childcare teachers' social support, self-esteem and satisfaction level for childcare practicum were found to affect their teaching efficacy directly. Also pre-service childcare teachers' social support was found to affect their self-esteem and satisfaction level for childcare practicum directly. Conclusion/Implications: This study is theoretically meaningful in that it shows that high social support, self-esteem, and satisfaction level for childcare practicum can be the main factors that can increase the effectiveness of pre-service childcare teachers' teaching efficacy.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.17-36
• /
• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between structural and process difficulties experienced by childcare center directors in operating childcare centers and to explore characteristics of childcare centers that affect the path. Methods: The participants were 309 childcare center directors, and data were collected through a mobile survey method. Descriptive statistics and SEM were implemented using SPSS and AMOS. Results: Unsupported childcare centers and capacity aggravated structural difficulties in operation of childcare centers, while the number of enrolled children and the enrollment rate reduced such difficulties that were reported by directors. In the case of labor cost supported centers and childcare centers with a high enrollment rate reported a high level of process difficulties. Because the effect of structural difficulties on process difficulties were significant, the indirect influences of structural difficulties that mediated the influences of general background characteristics on process difficulties were also significant. Conclusion/Implications: This study shows that difficulties in operating childcare centers could be considered in terms of structure and process aspects. This study is also meaningful in that it suggests that the characteristics of individual childcare centers should be emphasized in a customized way to alleviate such difficulties.

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

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.371-380
• /
• 2013

Purpose: This study analyzes the optimal operation scheme of childcare centers in Korea to maximize the quality of childcare service by determining the number of children and number of teachers. Methods: This study employs a mathematical programming methodology called 'nonlinear integer programming (NLIP)' to solve the optimization problems and compare the quality of childcare service of optimal solutions with those of present operation scheme. Results: It is very successful in obtaining the optimal solutions for alternative capacities and they guarantee the substantial improvement in the quality of childcare service. Conclusion: Though more variables should be adapted for defining the quality of childcare service robustly, it is possible to conclude that childcare centers should modify their operation scheme to improve the quality of childcare service.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.103-120
• /
• 2021

Objective: This study explored the effect of childcare teacher's playfulness on burnout through ego-resiliency. Methods: The participants of this study were 265 childcare teachers working at childcare centers. Data was collected through questionnaire on teacher's palyfulness, ego-resiliency and burnout were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation analysis using AMOS 10.0 and SPSS 21.0. The path included in the study model was verified by Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) and for the analysis of the mediating effect, Bootstrapping was used. Results: First, childcare teachers' playfulness had a negative influence on burnout. Second, childcare teachers' ego-resiliency had a negative influence on burnout. Third, childcare teachers' playfulness had a positive influence on ego-resiliency. Fourth, childcare teachers' playfulness had an indirect effect on burnout through ego-resiliency. The effect of childcare teachers' playfulness on their burnout was completely mediated by ego-resiliency. Conclusion/Implications: When developing a program to intervene in the burnout of childcare teachers, there needs to be more concern about ego-resiliency than playfulness.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.91-106
• /
• 2019

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine the moderating role of childcare teachers' sense of humor in the relationship between their job stress and happiness Methods: Participants were 294 childcare teachers working at 83 childcare centers located in Busan and Gyeongnam. Teachers completed a rating scale in order to examine their demographic variables, job stress, sense of humor, and happiness. The collected data were analyzed using product-moment correlation and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: Childcare teachers' job stress was negatively correlated with their happiness. And childcare teachers' sense of humor had a positive relationship with their happiness. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the interaction of childcare teachers' job stress and sense of humor predicted their happiness. Childcare teachers' job stress was significantly associated with their happiness among those who demonstrated the lowest level of sense of humor. Childcare teachers' job stress had no relationship with their happiness, especially for those with the highest level of sense of humor Conclusion/Implications: We suggested that having a sense of humor might be valuable for childcare teachers in order to buffer the link between their job stress and happiness.