A Seoul-type public childcare system, one of Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s election pledges, is being expanded to all ward areas in the capital.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has completed the selection of 40 communities with a total of 16 children’s homes in all ward areas across the capital, which will officially be put into operation in March.
The Seoul-type public childcare system is a new type of childcare in which three to five publicly- and privately-run daycares are joined into a community for childcare.
It is designed to prevent excessive competition, save money, conduct joint purchases, share educational materials, teaching aids and educational programs, as well as raise childcare levels.
It is expected to ease overconcentration in state- and publicly-run children’s daycares. Applicants for this year’s childcare system showed a completion rate of 3.2:1.
SMG said the Seoul-type public childcare system, which made its debut last year, yielded a variety of fruits, such as a 32 percent reduction in operation costs through sharing and jointly purchasing of cars, materials and educational aids.
The new system, a model of harmony and shared growth beyond classification types, has raised parents’ satisfaction and concern over childcare, it said.
This time, SMG newly selected 26 communities with 102 children’s homes, based on quantitative and qualitative evaluations.
The additions were brought to 40 communities with 160 children’ homes, including 14 communities with 58 children’s homes, which were selected last year.
Mayor Oh takes time to play with children of the Neulhaerang Children’s Home in Yangpyeong 2-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, which participates in the Seoul-type public childcare system.
Selected children’s homes have formed proprietors’ consultative bodies and teachers’ entities. They are now drawing up programs, tailored to meet each district’s needs, which will be shared by them. SMG said programs with diverse ideas were submitted during the public selection process.
Starting this year, diverse types of childcare models and play models will be applied to the Seoul-type public childcare system to have synergetic effects, thus raising satisfaction.
SMG help each community follow required programs such as ecology-friendly programs and select play programs each community wants to adopt.
SMG plans to conduct incubating of children’s homes, which are not covered by the Seoul-type public childcare system.
Communities with children’s homes participating in the incubating program will be given preferential treatment in selecting beneficiaries of the Seoul-type public childcare system for next year.
Kim Sun-soon, head of the Women’s & Family Policy, said, “The Seoul-type public childcare system has produced tangible achievements, such as reducing operation costs and jointly performing quality programs, thus showing high levels of concern and participation.”
SMG plans to expand to 100 the number of communities by 2025.
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