• 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.

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

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.21-41
• /
• 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
• /
• v.63 no.3
• /
• pp.285-307
• /
• 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
• /
• 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 Families and Better Life
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.21-34
• /
• 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 Childcare and Education
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.219-237
• /
• 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.

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

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.1-19
• /
• 2016

This study attempted to assess the durability of the trend in increasing childcare time and to get some clues based on research findings to make efficient policy interventions in case there is a need to continue or reverse course for such trend. In doing so, a total of 9,668 diaries from the 2004, 2009, and 2014 Korean Time Use Survey were analyzed targeting parents with a preschooler as their eldest child. Parental time was regressed on parents' weekly work hours, mother's relative income, parents' education and gender role attitudes. Furthermore, increase in parental childcare time was decomposed into parts that were attributable to differences in the means and slopes of associated factors. Analytic results revealed that; parents' weekly work hours were associated with time spent on childcare from 2004 to 2014; the negative relationship between mother's relative earnings and her childcare time in 2004 and 2009 was reversed to a positive one in 2014; parent's education had stronger positive effects on father's than on mother's childcare time; parents' gender role attitudes had a weak association with childcare time; social and cultural changes such as decrease in work hours, higher education, more egalitarian gender role attitudes, and rise in women's wages contributed to the increase in parental childcare time, but in a different way for mothers and fathers. By taking into account the social and cultural context behind the changes, this study is able to provide a more constructive implications for childcare policy in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.129-150
• /
• 2013

The issue of child care in family policy is one of the most important agendas. It is the primary task for a welfare state to form such conditions as socializing it to ensure labor rights and parental rights. The aim of this study is to review any controversies in the agenda of free choice in child care. But real 'free choice' comes true when all community members as individuals are able to enjoy their rights as both workers and parents without any restriction and sexual discrimination in the labor market. But in reality 'free choice' has not been realized in our society. This study is based on the analysis of these issues in free choice - the concepts of liberty, equity and equality, the role of the state, financial efficiency and the status of women in the labor market. Based on the analysis of the issues in accordance with the criteria, I suggest some policy recommendations: adequate and sufficient child care services, the introduction of univer sal child benefits and the expansion of public child care facilities.