• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.141-163
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• 2016

This study reviews and analyzes the current status and conditions of child-rearing issues related to single-parent families and pinpoints related problems. It undertakes for single-parent families with children in elementary and middle schools to determine limitations that prevent single-parent families from obtaining in existing policies and legislation. The study introduces policy guidelines to ensure childcare for single-parent families. The results are follows. First, the basic policies supporting single-parent families should be broadened to include not only low-income, single-parent families but also higher-income, single-parent families, which would allow all such families to be given first priority at childcare centers. Second, to resolve discrimination and prejudice toward single-parent families, articles about education and single-parent families should be included in the Single-Parent Support Act. Third, substantial and customized support policies tailored to the growth-stages of children are needed. Fourth, programs to improve the relationship between children and single parents should be developed and promoted. Finally, various family types, such as single-father or multi-cultural single-parent families, must be considered.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.513-538
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• 2013

As a childcare program of TaeHwa Christian Women's Institution in 1921, the childcare system in Korea was incepted. Since then, the political foothold of childcare system has steadily been advancing to provide high quality services to young children. In almost a hundred-year-history of public childcare in Korea, depending on the changes enforced on the related laws and regulations and varying perspectives over time, the administration office accountable for childcare policies has been authorized to the Ministries of Health, Social Affairs, Education, Labor, Home Affairs, Rural Development Administration, and/or others. But as of 1991, under the enactment of Infant and Child Care Act, it was changed to be administered by the unified authority of the Health and Social Welfare Ministry. Then, in 2004 and 2007, its statutory authority, respectively, transferred to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and back to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Staring of the Infant and Child Care Act in 1991, Korean childcare policies have been managed by the dual systems of the Education Ministry and the Health and Social Welfare Ministry each holding jurisdiction over kindergartens and childcare centers, respectively. Faced with the recent marked decline of birth rate, diverse childcare policies are currently implemented in the pursuit of finding means to enhance the quality of childcare and to develop policies for the restoration of the low birth rate. This study presented distinct features of current childcare policies and discussed about future directions and challenges of these policies.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.35-60
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• 2016

This study analyzes the unequal distributional effect of threesome of family policy(child benefit, childcare services and parental leave) focusing on family income, mother's status in labor market in Korea. To measure the unequal distributional effect of family policies, this study used the quantile analysis. The results of this study are as follows. First, in terms of childcare service and parental leave, there is some difference of the rate of use by family income and mother's status in labor market. Second, total public fund for childcare services, child benefits and parental leave are high in fourth income quintile, and mothers work regularly. Third, public fund is high in fourth income quintile, dual earners, mothers work regularly, the family has many number of child, and is high educational level of parents. Finally, the results of quantile regression show the biggest factors of unequal distribution of family policy are mother's stable work and it deepens the inequalities and differences. Based on these results, this article suggests that more equal right to access and use family policy regardless of the type of employment, adequate minimum income through income transfer, and universal application of the policy.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.107-124
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• 2024

Objective: This study aims to analyze parents' perception of the suitability of the 'Childcare Support Center (C.S.C.)' and the 'Early Childhood Education Promotion Institute(E.C.E.P.I)' as home care support service providers. Methods: The goals and content of the home parenting support service offered by the C.S.C. and E.C.E.P.I. were analyzes based on information collected from their websites, publications, and various promotional materials. There were categories into 18 services across 5 categories. Responses of 421 parents, gathered through a questionnaire developed with reference to previous studies, were collected and analyzed. Results: Parents reported high degree of suitability for the organizations they used. Those familiar with both institutions found E.C.E.P.I. more suitable overall. However the C.S.C. was considered particularity suitable by parents of children aged 0-2 years and by those with no prior experience with either institution. The perceived suitability of the two institutions varied by service, depending on factors such as the age group of the children, whether the parents lived in the metropolitan area, and whether they were part of a double-income household. Conclusion/Implications: These findings have practical implications for development of integrated policies for early childhood education and childcare, which should take into account parents' perceptions of the functions of institutions.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.219-241
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• 2013

The study explored the work-life balance of three dual-earning couples using the household economics approach according to the hermeneutics paradigm. Three families were analysed. The couples were interviewed individually with a non-structural interview guide about their work history and life history, and with a semi-structured interview and structured questionnaire about their work hours, childcare practice, husband-wife relation, household income and expenditure, and daily and weekly schedule. The results revealed the different paths and various strategies to adjust work-life balance among the cases. Strategies were discussed to facilitate changes in labor market policy, childcare policy, working place culture and family's daily life planning.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.67-93
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• 2016

This study investigated the attitudes toward childbearing and the need for policies supporting childcare according to the mothers' employment status. Data from 6 employed and 6 unemployed housewives with 1 child were collected using in-depth interviews. The main results from the data analysis comprised 4 themes: 1. the ideal and the real about childbearing; 2. changed experiences after bearing the first child; 3. the meaning of parenting; and 4. husband's division of household/caring labor. A difference between employed and unemployed housewives was founded in their attitude toward childbearing. Furthermore, it was verified that the respondents were not satisfied with present policies and services for childbearing and childcare and they required existing policies to be more effective. The implications for related polices are suggested on the basis of these findings.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.261-284
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• 2012

This article attempts to discuss the childcare regime through examining the way familialism is expressed in society. First of all, this study reconceptualizes familialism and familism. From this conceptualization, this paper argues that although familialism is partly related with the level of development in a welfare state, familialism determines the way of welfare provision. Especially, family policy models are classified into 6 different typologies based on four concepts: defamilialization, familialization, public, and private. According to this discussion, familialism in child care is not simply the result of underdeveloped welfare in Korea. Rather the familialism is deeply rooted in the current socioeconomic circumstance and traditional culture in Korea. This implies that despite of expanding the institutional infrastructure of public childcare, the characteristic of Korean childcare regime would not be the same as the Nordic childcare regime.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.441-450
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• 2017

Childcare related studies have focused on the characteristics of care work, policy aspects, user family satisfaction, and job satisfaction of childcare helpers. But there have been few studies on family system characteristics that support childcare givers. Thus, this study conducted on the topic, "How to characterize the family resilience of long-term childcare givers?" The subjects belong to a healthy family support center in U. City, who belong to a group with an income in the top 20 % of about 20 persons working for more than 3 years. In an interview, qualitative questions were used Walsh's family resilience. The results are as follows. First, they had economic hardship, but their family would stand together and build up a family's power based on the couple's faith. They had a family role model based on their parents' family that included inherited maternity qualities from their mother. Second, the flexibility of the family organization changed to autonomous or co-role type and the connectivity. Especially, they appear as a family's leader. Third, their family communication was active, shared-care, responsible and passionate with family affection and understanding. The conclusions results are as follows. Participants were high school graduates as well as had work experience. They were characterized by positive family energy, a family belief system, family-based resources, flexibility, connectivity, open family communication and expression skills. Therefore, it can be suggested that it is necessary to check the family's resilience during an interview for the reliable, long-term supply of human resources for childcare activities.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.463-495
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to obtain a fundamental data for developing a policy concerning women and child rearing and a parent education program for young parents who are around their childbirth, a period crucially important both for the parents in terms of the role adjustment, career management, and family finance, and for the infants in terms of its physical and psychological well-being. The subjects were 509 mothers before and after childbirth currently living in the Metropolitan City of Daejeon. Data were obtained through questionnaires and interviews in two major areas of pregnancy-delivery-childcare and parent education. Data were analyzed using SAS, mostly through frequency analysis, percentiles, t-tests, and F-tests. Results of descriptive analyses were organized along the following areas and issues: Pregnancy(family planning, regular check-ups, difficulties, prenatal education, costs, etc.); delivery(type of delivery, delivery related experience, costs, clinic/medical institute of choice, worries/problems, help/supports, etc.); postpartum care(place, kinds of help and helper, costs, postpartum care facilities, etc.); childcare circumstances(place, carer, time schedules, childcare centers or facilities feeding and weaning, etc.); husband's attitudes and involvement in the overall process; working mothers(maternity leave, temporary retirement for child rearing, etc.); and, parent education(family planning, pregnancy, delivery, postpartum care, child rearing, areas or issues needing parent education, facilitative and hindering factors to ideal parenting, etc.). Differences between groups of pregnant mothers and postpartum mothers, working- and non-working mothers, groups of different income levels, mothers and fathers of different educational levels, mothers of first pregnancy(or childbirth) and experienced mothers were also analyzed. Several conclusions with suggestions were drawn in relation to the need for strong implementation as well as developing of policies on women and childcare and for developing a new parent education program for parents before and after childbirth.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.81-100
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• 2013

This study has attempted to suggest the direction for child care policy for 0-2 year old children in Korea from analysis on the issues included in the policy for free child care services of the Korean Government. For the analysis, such materials as governmental statistical reports of child care and policy and articles regarding free child care service in daily news papers during 2012 have been collected. From this study, it has been suggested that the policy for free child care for 0-2 year old children, in future, should take into account reliably carrying out matemity leave and parental leave arrangements, equity childcare support for working couples, realization of parental subsidies, expand parental choice, introduction of a small family day care system, providing information and knowledge on the development of infants and parenting. The suggestions of this study will contribute to the development and practice of an effective child care policy for 0-2 year children, which consider the needs and requirements of young children and their parents.