• Human Ecology Research
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.457-471
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• 2014

Family instability has a negative effect on not only an individual household but also the society. The government continues to operate family support centers as a countermeasure to family instability issues. A healthy and multicultural family support center is considered an effective support system that extends from a family unit to the local community. In this study, the satisfaction and demand levels of each center, located in Seoul and Incheon, were examined with respect to items such as operation contents, physical space, and organizational structure. The results showed that various efforts for creating a family-friendly community were implemented in healthy family support centers and multicultural family support centers. It was found that the center organizers and operators focused more on software and programs than on the physical environment. There was mostly a shortage of physical and environmental space. This space shortage limited the planned and ongoing activities in terms of the residents' self-directed participation and space formation for a family-friendly educational culture. Therefore, it was necessary to set up the space-related criteria for each center in order to solve this environmental issue. We identified the baseline data of the criteria for a center's physical and spatial design and size. In particular, it was suggested that a more strategic physical and spatial design is needed to achieve an integral and effective operation for the connection of the family with the local society.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.773-787
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• 2014

The purposes of this study were to examine effects which work events and affective reaction were experienced by employees on job satisfaction and service quality in local healthy family support center for family health enhancement. For the purpose, survey were conducted with employees working in 56 local healthy family support centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi region, and final data were resulted from analysis of 319 examines of those employees. The results of this study were as follows. First, work events had a significant effect on the affective reaction. Second, affective reaction had a significant effect on the job satisfaction. Third, job satisfaction had a significant effect on the service quality. Fourth, affective reaction worked as mediators between the work events and job satisfaction, affective reaction and job satisfaction worked as double mediators between work events and service quality. Based on those findings, we can propose practical and political implications towards improving service quality considering the work experience of personnel in the healthy family support center.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to examine a potential association between community factors and the establishment of Local Healthy Family Support Centers (LHFSCs). Community factors were population size, community size, local finance independency, number of workplaces per 1,000 people, number of colleges, political party affiliation of mayor, and political party affiliation of congressman. Data of this study were collected from the census indicators of 222 communities from 2004 to 2014 and analyzed by frequency, mean, geographical information system mapping, and the binary logit analysis. The results of this study are as follows. First, LHFSCs are less likely to be established in communities in the provinces of Gangwon, Chungbuk, and Gyeongbuk. Second, the population size was positively related to the establishment of LHFSCs. Third, finance independency was positively associated with the establishment of LHFSCs. Forth, a mayor was more likely to establish LHFSCs if they were affiliated with the ruling conservative political party. However, the establishment of LHFSCs was not affected by other factors such as community scale, number of workplaces per 1,000 people, the number of colleges, and party affiliation of congressman. Thus, the conclusion suggests family policy implications to improve the geographical imbalance of LHFSCs based on the analysis results.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.19-30
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between Healthy Family Support Center (HFSC) program participation and family strengths and program needs based on HFSC participants' individual, family, and community characteristics. A total of 695 HFSC participants who were married and had participated in HFSC programs were recruited through 25 local HFSCs in Seoul. A multiple regression method was conducted for data analysis. The major findings are as follows. Family strengths was related to the variables of age, education, monthly household income, and participation in family counseling and sharing family care programs. In terms of program needs, the variables of marital conflict, difficulty in care, financial distress, family strengths, and family-friendly community were associated with HFSC program needs while participants' socio-demographic characteristics were not related to program needs. This study highlights that HFSC programs have different target populations considering that the level of family strengths was different among the various programs' participants. In addition, program needs are different depending upon the HFSC participants' experiences in the family and community. These findings suggest that it is important to consider participants' family and community characteristics as well as participants' socio-demographic characteristics to provide appropriate programs for all HFSC participants.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.97-112
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• 2005

This research has studied the people's perception and understanding of the 'Healthy Family Act' that has been enacted and practised from the year 2005. For this purpose, a survey has been conducted during October 2004 in several central and local cities in Korea, including Seoul, and a total of 741 samples have been used for the final analysis. The results of this study is as follows. The participants showed a very low level of recognition of the 'Healthy Family Act', and they Perceived that establishing a home-friendly atmosphere was of primary importance among the tasks that should be conducted by the State and local governments to encourage 'healthy families' The participants chose 'supporting the mental & physical health of family members' for the government supporting programs to make healthy families, and chose 'healthy life cultures such as clothes, food, and housing' for the government programs to support the everyday living cultures of the people. 1 Two thirds(2/3) of the participants indicated a willingness to participate in voluntary activities, and more than half of the participants said that they will participate in educational programs. Also, the participants indicated that divorce counselling should be offered only to the people who want the counselling, and as far as 'contents' are concerned, the participants indicated that 'the upbringing of children' should be the most important subject of the counselling. Finally, the participants indicated a willingness of participating educational programs in the order of parent education, family ethics education, realization of family values and family life education.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.13-20
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• 2012

This study aimed to find the association between geographic proximity and program participation at a Healthy Family Support Center (HFSC). Drawing demographic and geographic information from the participant list at a local HFSC in Seoul for the period 2009 to 2011, this study calculated the geographic distance from the individual residence to the center for 2,343 participants. We found that single time participants had a longer distance from their residence to the center than multiple time participants. When we compared the proximity by program areas, we found that the geographic distance to the center was shorter among education program participants than among non participants. However, there was no difference in the other areas of programs. In terms of the target group, the distance was shorter among adult program participants. Finally, the average distance among participants in multiple session programs was shorter. The results of this study indicated that the relationship between geographic proximity and program participation depended on program areas, target groups, and the number of sessions.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.67-82
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• 2012

The first local exchange trading system(LETS), established in Comox Valley in Canada, aimed at facilitating the regional economy. However, in Korea, LETS was adopted to encourage mutual aid and promote community spirit among residents. This study examines the feasibility of LETS as a revitalization initiative for Pumasi and suggests a number of policies that can be implemented to support the project. The findings are as follows: First, the LETS credit system was found to complement social capital initiatives among Pumasi participants in the early stages of the Pumasi project. Second, combining LETS and Pumasi initiatives was found to consolidate community spirit and encourage a cooperative way of life among participants due to the fact that LETS enlarges the scope of local residents' participation and diversifies the services being exchanged. A number of policy suggestions are made for combining LETS with Pumasi. First, the project must define a vision of its long-term purpose and outcomes. Second, local residents should be employed as assistants to facilitate the project. Third, Pumasi participants should ensure that childcare exchange services are of the highest quality by providing an educational program on parenting. Fourth, the project manager's employment conditions and working environments must be guaranteed.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.125-144
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• 2013

This aim in this study is to investigate the meaning of case management and management in general from the case manger's perspective, as well as case mangers' abilities and networks. We also propose a development direction for the establishment of a local integrated family-centered community management system. Regarding the collection of qualitative data, focus group interviews (FGIs) were conducted with 11 case managers from social welfare organizations in the city of C. The interviews consisted of open-ended questions in the following four categories: understanding of case management, case managers' abilities, case management environments, and local community networks. According to the interview analysis, a total of 16 subcategories in 9 categories and 4 domains have been identified. Due to the ambiguity regarding the concept of case management, case management was completely dependent upon individual case managers' abilities. In particular, family-centered case management was found to exist in several organizations in the same region. In terms of case management environments, the following problems have been observed: absence of related departments and staff, confusion regarding performance evaluation standards, limitations in sharing information among organizations, limitations in resource exploration and management, redundant support, and an uncomfortable relationship between the private and public sector. Horizontal exchange and cooperation among organizations are essential to establish and facilitate a local community network. After all, to establish a local family-centered community case management system, the roles of a Healthy Families Center and a Multi-cultural Family Support Center as parts of a family-centered transfer system should be fully emphasized in local society, and the performance of family-centered case management should be developed.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 2010

Family professionals and family program staff need to consider the importance of program evaluation in Korea since an increasing number of Healthy Family Support Centers are providing diverse intervention and education programs. The purpose of this research paper is to (a) introduce a program evaluation model that includes the program life cycle; (b) help family professionals and family program staff understand the link between program implementation and evaluation processes; and (c) facilitate discussions in terms of program evaluation of Healthy Family Support Centers and evaluation roles of different levels of Healthy Family Support Centers including the headquarters, regional, and local centers. Understanding the program life cycle and relevant evaluation processes will help family professionals and family program staff be more strategic in answering critical questions about a program's effectiveness. The benefits of program evaluation and its implications are discussed.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.45-63
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to emphasize the household financial education as a part of family life education, especially when provided at local community level; it also examines diverse measures by which to deliver such education. To this end, the current study focuses on the education programs of a healthy family support center, which has been established as a representative transmission system. The current status of its operations was examined, and practical measures by which to stimulate the delivery of financial education within that center were derived. In more detail, previous studies inside and outside of Korea were examined, and the current status of financial education included in the area of family life education was assessed; as a result of these assessments, the definition and objectives of financial education as family life education were adjusted. The limits of financial education that has been delivered thus far were reviewed, with the aim of proposing measures by which to sufficiently stimulate the delivery of financial education programs-programs that ultimately reflect the healthy family philosophy. This study proposes four specific measures by which to stimulate financial education. The first is the application of 'life cycle perspectives' to educational terms. The second is the activation of financial education programs that involve the family unit as educational subjects. Third, the delivery of lectures which related to the financing and nurturing of program coordinators was proposed. The fourth is drawing a connection between online and offline education in terms of effectively applying teaching methods. Ultimately, the results of this study can be used as basic data to inform the planning, development, and operational stages of financial education programs within family life education, which can be performed in healthy family support centers in the future.