On the 14th, in a villa in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, elementary school brothers accidentally started a fire while trying to cook ramen. They sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment at a hospital. 2020.9.14 [Photo by Michuhol Fire Station, Incheon]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City, the Office of Education, and the police have recently strengthened their cooperative system to protect abused and at-risk children following the 'ramyeon fire incident' involving elementary school brothers in Incheon.
These institutions will first jointly conduct an emergency investigation into child abuse by next month.
They plan to focus on high-risk children who have been exposed to abusive environments but have not yet been identified and remain outside the management system, and will take strict measures such as investigations if abuse is discovered.
Additionally, to prevent blind spots in care, they will conduct a survey on 16,500 children, including preschoolers and those with long-term absenteeism, beyond the approximately 3,200 cases currently managed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. They will also carry out home visits targeting disabled children who do not use care services.
During field investigations, the city will provide disaster preparedness safety education for fire prevention to children and their families, and install fire extinguishers and detectors free of charge in vulnerable children's homes. Considering that dual-income families, including low-income households, are vulnerable to care gaps, the city plans to continuously expand 'Together Care Centers.'
Alongside this, 44 public officials holding social worker certifications will be designated as child abuse dedicated officers and deployed to 10 districts by March next year. By the end of this month, an 'Information Linkage Council for Child Abuse Response' will be established in each district to identify abused and at-risk children and share information.
The city will promote active 112 reporting by citizens who witness suspected child abuse cases and activate a community reporting system through local communities such as mom cafes and management offices. The number of 'Our Village Child Guardians,' who discover and report abused children, will be increased to about 10,000, from existing community leaders to block chiefs.
Incheon Mayor Park Namchun stated, "We will ensure that no care gaps occur from the moment at-risk children and youth are recognized until judicial authorities take measures such as rulings and orders," adding, "Especially amid the COVID-19 situation, we will make sure that the three most important care services?medical care, meals, and housing?are thoroughly provided to at-risk children and youth without omission."
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