[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Gwangyang City has launched a campaign to promote the ‘Idolbom Service’ to minimize childcare gaps for children.
The Idolbom Service is a system where caregivers visit homes experiencing childcare gaps to alleviate parenting burdens. The main services include temporary childcare, play activities, meal and snack provision, transportation to and from childcare facilities, schools, and academies, as well as safety and personal protection measures.
Currently, the Gwangyang City Healthy Family and Multicultural Family Support Center provides the visiting Idolbom Service, which includes ▲ hourly general type ▲ hourly comprehensive type ▲ full-day infant care ▲ special support for children infected with contagious diseases.
The hourly general type service is for children aged 3 months to 12 years and provides transportation to and from schools and childcare facilities, assistance with supplies, temporary childcare, and play activities.
The hourly comprehensive type includes all services of the hourly general type plus housekeeping services.
The usage fee is 9,890 KRW per hour for the hourly general type and 12,860 KRW for the comprehensive type, with government subsidies varying according to income level.
The full-day infant care service targets infants aged 3 months to 36 months and supports overall care including feeding baby food, sterilizing bottles, diaper changing, bathing, and managing health, nutrition, hygiene, and education. The usage fee is also 9,890 KRW per hour, similar to the hourly care service.
Additionally, there is a special support service for children aged 3 months to 12 years who cannot attend childcare facilities due to legally designated infectious diseases such as hand, foot, and mouth disease, chickenpox, stomatitis, or common colds and eye infections.
However, the full-day infant care service cannot be used concurrently with childcare fees, infant tuition, or childcare allowances, and for children receiving childcare fees or infant tuition, government support for hourly Idolbom Service is not available during childcare facility hours.
The Idolbom Service targets households with an income at or below 150% of the median income, providing differential support based on income level. All services offer up to a 33.3% additional discount on the total usage fee when caring for siblings simultaneously during the same time period, making it affordable for families with multiple children.
Families wishing to use the Idolbom Service can apply at their local eup, myeon, or dong community service centers or through the Bokjiro website.
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