Providing Customized After-School Care Services for Elementary Students... Emergency Care Implemented in Response to COVID-19... Regional Expansion from Branch 1 (Sinjeong-dong) to Branch 2 (Mok-dong) and Branch 3 (Sinwol-dong)
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) is opening the 2nd and 3rd branches of the after-school care facility for elementary school students, Our Neighborhood Kiwoom Center.
Starting with the opening of the 1st branch, Our Neighborhood Kiwoom Center (20 Sinjeong-ro 11-gil) in September 2019, the 2nd branch (86 Mokdongjungangbon-ro) and the 3rd branch (595-21 Sinwol-dong) are opening consecutively.
Our Neighborhood Kiwoom Center, aimed at eliminating blind spots in elementary student care, is available to any child aged 6 to 12 who needs care, regardless of parental income level.
The 2nd branch, promoted as a hybrid model combining Kiwoom Center and local children’s center, has a capacity of 35 children. It remodeled an existing kindergarten facility internally and includes a yard where children can run and play.
Five care teachers including the center director and deputy director, along with one cook, are stationed on-site. Operating hours are from 1 PM to 8 PM during the school term, and during vacation periods, weekdays from 8 AM to 8 PM, and Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM.
The usage fee, including snack costs, is under 50,000 KRW, and meals are provided free of charge.
The 3rd branch, located on the first floor of the Health Healing Culture Center (595-21 Sinwol-dong), scheduled to open at the end of January, covers an area of 147㎡ and features indoor play structures such as slides and jungle gyms for physical activities.
The 3rd branch has a capacity of 25 children, with three care teachers including the center director stationed on-site.
Operating hours are from 1 PM to 7 PM during the school term, and from 9 AM to 7 PM during vacation periods. The monthly usage fee, including snacks, is under 50,000 KRW, and meal costs are 5,000 KRW per meal.
At Our Neighborhood Kiwoom Centers 2 and 3, services such as temporary and regular care, basic learning, reading guidance, cultural, artistic, and physical activities, as well as meals and snacks, are provided.
In particular, a variety of programs suitable for elementary students’ learning and behavioral development stages, such as paper folding, traditional games, and board games, are planned.
Currently, in response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), emergency care is being provided with strict adherence to quarantine rules including twice-daily temperature checks for children in care, once-daily center disinfection, restriction of external visitors, and provision of quarantine supplies for infection prevention.
Those wishing to use the care services can make online reservations through the Our Neighborhood Kiwoom Portal.
Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, stated, “By continuously surveying care demand and expanding Our Neighborhood Kiwoom Centers where care facilities are needed, we will create a Yangcheon-gu where parents can raise their children with peace of mind without worrying about care.”
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