Childcare program at an open daycare center in Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam, with direct parental participation. [Image source=Gimhae-si]
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Gimhae City, Gyeongnam Province announced on the 20th that it has selected 86 '2021 Open Daycare Centers' with expanded facility access and parental participation.
Open Daycare Centers are a type of daycare operation promoted since 2015 as part of measures to eradicate child abuse, where parents participate routinely not only in the physical space openness of the daycare but also in childcare programs and operations.
The city selected 86 centers (69 new, 17 reselected) as Open Daycare Centers this year after document and on-site evaluations of the applicants.
The selection criteria evaluated openness (installation of transparent windows in childcare rooms, shared parent spaces, etc.), participation (orientation for new children’s parents, individual parent consultations, etc.), sustainability (parent participation activity demand surveys, regular notifications, etc.), and diversity (balanced operation of parent participation activities, linkage and cooperation with the local community).
The selected daycare centers receive benefits such as additional points during new public daycare center selection and national/public re-commissioning reviews, as well as priority support for teaching materials and assistant teachers.
Baek Ssang-mi, Director of Childcare, said, "We will continue to expand Open Daycare Centers to create a childcare environment where children can be entrusted with confidence."
Meanwhile, among the 459 daycare centers currently in Gimhae City, the proportion of Open Daycare Centers is 97 (21%), including the existing 11 centers that have maintained the status.
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