Jinju City Opens 'Child Protection Agency' Dedicated to Abuse Prevention and Protection Services

Active Child Protection Infrastructure Development Following the Establishment of the Child Protection Team Last Year

Opening ceremony site of the 'Jinju Child Protection Agency' dedicated to abuse prevention and protection services.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam, held an opening ceremony on the 22nd for the ‘Jinju City Child Protection Agency’ to prevent child abuse and provide prompt protective measures and case management support for abused children.

Until now, case management for abused children occurring in Jinju City has been carried out by the Gyeongnam Western Child Protection Agency. However, to proactively respond to the increasing reports of child abuse and protection of abused children, Jinju City has been promoting the establishment of the ‘Jinju City Child Protection Agency’ necessary for building a Jinju-type child protection system since last year, and officially opened it on this day.

Located in Sangbong-dong, the ‘Jinju City Child Protection Agency’ is operated by the Grace Welfare Foundation, a social welfare corporation, for five years after a public recruitment process in accordance with the entrusted law. The operating organization consists of a director, counselors, clinical psychologists, and office staff, with a total of 12 employees.

Mayor Cho Gyu-il said, “With the establishment of an independent child protection agency in our city and the creation of an organic cooperative system with the city, we expect to jointly promote child abuse prevention projects to increase efficiency and provide prompt protection and management services for abused children. We will do our best to create an environment where children can grow up healthy and happy.”

Jinju City began assigning dedicated child abuse public officials in October 2020 and established a child protection team in January 2021. Throughout 2021, it investigated 315 reports of child abuse, judged 225 cases (71.4%) as child abuse, and provided case management services such as psychological testing, treatment, education, and counseling to abused children, their families, and perpetrators in cooperation with the Child Protection Agency.

The city operates a boys-only shelter for abused children who need to be separated due to abuse, but since there is no girls-only shelter, girls must be admitted to shelters in other regions. Therefore, a girls-only shelter for abused children is planned to be established next year.