[Welfare Advanced Nation 2030-Part 2] ④ "150 Consultations per Month"... One in Three Youth Leaving Facilities Receives Basic Livelihood Security Benefits

12,256 Children Aging Out of Protection in the Last 5 Years
About 100 Counselors Across 17 Local Governments Nationwide

"Independent Living Difficult Without Resolving Emotional Issues"
Active Efforts Needed to Identify Youth Preparing for Independence in Blind Spots

Editor's NoteIs South Korea a developed country? In the 'Welfare Advanced Country 2030' project, which was prepared to explore the 'direction of a developed country' through National Assembly legislation, following the previous 'Part 1 - People with Developmental Disabilities,' this time we addressed 'children facing food insecurity' and 'children aging out of care (youth preparing for independence).' We examine the winter of children who must worry about every meal during school vacations when school meals stop, and the winter of youth who have left child care facilities and must face adulthood unprepared, and seek legislative and response measures at the National Assembly level.

A counselor in Jeonbuk region, responsible for supporting youth preparing for independence, received over 150 contacts from one young person in the past month. Requests varied from minor issues in daily life to financial support. Those who lived in group facilities and became youth preparing for independence after aging out of care must handle everything from livelihood to emotional issues alone. Since the number of counseling staff for youth preparing for independence is limited, many requests were unintentionally generated.

According to data received on the 23rd by Representative Hong Seok-jun of the People Power Party from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Child Rights Protection Agency, about 2,500 children age out of care annually. Over the past five years, a total of 12,256 youth have aged out and are preparing for independence.

Each city and province operates dedicated independence support centers for them. They provide post-management within five years after aging out and customized independence support services. However, the number of support staff is grossly insufficient. According to the Child Rights Protection Agency, as of the 31st of last month, there were 91 dedicated staff in 17 local governments. On the 11th of this month, Seoul opened a dedicated center and newly hired 9 staff members (with a capacity of 16). Sejong City is still preparing to open. Simply put, one support staff is responsible for about 100 youth preparing for independence.

Lee Il-su, team leader at Good Neighbors, said, "Many experts say that emotional support is the most urgent issue for youth preparing for independence, but on the ground, there is a lack of a system to receive instructions when psychological and emotional help is needed."

Youth who have aged out and left facilities receive settlement funds and independence allowances for five years from local governments to support their living expenses. However, the world is not so easy for those who must live without guardians. Since the information they can ask for or obtain is limited, they sometimes suffer financial damage or get involved in various fraud cases.

Song Hyun-su, team leader of the Orphan Rights Solidarity, said, "They often fall victim to identity theft or 'durable goods loans' (commonly known as phone pawn), losing their small independence settlement funds," adding, "After being scammed several times, distrust in society grows, and even if someone treats them well, they get dragged along despite knowing something is wrong." Song expressed concern that "if emotional issues are not resolved, independence becomes difficult." Among those who left facilities in the past five years, the proportion of basic livelihood security recipients increased from 26.2% in 2019 to 36.9% this year.

Since June this year, the law was amended to allow extension of the protection period up to age 24 without reasons such as university enrollment. However, youth who aged out before this face difficulties. Noh Doo-hwan (20), who left a facility and is living independently since March this year, said, "I have so much support that it feels burdensome, but older generations of youth are the opposite," adding, "When children aging out contact each other, they feel there is a big difference in support."

The government provides various support for up to five years after aging out, but protection measures effectively end afterward. Jang Ye-chan, director of the Youth Foundation, said, "Youth preparing for independence aged 24 to 34, whose independence support ends, are still in a blind spot," and added, "We need to connect support for housing, jobs, legal, psychological, and medical services to resolve their information disparity and support their successful and stable independence." He continued, "Although support is being strengthened by raising independence allowances and extending protection periods, more detailed, customized, and close support is necessary."