(The) National Association of Community Child Centers - Korea Community Child Center Federation, Holds Presentation on Survey Results of Community Child Centers

The Korea National Council of Community Child Centers (hereinafter referred to as the KNCCCC) and the Korea Community Child Center Federation (hereinafter referred to as KCCCF) announced that on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, they held the “Presentation of the Survey Results on the Awareness of Asbestos among Community Child Center Workers and Facility Environment Conditions” at the Kensington Hotel in Yeouido.

The event was conducted offline, and videos and presentation materials will be posted on the websites of the respective organizing bodies afterward.

This survey was conducted as part of the “2022 Environmental Improvement Support Project for Enhancing the Safety of Low-Income Children and Adolescents,” supported by the Community Chest of Korea using lottery fund resources. From June 30 to August 17, a multifaceted survey on asbestos and other facility environments was conducted targeting community child centers nationwide.

Hwang In-sik, Secretary General of the Community Chest of Korea, conveyed in a written statement, “Today’s gathering is a meeting to ensure the health rights and safe living environments of children and adolescents, and I hope it will serve as a valuable foundation for policy development.”

Professor Cho Sung-hee (Department of Social Welfare, Seoul Theological University), who was in charge of the survey research and analysis, summarized and presented data on ▲the safety and renovation status of community child center facilities ▲the asbestos management status of community child centers ▲and the multifaceted safety environment of community child centers.

The discussion following the presentation was chaired by Professor Jung Ik-jung (Department of Social Welfare, Ewha Womans University). Panelists included Director Song Ki-won (Asbestos Environment Safety Department, Korea Environment Corporation), Director Lee Seon-nyeo (Child Rights Protection Agency), Associate Researcher Lee Ju-yeon (Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs), and Specialist Kim Jong-myeong (Department of Family Medicine, Seongnam Medical Center). They discussed ▲the importance of investigating and repairing asbestos building materials ▲the need to improve the environment of community child centers ▲the current status and child safety issues of aging facilities in community child centers ▲and the health risks of asbestos and problems related to childhood exposure.

With support from the 2022 lottery fund and the Community Chest of Korea, the KNCCCC and KCCCF replaced asbestos building materials with asbestos-free materials at 100 community child centers nationwide and provided support for operating alternative programs at each center to address potential childcare gaps during construction periods.

Nam Se-do, Chairman of the Korea National Council of Community Child Centers, stated, “I hope today’s event will be a significant step not only on the asbestos issue but also toward improving the overall quality of facility environments in community child centers.”

Ok Kyung-won, Representative of the Korea Community Child Center Federation, said, “Rooted in the perception that social safety and protection systems for the next generation are investments for tomorrow rather than costs, I hope the efforts to provide our children with safe and good environments will continue steadily and sustainably.”