Gwanak-gu Leads Efforts to Fill Childcare and Parenting Gaps... How?

Providing ‘Childcare Helper’ Care Services to Families Experiencing Childcare Gaps Due to Dual-Income Households

Operating Five Branches of Gwanak-Style Childcare Centers ‘I-rang’ with Free Play Spaces and Specialized Programs

Children playing in the play area

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is focusing on resolving childcare gaps and creating a supportive care environment to make Gwanak a better place to have and raise children.

The district operates the ‘Childcare Helper Service,’ which dispatches childcare helpers to families with children under 12 years old whose household income is below 150% of the median income and who experience childcare gaps due to parents’ dual-income work schedules. The service supports care activities such as drop-off and pick-up at daycare centers and play activities.

The ‘Childcare Helper Service’ is divided into two types based on whether household chores related to the cared-for child are provided (▲Basic type, ▲Comprehensive type), and users can choose between hourly or full-day services depending on their needs. The fee is up to 14,400 KRW per hour and is applied differentially according to median income.

In particular, this year, a new ‘Infant-Dedicated Childcare Helper Service’ has been introduced to further support healthy pregnancy and childbirth for dual-income families. To this end, 27 childcare helpers with extensive experience were selected and provided with 8 hours of essential infant-related training to strengthen their expertise in caring for infants under 36 months old.

Additionally, the district operates five branches of the ‘Gwanak-Style Childcare Center I-rang,’ which offer specialized programs and free play spaces, receiving great responses from children and parents alike.

Each branch offers various specialized programs such as ▲Nakseongdae Branch ‘Parenting Consultation’ ▲Nanhyang Branch ‘Expectant Parent Participation and Early Childhood Music Activities’ ▲Boramae Branch ‘Integrated Sensory Development Play for Infants and Toddlers’ ▲Sinsa Branch ‘Multicultural Family Participation and Infant Music Activities’ ▲Daehak-dong Branch ‘Citizen Instructor Training and Family Cultural Experiences.’

Following the indoor mask mandate lift, specialized programs will gradually expand, and in December this year, an additional branch will be established in Euncheon-dong to provide a ‘Specialized Elementary Care Program for Dual-Income Families.’

Detailed information on branch operating hours and application methods can be found on the Gwanak-gu website.

A district official stated, “We hope that the various projects operated by Gwanak-gu will reduce the childcare burden on parents of infants and toddlers and help balance work and family life. We will continue to provide diverse support to create a childcare-friendly local environment where families raising children can be happy.”