Comprehensive Survey of 572 Vulnerable Children, Child Development Assessed Through Phone and Visit Investigations
Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is launching a comprehensive survey of vulnerable children to care for hidden at-risk children in crisis families.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children in crisis families increased, and educational gaps widened depending on the home care environment. In particular, the learning gap among children from low-income families is a major concern.
Accordingly, the district is working to identify at-risk children early and address the learning gap for vulnerable children who may not currently show immediate crisis but are at risk due to lack of learning experiences. This is to support the healthy growth and development of vulnerable children and to find families seeking help with parenting environments or child development.
First, the district will conduct a full survey targeting vulnerable children. This aims to actively identify hidden at-risk children in the community and intervene proactively. The survey targets 572 children aged 0 to 9 from basic livelihood security recipients, near-poverty groups, and single-parent families.
In March, notification letters were sent to all subjects, and by October, seven surveyors will conduct individual telephone surveys. The survey targets 252 children aged 0 to 6 and 30 children aged 7 to 9 who responded after receiving the notification. For households that agree to home visits during the phone survey, integrated child case managers will visit the homes directly. Households that cannot be reached by phone or refuse visits will be regularly monitored by the local community center.
Children requiring complex needs and crisis intervention will receive integrated child case management support, linking customized services considering the characteristics of the child and family, such as physical health, cognition and language, and emotional and behavioral aspects. Children with simple needs or requiring basic service support will also be identified and connected with local resources and services.
Additionally, the district supports various educational and cultural experiences to reduce the learning gap among vulnerable children. Representative programs include ▲job experience activities ▲video-based global camps ▲home learning support projects.
On September 18, 80 families with preschool children and their parents will be invited to ‘KidZania Seoul,’ a job experience theme park located in Songpa-gu, to freely explore and experience various occupations. This aims to help children identify their interests and aptitudes and nurture dreams for the future from an early age.
Through the World Culture Classroom and English Reading Classroom, children will be exposed to diverse cultures and languages. Moving beyond simple learning, they will enjoy interactive sessions with native speakers, providing new experiences. This program will be conducted five times starting in October for 55 vulnerable elementary school students in grades 2 to 5.
One-on-one home learning support is also provided for children from low-income single-parent families. From August to December, a total of 120 children will receive support for three subjects, with 30,000 KRW per subject per month.
Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “We conduct a full survey every year to proactively identify and intervene early with at-risk children,” adding, “Although the learning gap among vulnerable children may not appear as an immediate crisis, it is a critical issue that affects their future, so we will spare no effort or support.”
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