Busan City Achieves Success by Selecting 5 Outstanding Institutions for Childcare Services

Buk-gu, Gangseo-gu, Yeonje-gu, Busanjin-gu, and Gijang-gun Selected as Outstanding Institutions

‘Child Care Service Communication Day’ Event, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Award

Busan City was recognized as an excellent institution in the nationwide evaluation of childcare services, with five childcare service providers in the city selected as outstanding institutions and receiving the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Award on the 6th.

On the 6th, at the '2023 Childcare Service Communication Day' event hosted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Busan City received a total of 8 Minister's Awards in the individual (3 people) and institution (5 places) categories, including the grand prize for the childcare essay contest and first place in the urban child care service evaluation (Buk-gu).

Childcare services are a system where caregivers visit homes with children aged 36 months to 12 years to provide customized care when parents face difficulties in childcare due to reasons such as both parents working.

In this childcare service evaluation, Busan City received high scores in satisfaction, increase rates of user families and caregivers, and service inspection categories. As a result, five service providers that contributed to creating a stable childcare environment were selected as excellent institutions.

The five selected institutions are childcare service providers in Buk-gu, Gangseo-gu, Yeonje-gu, Busanjin-gu, and Gijang-gun.

Additionally, individuals achieved notable results by winning the grand prize (Buk-gu) and encouragement awards (Gangseo-gu and Yeonje-gu) in the excellent childcare essay contest.

The awards ceremony took place on the 6th at the '2023 Childcare Service Communication Day' event hosted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. On this day, Busan City received a total of eight Minister’s Awards in both individual (3 people) and institution (5 places) categories, including the grand prize for the childcare essay contest and first place in the child care service city evaluation (Buk-gu).

The 'Childcare Service Communication Day' event was organized to share institutional improvements for the newly promoted childcare services and to facilitate mutual exchange and cooperation among related organizations.

About 400 people, including service providers, metropolitan center workers, and local government officials, attended the event held at the HW Convention Center in Seoul.

Kim Eun-hee, Director of the Women and Family Bureau of Busan City, stated, “Through multifaceted consideration and review of the childcare support project, we aim to establish fundamental solutions to the low birthrate issue and will continue to do our best to create a true work-family balance environment through safe and happy childcare for children.”

To reduce the burden on families using childcare services, the government support rate will be partially increased starting next year. Additionally, various reformed systems will be implemented alongside the childcare services.

Until now, the government supported up to 85% of the cost based on household income levels. From next year, for the first time, families with two or more children will receive an additional 10% reduction in their out-of-pocket expenses. Furthermore, youth single parents or parents under 24 years old raising children aged 0 to 1 with a median income of 150% or less will only need to pay 10% of the fee regardless of income criteria, reflecting an increase in government support rates.

The increased support rates are as follows: for children aged 0 to 5, households with median income 150% or less will see support rise from 15% to 20%; for children aged 6 to 12, households with median income 120% or less will see support rise from 20% to 30%.

Moreover, to improve the quality of childcare services and ensure smooth service linkage, reforms in caregiver training systems, a 5% increase in caregiver activity allowances (to 10,110 KRW), and the introduction of emergency childcare services will be implemented.