Seoul City to Prevent Childcare Gaps... "We Will Look After Your First Child If You Have a Second"

Scheduled Social Security Discussions Including Abolition of Income Criteria for 'Seoul-type Childcare Fee'
Full Expansion of 'School Commute and Hospital Accompaniment Childcare Services' to All Districts
Up to 1 Million KRW per Person for 'First Childcare Service' When Having a Second Child

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will invest a total of 10 billion KRW to significantly expand and strengthen the 'Seoul-type Childcare' program for families with children under 12 who experience childcare gaps due to parents' dual-income work or childbirth. In particular, a new service called 'First Childcare Service upon Second Childbirth' will be launched, a dedicated app for grandparent childcare allowances will be developed, and discussions will be held to abolish income criteria.

On the 28th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a plan to expand the 'Seoul-type Childcare' program based on these support measures, aiming to provide assistance to about 10,000 children annually.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

First, for grandparents caring for grandchildren and caregiving families, the 'Seoul-type Childcare Allowance' will continue to support about 4,300 people this year. The 'Seoul-type Childcare Allowance' is a program that provides 300,000 KRW per month in childcare allowance for relatives acting as helpers or vouchers for private childcare service institutions to families residing in Seoul with infants aged 24 to 36 months who have difficulty directly caring for their children due to dual-income work or other childcare gaps, with household income at or below 150% of the median income.

This year, the program will be improved by reflecting citizens' feedback gathered during its operation. In May, a dedicated app for childcare activities will be developed that generates QR codes to verify the start and end times of care. The restriction on the helper's childcare hours (maximum 10 hours) will be lifted to recognize the actual total childcare hours among helpers. Additionally, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to actively consult with the Social Security Committee to abolish the existing income limit (150% of median income).

The 'Seoul-type Three Niche Childcare Services' (commuting care, hospital accompaniment, and infant-exclusive care) will be expanded to all autonomous districts this year and fully operated. 'Commuting Care' is a service where childcare providers assist children before and after the arrival time at daycare centers, kindergartens, or nurseries (7-10 AM) by helping with meals or preparing items, and care for the child until the caregiver returns home during dismissal hours (4-8 PM). 'Hospital Accompaniment Care' is a service that takes children who suddenly fall ill with conditions like stomachache or common cold to the hospital and cares for them. 'Infant-Exclusive Care' connects experienced caregivers to parents returning to work after maternity or parental leave, providing dedicated care for infants aged 3 to 36 months.

Especially from this year, reflecting Seoul's characteristic of a low birth rate for second or subsequent children, the 'First Childcare Service upon Second Childbirth' will be newly introduced. To provide practical help for intensified childcare gaps and specific period care demands such as postpartum care caused by the birth of a second or later child, childcare costs will be supported without income criteria. However, support will be differentiated between 90% and 100% depending on income level.

The support target is households using government childcare services that experience childcare gaps for existing children under 12 due to the birth of a second or later child. Households with income at or below 75% of the median income can receive full coverage of their out-of-pocket childcare service fees, while households exceeding 75% of the median income will receive 90% support, reducing actual out-of-pocket fees to between 0 KRW and 1,163 KRW per hour.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Women and Family Policy Office, said, "We hope that the Seoul-type Childcare Service, including the newly launched first childcare support upon second childbirth this year, will provide practical help to reduce the childcare burden on caregiving families. We will expand necessary services for caregivers, improve inconvenient aspects of program operation, and build a meticulous childcare system."