The Only Seoul District Selected for the 'Child Abuse Prevention and Early Support Pilot Project,' Promoting 'Parent Education and Parenting Coaching Program'
Gwanak-gu, a child-friendly city (Mayor Park Jun-hee), is continuously striving this year to become a "Gwanak where children are happier."
First, the district operates the Child Rights Monitoring Group again this year to enable children to directly present colorful and diverse opinions on district policies and realize their right to participate.
The Child Rights Monitoring Group acts as a guardian of rights by considering community issues from the children's perspective that adults might overlook, while also playing a role in promoting the guarantee of children's participation rights.
Since 2019, the district has been directly listening to children's voices through the Child Rights Monitoring Group and reflecting 2 to 3 of their opinions annually in district policies.
Among the policies proposed last year, the installation of a "child footrest next to PET bottle collection bins" to make it easier for children to use the bins is scheduled to be introduced and implemented in the district administration.
In May, the district held the "2024 Gwanak-gu Child Rights Monitoring Group Launch Ceremony." This year's monitoring group consists of 42 children aged 8 and above and 8 adult mentors.
At the launch ceremony, appointment certificates were awarded, an activity pledge was read aloud, and child rights education was conducted. In particular, the child rights education was a meaningful session tailored to the children's level, allowing them to understand both their rights and responsibilities.
The monitoring group plans to carry out various activities to promote children's rights and interests through monthly meetings until October, including surveys and monitoring of child rights conditions in the community, policy proposals, and production of promotional UCCs. From topic selection to activity content, children will take the lead in planning and presenting.
Additionally, this year, Gwanak-gu was the only district in Seoul selected for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's "2024 Child Abuse Prevention and Early Support Pilot Project." Since June, it has been promoting the "Parent Education and Parenting Coaching Program" to proactively prevent child abuse.
The "Parent Education and Parenting Coaching Support Program" identifies families where unstable parenting attitudes due to children's problematic behaviors raise concerns about child abuse, aiming to prevent abuse by improving children's problematic behaviors and parents' parenting attitudes.
The program targets families where, after a child abuse report and investigation, abuse was not confirmed but conflicts between children and parents or parenting difficulties exist. This year, 10 families have been selected to receive family psychological counseling programs and more.
To ensure systematic and efficient project implementation, on June 3, the district signed an MOU with related child protection organizations in the area: Gwanak Child Psychological Development Center (Director Kim Yi-kyung) and Rev House Education Counseling Center (Director Cheon Young-hee).
Gwanak-gu selects target families, and the related organizations provide ▲ comprehensive child psychological assessments (full battery tests) ▲ parenting coaching support ▲ anger management education, among other services.
Mayor Park Jun-hee of Gwanak-gu stated, "Gwanak-gu is currently pursuing higher-level certification as a UNICEF Child-Friendly City," adding, "We will continue to implement substantial child-friendly city policies that residents and children can truly feel."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
