Goyang-si Selects 99 Open Childcare Centers Expanding Parental Participation

Creating a Safe Childcare Environment Led by Parental Participation... Improving the Quality of Childcare

Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) announced on the 6th that it has designated 99 Open Daycare Centers that have expanded parent participation activities by opening daycare centers to parents.

A view of Goyang Special City Hall. Provided by Goyang Special City.

Open Daycare Centers were introduced as part of measures to eradicate child abuse by not only opening the physical space of daycare centers but also expanding parents' daily participation from parent participation programs to daycare center operations, aiming to improve the quality of childcare and create a safe childcare environment.

Since September, the city has accepted applications for Open Daycare Centers and, after on-site and document reviews in four areas (openness, participation, diversity, and local government standards), selected 24 new Open Daycare Centers and 75 reselected centers through an Open Daycare Center Selection Committee consisting of five childcare experts.

Selected Open Daycare Centers will be provided with various incentives, including guaranteed autonomous operation, additional points during re-commissioning evaluations of national and public daycare centers, scoring advantages when newly selecting public-type daycare centers, priority support for teaching materials and equipment expenses, and priority support for assistant teacher support requirements when applicable.

A city official stated, “We will continue to expand the Open Daycare Center selection project to create a safe childcare environment led by daycare centers and parent participation.”