Gwangju City Holds 'Foster Family Meeting Day' for Everyone to Smile Together

Over 130 Foster Parents and Children Attend
"Supporting Children to Dream of Their Future"

Gwangju City and the Gwangju Family Foster Care Support Center held the "Foster Family Meeting Day" event on the 20th at Deli House in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu. Photo by Gwangju City

Gwangju City and the Gwangju Family Foster Care Support Center announced on the 21st that they held the ‘Foster Family Meeting Day’ event on the 20th at Deli House in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu.

Held under the theme ‘Family, Laughing Together,’ the event was organized to express gratitude to foster parents who have lovingly and devotedly raised foster children throughout the year, and to provide a meaningful way for foster children to conclude the year.

Marking its 22nd year, the event was attended by about 130 people including foster parents, children, and related organization officials. The program included awards for meritorious service, commendations for exemplary children, presentation of appreciation plaques, reading of letters from foster families, and a talent show.

The city awarded the Gwangju Mayor’s Award to three foster parents and activists dedicated to the growth and independence of foster children, the Gwangju Superintendent of Education’s Award to three exemplary foster children, and appreciation plaques from the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation to two workers who contributed to the smooth operation of the foster care project.

The family foster care system is designed to provide children who cannot live with their families due to reasons such as parental death or abuse with an environment similar to a family setting, moving away from the traditional facility-centered care. Currently, about 300 children in Gwangju are being cared for in foster families.

To promote the foster care project, the city is implementing various policies including operating the Family Foster Care Support Center, providing childcare subsidies, psychological treatment expenses, accident insurance premiums, specialized child protection costs, and self-reliance settlement funds.

Lee Young-dong, Director of the Women and Family Bureau of Gwangju City, said, “We express our gratitude to foster parents who always strive to help children grow up properly in a stable environment, and we also send support and applause to the children living brightly and cheerfully. Gwangju City will always do its best to ensure that foster parents can raise children stably and that foster children can dream of a bright future.”