Gwangju City to Adjust Foster Child Care Subsidies to Reflect Real Needs

Differentiated Support by Age Starting This Year
450,000 Won per Month for Those 13 and Older...Up by 90,000 Won

The 'Foster Family Meeting Day' event held last year. Provided by Gwangju City

Gwangju City announced on the 7th that starting this year, the childcare subsidy for foster children will be increased by up to 90,000 won. Until now, the city has provided a monthly childcare subsidy of 360,000 won per child regardless of age, but from this year, the amount will be differentiated by age group.

Children under the age of 7 will continue to receive 360,000 won per month, while those aged 7 to under 13 will receive 400,000 won per month, an increase of 40,000 won from last year. In addition, those aged 13 to under 18 will receive 450,000 won per month, which is an increase of 90,000 won compared to last year.

The city has sought to expand support by age group in accordance with government recommendations to promote the healthy and stable growth of foster children and to reduce the financial burden on foster parents. This measure aims to better reflect the actual childcare costs for children aged 7 and older, for whom expenses increase after entering school, and to help foster children grow into responsible members of society.

The foster child protection system is a program in which children are cared for and raised in regular households for a certain period when their biological parents are deceased or absent. Currently, there are about 300 foster children in Gwangju. To ease the financial burden on foster families, the city provides support for foster child accident insurance, psychological treatment costs, professional child protection fees, and the purchase of children's supplies.

Lee Youngdong, Director of the Department of Women and Family, said, "Until now, we have provided a uniform monthly subsidy of 360,000 won for foster children regardless of age, but we have adjusted the amount to reduce the financial burden on foster parents," and added, "We will continue our efforts to create an environment where children can grow up to become healthy members of society."