Achievement in Reducing Daycare Center Closures
Expansion to 700 Locations
To support daycare centers facing closure due to a decline in the number of infants and toddlers caused by low birth rates, Seoul City is expanding the 'Donghaeng Daycare Center' program.
Seoul City announced on the 23rd that the Donghaeng Daycare Center program, which was launched nationwide for the first time last year, has led to a reduction in the number of daycare centers at risk of closure. Accordingly, the number of Donghaeng Daycare Centers will be increased to 700 locations within this month.
The Donghaeng Daycare Center program was designed to break the vicious cycle where the decrease in infants and toddlers leads to a decline in the quality of childcare services, care gaps, and further low birth rates. Daycare centers at risk of closure are designated as Donghaeng Daycare Centers and receive various incentives such as ▲priority support for improving teacher-to-child ratios ▲support for new certification as Seoul-type daycare centers ▲environmental improvement funds.
As a result of selecting and supporting 525 daycare centers as Donghaeng Daycare Centers last year, the number of daycare centers closing decreased by 11%, from 337 in 2023 to 300 last year. Management diagnostic consulting was also conducted for 80 of the Donghaeng Daycare Centers, with 98% expressing satisfaction with the content.
This year, to normalize the operation of daycare centers at risk of closure, the city will expand the designation of Donghaeng Daycare Centers to up to around 700 locations within this month. The final selection of Donghaeng Daycare Centers will be made by the end of this month, targeting 316 daycare centers with a current enrollment rate below 70% and a facility distance of over 200 meters, or those with an enrollment rate below 60% and fewer than 50 enrolled children. Support for Donghaeng Daycare Centers selected last year will continue for two years.
Once designated as Donghaeng Daycare Centers, they will be given priority in Seoul City's ongoing childcare projects such as teacher-to-child ratio improvement projects, Seoul-type daycare centers, and assistant teacher support. Selected daycare centers will receive monthly support ranging from 394,000 KRW to 1.4 million KRW per class for the teacher-to-child ratio improvement project.
Environmental improvement funds to renovate old environments and facilities of daycare centers will also be fully supported. Donghaeng Daycare Centers selected for environmental improvement will receive between 5 million and 7 million KRW to use for facility repairs. The 30% self-payment requirement for facility improvement costs has also been eliminated.
Customized management diagnostic consulting is also provided for Donghaeng Daycare Centers. Among the daycare centers applying for management consulting this year, priority recipients will be selected considering region and type. Participating daycare centers can receive support for the teacher-to-child ratio improvement project for up to two classes and may also be prioritized for environmental improvement funds.
The city is also expanding the 'Seoul-type Part-time Specialized Daycare Centers' that utilize unused space and idle personnel from Donghaeng Daycare Centers. Reflecting the high response from the pilot operation in June last year, the plan is to increase the number to 25 locations by the first half of the year, ensuring at least one operates in each autonomous district. Seoul-type Part-time Specialized Daycare Centers allow preschool children to use the service in hourly units for 1 to 2 hours, and children who do not attend the daycare center can also be cared for on a time-based basis when needed.
Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul City Women and Family Office, said, "As the Donghaeng Daycare Center program is showing results, we will do our best to expand the designation of Donghaeng Daycare Centers this year to normalize daycare center operations and ensure that high-quality childcare services are provided without interruption."
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