Developmental Assessments and Tailored Support
for Approximately 2,000 Young Children Nationwide
The Korea Childcare Promotion Institute and Samsung Welfare Foundation will officially launch the "2025 Early Childhood Development Support Pilot Project" starting in June, aiming to support the healthy growth and development of young children in South Korea. This initiative was designed to provide practical support for the increasing number of children nationwide experiencing developmental delays.
Both organizations have been focusing on the growing issue of developmental delays among young children since the COVID-19 pandemic and have continuously sought effective response measures. The Korea Childcare Promotion Institute published an issue analysis report in 2024 titled "Analysis of the Current Status and Improvement Measures for Supporting Developmental Delays in Young Children." Meanwhile, the Samsung Welfare Foundation has supported the early detection and follow-up management of children with developmental delays by conducting developmental assessments and result consultations in the Ulsan region.
This year, the two organizations are working together to establish a practical, field-oriented support system by dispatching child behavior specialists directly to daycare centers to provide teachers with tailored guidance strategies.
The pilot project conducted an open call for applications from childcare support centers nationwide and, after a review by a selection committee, chose a final total of 10 centers. The selected centers are located in (in alphabetical order) Wonju, Gangwon Province; Gyeonggi Province; Gyeongsangnam-do; Seo District, Daejeon; Sasang District, Busan; Gwanak District, Seoul; Jung District, Seoul; Incheon Metropolitan City; Namwon, Jeollabuk-do; and Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do.
These centers will provide developmental assessments and result consultations to approximately 2,000 young children. Based on the assessment results, they will also offer individualized interventions and follow-up support for each child. The project will run for about four months, from June to September 2025, and is expected to enable early detection and support for children with developmental delays.
Ryu Moonhyung, Executive Vice President of Samsung Welfare Foundation, stated, "Through this project, we will establish a foundation for the early identification of children with developmental delays and the provision of tailored support," adding, "It is most important to ensure that children receive the help they need at the right time, without missing critical periods in their developmental stages."
He continued, "We will continue to contribute to the healthy growth and holistic development of young children by closely linking this project with the ongoing establishment of the early childhood development support platform, as well as the training and dispatch of child behavior specialists."
Cho Yongnam, President of the Korea Childcare Promotion Institute, said, "Since the integration with the Central Childcare Support Center in June 2022, and with the revision of the Early Childhood Care Act in 2024, the Institute has established an institutional foundation for operating early childhood development support projects (such as counseling and therapy linkage) at childcare support centers nationwide, including setting standards for the placement of early childhood development specialists within these centers." He added, "This project serves as a meaningful opportunity to expand early childhood development support initiatives in the field, and we will actively support the healthy development of all young children by working together with childcare support centers nationwide, ensuring there are no regional disparities."
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