Title: The development of child care programs for urban low-income areas.

POPLINE Document Number: 077651

Author(s):

Chun SH

Source citation:

WOMEN'S STUDIES FORUM, 1991;7:138-200.

Abstract:

Korea has realized remarkable economic growth in the past 3 decades, consequently the rate of female employment increased from 39.6% in 1975 to 45.0% in 1980. It is estimated that 1,500,000 children need child care but only 200,000 can afford it. Although 200 voluntary small-scale community child care centers in low-income areas meet the need of some double-income married couples, they do not suffice. The research objectives were to assess actual conditions of family and community child-care, to devise standards for founding child-care centers; to develop educational courses for caregivers in small-scale child-care, and to develop child-care programs for children under age 3. The sample consisted of 60 childcare agencies. 30 family child-care practitioners were selected from among the trainees of 7 child-care education centers Seoul and 30 community child-care centers were chosen from the metropolitan area from among the members of the Community Child-Care Association and the Catholic Child-Care Association. 5 researchers were employed and trained. Caregivers in family and community child-care centers were interviewed from August 28, 1989 to September 24, 1989, by means of a questionnaire. 59 (98.3%) of 60 subjects answered the questionnaire. 96.7% of the programs had full-day child-care, and 94.9% had mixed-age children. 66.1% of the programs were open from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and 49 programs (85.9%) were open more than 10 hours a day. All the caregivers were women with education above the high school level. 93.2% had completed child-care education programs and 79.7% had graduated from in-service programs. 76.3% were using a general educational plan. 11.9% had no outdoor playground, although 76.3% included picnics in their program. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the standard should be a full-day, mixed-age child-care system with more systematic program planning, parental education, and links to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment.

Keywords:

Republic of Korea
Surveys
Industrialization
Urban Population
Child Care
Low Income Population
Labor Force
Recommendations
Education
Women
Developed Countries
Asia, Eastern
Asia
Sampling Studies
Studies
Research Methodology
Economic Development
Economic Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Child Rearing
Behavior
Social Class
Socioeconomic Status
Socioeconomic Factors
Human Resources