A Study on Difficulties and Support Plans for Oporating a Shared Childcare Centers for Infant and Young Children in Seoul: Centered in Nowon District

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate and examine the operation of shared childcare spaces, a form of infant and toddler care in Seoul, with the goal of providing foundational data for proposing childcare policies. Methods The research methodology involved the collection and analysis of data through open-ended surveys, in-depth interviews, observations of childcare spaces, and examination of relevant documents. Results First, as for the environment of the center, the operators changed playing stuff quarterly and proper for the development of the children. Parents perceived the environment as clean and warm, respecting individual attention to children, and considering it a comfortable environment for playing together with their parents. Second, the challenges of the shared childcare center, operators claim that it is difficult to satisfy users’requests. They also claim that parents are not cooperative with keeping the center’s rules and regulations. The operators experienced limitations due to the diverse tasks they performed. Parents emphasize that the easy access to the center and the availability of the center without making reservations are most necessary. The reservation to use the center is very competitive. Third, as the demands and support methods of shared childcare center, the operators advocated for the provision of dedicated personnel. Parents requested program diversification, extension of weekend hours, and expansion of participation in cultural events. Conclusions Considering all these results, the author’s suggestion for the policy of sharing childcare center is that we need to expand rhdehddbrdkqksharing child care and we need to obtain more manpower with specialty and weekend operation and relaxation of reservation system.