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

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.