보육정책의 개선방안에 관한 연구

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine problems of a child-care policy and to find actual solutions to improve the problems. Especially, this paper examined a child-care policy of Korea, U.S., France, Sweden and Japan after dividing it into 4 items; a child-care budget, a child-care service, a child-care system and a child-care facility. Then, it suggested an improvement plan to increase quality of a child-care service by drawing problems from the previous examination and comparing and analysing a child-care policy of Korean and that of developed countries. First of all, current problems of a child-care policy of Korea are as follows;- First, an equality issue is arising in child-care fund aids because there is considerable difference between a public child-care facility and a private child-care facility in supporting child-care fund. Second, in relation to the child-care service, child-care programs which are suitable for specific child-care environment and local features are not being applied to the service. In addition, current non-flexible and old child-care programs do not satisfy parents. Furthermore, as child-care facilities do not have a flexible timetable, there is no capacity to provide child-care service to some parents who have special jobs, such as a nurse working as 3 shifts and a worker frequently attending night time work. Speciality of a child-care teacher usually does not meet its criteria. Therefore, improvement of working environment to increase speciality of a child-care teacher is required. Also, though an institutional device to increase quality of service is prepared by introducing an evaluation and accreditation system, the efficiency of the system is low due to the lack of understanding. Third, regarding problems in the child-care system, frequence changes in position of a public servant who is responsible for child-care and the lack of public servants who are specialized in child-care can be a problem. In addition, the dual structure for child-care can be also a problem; while the ministry of gender equality and family makes a policy of child-care, the ministry of government administration and home affairs performs the policy established. A network for exchanging child-care information is required according to the development of Internet. Finally, in relation to the child-care facility, Korean government has permitted a child-care facility to be established by a notice to increase the number of child-care facilities in a short period. So, many child-care facilities which do not meet standards of the industry are emerging. As a result, such child-care centers are experiencing difficulty in attracting children. Therefore, they reduce enrollment fees and wages of child-care teachers. Such situation causes lower quality in the child-care service and lower social awareness for importance of the child-care service. Improvement methods for those situations are as follows;- First, as an improvement plan for child-care budgets, The Korean government and local government should prepare a system to aid child-care fees and support child-care facilities, make a plan to more actively secure child-care budgets, including introduction of a child-care tax and child-care fund and find method to perform a rational and a systematical child-care supporting policy by preparing a plan to increase government financial supports to all child-care facilities in Korea. Second, in terms of child-care service, sufficient studies should be conducted and enough study period and research fund should be invested to develop various child-care programs in long-term view, with child-care specialists from various sectors. We should more actively seek a method to develop and realize a child-care program which is suitable for Korean society while the specialists are deeply examining advanced child-care facilities. In addition, time extended child-care facilities, weekend and holiday child-care facilities, after-school care facilities and child-care facilities for the disables should be smoothly run to accommodate different requests from different social classes. In external view, a certificate system (such as the first, the second and the third class certificate) accredited by the government should be introduced to increase speciality of child-care teachers. In internal view, a good wage system and excellent working environment should be provided in order to expect high quality child-care service. To efficiently use an evaluation and accreditation system, we should try to increase principals, teachers and parents' understanding about the necessity of the system by developing support programs and materials to help people acknowledge and understand the system. Third, in the light of the improvement plan of child-care system, the number of public servants should be increased to meet actual demands in order to effectively conduct works related to child-care. Also, frequent position movement of officials in a child-care department should be reduced. For revitalization of child-care and building a child-care information network, the central government or local governments should keep a certain amount of budgets and find a plan to manage and operate a child-care information center with increased full time specialized workers. Finally, a plan to increase the number of public child-care facilities which are supported by a government should be prepare, including changing private child-care centers to public child-care facilities. There should be intervention of a government in establishment of a child-care center by adopting a government approval system. Also, foundation for establishment of quality child-care centers should be prepare by enhancing standards to open a child-care center. This study does not specifically recognize problems and needs working mothers have because it is a literacy study. Also, a comsumer's side of the policy is only analysed. Effectiveness and problems, which are recognized by a policy maker in the course of making and performing a policy should be objects of future study. In addition, in suggesting the improvement plan, there is not enough study for other problems, which may occur during conducting the policy. A future study should focus on the part.