Two kinds of services, basic protective care and educational programs, are generally accepted as fundamental comprising frame of childcare programs in Korea. Most of these programs being applied in the practical field are also based on the aforementi...
Two kinds of services, basic protective care and educational programs, are generally accepted as fundamental comprising frame of childcare programs in Korea. Most of these programs being applied in the practical field are also based on the aforementioned two services.
Although the protective function of childcare programs provide physical protection in lieu of the parents care, the educational function of that service approaches educational program in life. The functions of "Protection" and "Education" alone have their own limitations and shortages for the entire essence of childcare services.
Social service, which is one of the other service areas, differs from "basic protective care" and "educational services". It can be defined as a new service realm required to guarantee the development of children and to reflect social expectations and social necessities.
For the quality of childcare services, it is worthy to study the development of social service programs covering family and community as well as the child's individual desires. Detailed and profound research is needed for program development that can be applied at the childcare center.
This study is based on the necessity of addressing social welfare aspects in quality childcare services. It is also designed for basic survey and data collection for developing effective social service programs to examine the degree of social service program application in childcare institutions as well as the parent's desire for social service.
Social service programs are one of the comprising factors of childcare services. It is classified into three sub-categories for the purpose of this research; for the children, for the families and for the community. Also being analyzed for this study are the degree to which the parent's desire for social service programs provided by childcare center; co-relationship among degrees of parent's desire, educational background, and family monthly income.
This study examines, by surveying staff at childcare centers, degree of social service programs applied and operated by the institution. It also covers co-relationship among childcare institutions service level and establishment patterns of child care institutions and community wealth level where those institutions are located.
Reports of comparison between parents desire level and institutional service level are being presented to verify any difference based on respective research results.
First, the degree of parents whose children attend the childcare centers shows a strong desire for social service programs. It also shows that the wealthier the parent and higher the parent's educational background, the more their desire for the program.
Secondly, some childcare centers especially those established by national or local government or located in low income communities have shown less effectiveness in application of social service programs than those being privately operated or sponsored by a company or located in middle class income communities.
Third, the overall degree of the parent's desire has shown higher than that of institutions service level.
This research provides the following suggestions for development and application of diversified social service programs at childrens institutions as a method of providing quality service based on the results of this research.
First, it is necessary to set up proper status and functional responsibilities for childcare center as well as social welfare institutions.
Secondly, in addition to services oriented for current "basic protective care" and "educational programs", social service programs should be included as a major element of childcare service to provide comprehensive child care service at childcare center.
Details of contents are as follows.
a)Service programs are to be extensively applied for the individual child.
b)The childcare center is to open aggressively to parents and make the efforts for mutual cooperative relationships.
c)Development of programs are needed to link the child care center and regional community.
d)Childcare service programs should be diversified.
e)General childcare institutions need to render integrated care services for handicapped children..
Third, the staff at childcare center should be fully aware of the heightened understanding of social service programs.
Fourth, each childcare center should make every effort for program operations considering the respective desire of parents and community circumstances that it belongs to.
Fifth, work conditions as well as compensation and benefits for staff at childcare center should be improved for proving better quality service to the community, children and their parents.